Proposals can be submitted by faculty to make a modifications to curricula including things such as title changes, course descriptions, credit values edits and rubric changes.
There are two types of Curriculum Proposals:
Minor modifications are curriculum proposals dealing with courses or less substantive changes to existing degree programs or certificates. As per recent YUQAP updates, there are two types of minor modification to a program or degree option: Detailed Minor Modification and Standard Minor Modification.
In LA&PS, Standard Minor Modification specifies following changes.
Course Expiries
Reactivate the retired or inactive course; Request to expire or inactivate the course
New Course Proposal (NCP)
Details
- Propose or offer a new course
- Offer a new credit version of an existing course
- Propose a new Gen-ed course
Note: The LA&PS General Education Sub-committee was reconvened in 2021 and is actively accepting curricular proposals for general education. New proposals will be vetted for completeness and accuracy; once complete, proposals will be scheduled for review by the committee according to the order of submission.
References
York University’s Quality Assurance Procedures (YUQAP) (PDF).
Requirements
- A complete New Course Proposals – Undergraduate (DOCX) form, with unit-level approval documented
- A library support statement from your unit’s subject librarian
- Evidence of alignment with UUDLES
- Support statement from the LA&PS EE Director (if applicable)
- Support statement from the LA&PS Study Abroad Coordinator (if applicable)
- Consultation Form (if applicable)
- Indigenous Council Consultation Form (if applicable)
- Change to Existing Program form (if your new course affect program requirement)
Note: If the proposed course needs to be added to an existing course list in the Academic Calendar, then please submit an MCP along with the NCP, since adding any course to a course list requires the Senate approval.
Change to Existing Course
Details
- Title change
- Pre-/co-requisite
- Credit exclusion
- Course number/year level
- Course description
- Mode of delivery
- Credit value
- Cross-listing
Requirements
- A complete Change to Existing Course – Undergraduate (DOCX) form, with unit level approval documented
- Consultation form (if the change affects any connected unit)
Note: If the change to a course affects the degree requirements or the existing academic calendar copy, please submit a minor change to existing program proposal (MCP). For example, if you want to propose a 3-credit version of an existing 6-credit version of a course, which needs to be added to the existing course list in the Academic Calendar, please submit an MCP and attach the CEC with it.
Detailed Minor Modification
Details
A modification to a program or degree option that does not rise to the level of a major modification but that:
- may have a broad impact
- require consultation across units/groups
- include substantial changes to an existing program option established through a major modification (e.g., minor, graduate specialization, option, certificate, or WIL option)
Requirements
- A complete Detailed Minor Modification Form (DOCX), with unit level approval documented.
- Academic Calendar – please refer to the new Academic Calendar Template (DOCX)
- A Curriculum Map (DOCX) (if needed)
Please note that Change to Existing Program proposals may require a curriculum map, as outlined by the York University Quality Assurance Procedures. In such cases, the curriculum team will follow up with proponents to request the map and offer support for its creation, as needed.
Standard Minor Modification (Faculty Specific)
Details
A modification to a program or degree option that does not rise to the level of a major modification or a detailed minor modification.
- Calendar copy corrections
- Revisions and/or updates to PLOs that do not change the substance of the PLOs
- Change program name or nomenclature where there are no changes to PLOs
- Course changes – revisions, additions, deletions, repositioning, resequencing, etc. – where there are no changes to PLOs
- Change in program requirements or sequencing where less than one-third of the program courses are affected
- Minor changes (changes less than one-third of the program) to an existing minor, specialization, option, certificate, or WIL option (i.e., minor change to anything established through a major modification)
- Closure of any degree option, e.g. honours specialization
- Please find Program Modification Distinction Table (PDF) for further clarification
Requirements
- A complete Standard Minor Modification Form (DOCX), with unit level approval documented
- Academic Calendar – please refer to the new Academic Calendar Template (DOCX)
- A Curriculum Map (DOCX) (if needed)
Please note that Change to Existing Program proposals may require a curriculum map, as outlined by the York University Quality Assurance Procedures. In such cases, the curriculum team will follow up with proponents to request the map and offer support for its creation, as needed.
Proposal Requirements
The York University Quality Assurance Protocol stipulates that, in ambiguous cases, the Office of the Vice-Provost Academic decides which proposal type and process proponents should follow.
Visit Program Modification page for more information on Minor Modification.
Submitting Multiple Minor Proposals
- Articulate the cumulative effect of the changes on the program overall.
- Tell the committee what you’re trying to do and why
- Indicate whether the changes respond to CPR feedback
- Tell me if you are willing to address the committee directly
- Show that you’ve consulted with affected programs
- Write calendar copy that’s clear to students about how the overall change affects the requirements.
Major modifications involve substantial changes to existing programs due to curricular renewal, program restructuring, program mergers and proposals for new programs.
New Degree Program Approval
- New undergraduate degrees
- New undergraduate honours specializations and majors (for which a similar specialization is not already approved)
- Graduate degrees
- Combined degrees (when a new parent program at the University is being proposed in conjunction with combined degree).
Please visit New Program Proposals page for detailed guidelines.
Undergraduate New Degrees with Expedited Approvals
In some cases, new program proposals can be expedited when the Quality Council does not require an external review of the proposed program. Ultimately, the Office of the Vice-Provost, Academic- in consultation with the Quality Council- determines which process a program brief will follow.
Program Closure
- The closure of degrees and degree programs
- Closure of credit diplomas and certificates.
Examples of reasons for program closures include:
- low enrolment
- changes in academic programs
- poor program quality whether articulated in cyclical reviews or determined solely by the institution.
Please visit Program Closure page for detailed guidelines.
New Undergraduate Certificate Approval
- Creation of a new disciplinary certificate
- Creation of a new cross-disciplinary certificate
- Creation of a certificate of Proficiency
- Creation of a Professional Certificate
Please visit Undergraduate Certificate Proposals for detailed guidelines.
Major Modifications to Existing Programs
A major modification is a significant change to a degree program or Type 2 or Type 3 Graduate Diploma, which may include significant changes to the program requirements, intended learning outcomes, mode of delivery, and/or human and other resources associated with the program.
Typically involve at least one of the following:
Undergraduate
- Substantive changes to program learning outcomes (PLOs) and/or approved requirements that comprise up to approximately one-third of the program
- Major changes to courses comprising a significant proportion of the program and making an important contribution to meeting program learning outcomes (approximately one-third of courses).
- The addition of a new major (undergraduate) where a similar major exists
- Change in program name and/or degree nomenclature when this results in a change in learning outcomes. (Note: New degree types require a separate Motion to Senate)
- Addition or deletion of streams
- Establishment of undergraduate certificates
- The merger of two or more programs
- The creation of combined degrees (existing programs), either undergraduate, graduate, or undergraduate/graduate
- Establishment of a dual credential arrangement (degree/degree or degree/diploma)
- New bridging options for college diploma graduates
- Establishment of a minor program or minor option
- The addition of new options or significant changes to a program’s delivery, including to the program’s faculty and/or to the essential physical resources as may occur, for example, where there have been changes to the existing mode(s) of delivery (e.g., different campus, part-time to full-time (or vice-versa) and/or online/hybrid delivery)
Graduate
- At the master’s level, the introduction or deletion of a major research paper, thesis, or course-only option
- In a graduate program, addition or deletion of an allowable dissertation / thesis format
- The introduction or deletion of a required co-op, course-based placement, practicum, internship or other work-integrated learning requirement
- A new specialization at the graduate level
- The introduction or deletion of a field in a graduate program
- The creation of a collaborative specialization at the graduate level
- The creation of a new Type 1 graduate diploma
- Significant change to graduate degree requirements, including comprehensive exams and thesis requirements, that result in a significant change to the learning outcomes (see first point above)
Please visit Major Modification Protocol for detailed guidelines and to find all major modification forms.
Before drafting a proposal to modify a program, a Notice of Intention or NOI must be submitted to the Vice-Provost Academic.
Questions?
If you are unsure whether a change you want to propose is a major or minor modification or which minor modification it is, please consult the LA&PS curriculum office for additional clarification.