A.3.1 Curriculum Development and Approval Process
Approved/revised: February 22, 2023
POLICY
This policy guides the development and improvement of courses that lead to credentials at NVIT.
Course outlines are developed or revised by faculty members in departments or program areas with direction from the relevant Dean and other members of the NVIT community that support the approval process.
Once the course is drafted and reviewed by the Department Head or Program Coordinator, or relevant Dean or VP, Academic, the lead faculty member must complete the New and Revised Course Outline Cover Sheet (hereafter “Cover Sheet”) (see Appendix 1) available in the Academic Office. The draft course outline and the cover sheet must be submitted via email to the administrative support for the committee a minimum of seven (7) business days prior to the scheduled meeting. Late submissions require special permission from the relevant Dean and approval by the Chair of the Curriculum Committee.
Submissions without the Cover Sheet will be considered incomplete and returned to the sender.
Under limited circumstances will a course outline bypass the Curriculum Committee. In such situations that are deemed time-sensitive, the faculty member or designate must provide rationale in writing to the Education Council Chair to acquire special permission. There is no guarantee that special permission may be granted.
GUIDELINES
Course Outline: A course outline provides a framework for approved courses at NVIT. It specifies important information, such as title, credits, contact hours, course description, learning outcomes, student evaluation procedures, and recommended resources. Course outlines are used to guide instructor planning and serves as a communication tool within the institution to describe goals and skills that a student gains upon successful completion. All course outlines are approved by Education Council.
Curriculum Committee: The Curriculum Committee is a standing committee of Education Council and is responsible for providing an in-depth review of curriculum submissions that are seeking approval and recommendation from Education Council. This includes following policies and procedures outlined in the course approval process and ensuring consistency with responsibilities identified in the College and Institutes Act.
Education Council: Legislated by the College and Institute Act, Education Council (EdCo) is a governing body made up of both elected and appointed members that is responsible for academic matters of the institution, including curriculum content and educational policies and procedures.
New and Revised Course Outline Cover Sheet (“Cover Sheet”): All submissions to the Curriculum Committee that are seeking Education Council approval must include a completed Course Outline Cover Sheet template available in the academic office. Submissions without the Cover Sheet will not be accepted.
The development of a new course or an amendment to an existing course is a is a multi-staged and collaborative process that involves many areas of the institution. Each step requires consultation and support by various departments to ensure a shared workflow and compliance with the approval process using a learner-centered approach.
In most cases, the development of a new course outline or the revision of an existing course outline will follow the below procedure:
o Course Code and Number
o Credit Assignment
o Department
o Prerequisite
o Total Hours
o Office Hours
o Instructor Qualifications
o Course Description
o Student Evaluation Procedures (Refer to Policy C.3.10 Grading System)
o Learning Outcomes
o Recommended Text and Materials
o Transfer Credit information
o Disability Services information
o Footer information
4.If the course is new, the Registrar will be consulted to provide a course number and course code, if required.
5. The Librarian will be consulted to ensure additional resources will be made available in the Learning Commons.
6. An updated program guide may be required if the proposed change(s) impact the program completion plan. The Academic Office will require an updated program guide when there are revisions to a course name, course code, credits, or course description. The revised program guide will be shared with the Registrar’s Office and the Board of Governors if the amendments have a significant impact on the program.
7. Once the lead instructor is satisfied with the draft and has the support from the relevant Dean or VP, Academic and the Department Head or Program Coordinator, the draft outline and the Cover Sheet is shared with the Manager, Academic Integrity (or designate) for further review.
8. If the draft meets the above listed requirements, the Manager, Academic Integrity (or designate) will add the outline(s) to the next agenda for the Curriculum Committee. If more information is required, the Manager, Academic Integrity (or designate) will request further development. To be included as a meeting item for the next committee meeting, the finalized draft outline must be submitted a minimum seven (7) business days prior to the meeting.
9. The lead instructor (or designate) will be required to attend the Curriculum Committee meeting to present the new course(s) or revision(
10. The Curriculum Committee will review the submission and ask questions pertaining to the course and/ or the program it is included in.
11. If the Curriculum Committee is satisfied with the draft outline, the committee will forward the draft course outline to Education Council for final approval. If the Curriculum Committee is not satisfied, the outline(s) will be returned to the lead instructor (or designate) for further development and will return to Step 2 of this procedure. In some cases, the committee may have recommendations for revisions. If the revisions are minor and do not change the intent, the outline may continue with the approval process. This is done only at the discretion of the Curriculum Committee.
12. If the Curriculum Committee does not request revisions to the draft course outline, it will be forwarded to Education Council for the next meeting agenda. If there are minor revisions, the Curriculum Committee requires that the lead instructor make the changes and then submits the amended course outline to the Manager, Academic Integrity (or designate) seven (7) business days prior to the meeting.
13. The lead instructor (or designate) will be invited to (and is expected to) attend the meeting to speak to the item. If there is not a designated person available to present the item at Education Council, the item will be tabled until a designated person is available to attend and speak to the item at Education Council.
14. Education Council will review and may ask questions pertaining to the course, its impact on the program pertaining to credentialling. If the new course impacts program completion, Motions will be drafted in consideration of former and future student
15. If the course outline is approved, the Academic Office will maintain and file a digital and paper Master copy of the outline. If the course outline requires additional information, it will be returned to the Curriculum Committee to communicate to the lead instructor that it requires further development.
16. The Minutes from Education Council and the Master copies will be forwarded by the Manager, Academic Integrity (or designate) to the Associate Registrars to update Colleague.
17. Once a course outline is approved, other departments are updated to ensure institutional consistency.
NVIT programs that are attached to an external licensing body and accreditation follow the regulatory requirements before curriculum is submitted through the internal approval process.
New Program Development or Revision to an Existing Program
If a new course or the revision of an existing course changes the content of the program or program completion, then a program guide must be included in submissions to the Curriculum Committee and Education Council. The Master copy of the program guide is kept on file in the Academic Office and is shared with the Registrar’s Office to guide data entry in Colleague as well as a tool for the Board of Governors for the final approval process.
Although new programs must follow the approval process for new courses, Education Council recommends the program to the Board of Governors. Education Council oversees the academic content of programs to ensure standards, including:
o C.3.10 Grading System
o Micro-Credential Framework
New and Revised Course Outline
Curriculum Development and Approval Process Cover Sheet