| Procedure Number: ACAD 101 | Procedure Title: New Program Development |
| Supersedes Existing Procedure? N | Policy Sponsor: Senior Vice-President Academic |
| Associated Policy: N | Policy Owner: Dean, Leadership, Learning, and Academic Excellence |
| Next Review Date: April 2028 | Date Last Approved by the CET: April 9, 2025 |
| Related Documents and Links |
1. Introduction and Purpose
The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that all new academic programs at Loyalist College follow a structured development process. This procedure includes the proposal, review, and approval stages including collaboration with relevant college supports, alignment with vocational and professional standards, and compliance with institutional capabilities, regulatory requirements, and strategic priorities.
2. Application
This procedure applies to all approved programs of instruction at Loyalist College, including certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas, graduate certificates, apprenticeships, and degrees.
3. New Program Development
3.1 New program ideas can be proposed at any time by employees, community members, or Program Advisory Committees (PACs) to a Dean or a member of the College Executive Team (CET).
3.2 The Senior Vice-President Academic (SVPA) conducts an initial review of all submitted program proposals to ensure they align with the current needs of the college and strategic institutional priorities. Proposals aligning with the college’s priorities will be forwarded to Institutional Research for analysis. The Office of the SVPA maintains a record of all proposals.
3.3 Institutional Research conducts an environmental scan to assess enrolment trends, community need, and employment projections, and provides a report to the SVPA and Dean. All program ideas will be presented to CET for early input and advice. If deemed unfeasible, the program idea can be deferred or abandoned.
3.4 If approved, the Centre of Leadership, Learning, and Academic Excellence (CLLAE) in collaboration with the Dean and assigned subject matter expert(s) develop an initial program proposal. The proposal is shared with all relevant support services and departments, such as student services, IT, library, and marketing, to gather input and ensure alignment with institutional capabilities and resources.
Following this consultation, the proposal is presented to a relevant PAC to ensure alignment with professional standards. If a PAC with the necessary expertise exists, the proposal will be reviewed during a scheduled PAC meeting. If a relevant PAC does not exist, the Dean will establish an ad hoc PAC as outlined in ACAD 105 Program Advisory Committees.
The PAC provides feedback and recommendations about program relevance and alignment with industry standards or regulatory requirements. Based on PAC feedback, the Dean will decide if the proposal will proceed to the next stage or be revised and resubmitted.
After review by the PAC, the Centre of Leadership, Learning, and Academic Excellence, in collaboration with the Dean and assigned subject matter expert(s), will finalize the program proposal to include:
• Curriculum Design: Alignment of proposed program courses and content with program/vocational learning outcomes.
• Staffing and Resources: Requirements for staffing, facilities, budget, and equipment necessary to deliver the program.
• Regulatory Compliance: Alignment with industry standards and regulatory requirements (e.g., Skilled Trades Ontario, PEQAB, MCU, accrediting body).
• Environmental Scan: The environmental scan developed by Institution Research that summarizes enrolment and employment trends.
The proposal is submitted to the SVPA for final review and academic division decision.
3.5 If approved, the proposal is submitted to the CET for resource allocation review and alignment with college objectives. Following this, the proposal is submitted to the Board of Governors for final review, ensuring alignment with the college’s strategic plan and goals.
If the program proposal is internally approved by the CET and Board of Governors, it is submitted for external review as required for the credential.
• Proposals for academic programs at the degree level are submitted to the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board (PEQAB) for review and Minister approval, ensuring the program meets provincial degree standards.
• Proposals for apprenticeships must comply with Skilled Trades Ontario and the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development.
• All other provincial credentials must be submitted to the Ontario College Quality Assurance Service (OCQAS) for validation and to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) if seeking funding approval.
The external review process is facilitated by CLLAE in consultation with the Dean.
3.6 Once approved, CLLAE leads and facilitates the program development process, which may occur concurrently with the external approval process, in collaboration with the Associate Dean and assigned subject matter expert(s) to develop detailed program curriculum. This process ensures that program/vocational learning outcomes, course content, and assessment methods are aligned and comply with any regulatory standards. For online or hybrid courses, considerations should be made to address specific delivery requirements, technology needs, and adaptations in teaching and learning strategies, ensuring these courses are appropriately supported and effectively implemented.
3.7 The academic school, under the direction of the Dean and in collaboration with the Registrar’s Office, ensures that all necessary program-related administrative tasks are complete. This may include:
• Ensuring that the Program of Study and curriculum materials are accurately recorded.
• Preparing any required information for student admissions, progression, and graduation.
• Preparing for program delivery, such as scheduling and classroom assignments.
3.8 The academic school, under the direction of the Dean, ensures that any additional preparation such as notifying community partners and college departments, obtaining required accreditation and/or regulatory body approval, marketing, assigning workloads, securing student supports, and obtaining program related equipment are complete before program launch.