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II. Proposal development and consultation

Once your concept paper (if applicable) has completed the approval process, you can begin developing your program proposal.

Developing your proposal

Step 1: Touch base with your program proposal contact

It’s important to check in with your program proposal contact to discuss the next steps for your program proposal. They will provide you with advice on the forms you must complete at this stage of the process and will highlight other considerations you should be aware of. 

For graduate programs, you will also want to choose an external reviewer at this stage (not required for proposals for new graduate diplomas or certificates—degrees only). consult the Guidelines for External Program Assessors [PDF-353KB] for more information on choosing an external reviewer. Providing this recommendation to the associate dean early on can prevent a delay at step V. Faculty of Graduate Studies approval.  

Step 2: Download and review the program proposal forms

Dalhousie uses forms that have been adapted from the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC) and meet all their requirements.  Login required to download these forms.

IMPORTANT NOTES

  • In some instances, a proposal to modify a program should be submitted using the New Program form given the extent of the changes. Check with the appropriate contact (undergraduate or graduate) if you are unsure of which form to use. 
  • New graduate-level certificate and diploma programs no longer require external reviews prior to submission.
  • The MPHEC no longer requires that the budget table (Table 5.3 for new programs; Table 2.8 for program modifications) be completed.
  • The MPHEC recommends that proposals for program modifications include the faculty resources table found in the excel sheets for new programs (see Table 4.1 Faculty Resources).
  • The MPHEC no longer requires that faculty CVs be submitted for proposals for new programs (but reserves the right to request CVs during the assessment process)

Proposals for new or modified programs (including majors, diplomas, etc.) where graduates will be medical or health practitioners, engage in direct patient/client care, or undertake clinical rotations as part of their program, etc. will require endorsement by the Atlantic Advisory Committee on Health Human Resources (or AACHHR, a body of the Council of Atlantic Premiers) prior to MPHEC beginning their assessment.

Proposers must additionally complete the appropriate Atlantic Advisory Committee on Health Human Resources (AACHHR) form and submit it to their proposal contact along with their MPHEC/Senate Form (other MPHEC/Dalhousie information requirements do not apply and need not be included/appended unless they directly support the information requirements on the AACHHR form). Assessment by AACHHR will occur in tandem with review and approval by the Faculty of Graduate Studies (if applicable) and committees of Senate.

Not sure if your program meets the above criteria? Touch base with your proposal contact early in the process for verification by AACHHR.

Step 3: Early consultation with academic support units

Academic support units, including The Centre for Learning and Teaching, Office of the Registrar and Financial Services should be consulted during proposal development, before significant work on your proposal has been completed. If your proposal has certain characteristics, you may also need to consult with Academic Technology Services or the appropriate co-operative education office at this stage.

Please involve your Faculty-level administrator or budget officer at an early stage to connect with Financial Services.

Planning and timeline considerations when developing your proposal

Consider the following factors and the time each will take when planning for the development, approval and implementation of a new/modified program. Development of a program proposal is a consultative process, and you should plan for time to receive and incorporate feedback.

Program and curriculum

  • Do all of the courses needed for the new or modified program already exist or will they need to be created? Are syllabi up-to-date and compliant with the university syllabi policy? 
  • Does the program have articulated learning outcomes or will they need to be developed?

Enrollment related budget allocations (ERBA), resources, and budget considerations

  • What are the resource implications of the proposal? Are all of the required resources in-place or will they need to be obtained? As part of development, you will need to identify all of the resources required to support the new or modified program and develop a financial plan that confirms they will be in place to support roll-out.
  • If you have any concerns or questions about the alignment of university resources with your proposed new or modified program (e.g. you anticipte deficiencies in classroom/office space or library collections) you should touch base with the appropriate contact person to plan rather than waiting until later inthe process. See Academic Support Units for contact information.
  • If you are proposing an ERBA-exempt program, a supportive letter from the provost must accompany the proposal. 
  • If the proposal entails hiring new tenured faculty members, a supportive letter from the provost must accompany the proposal.
  • If you propose hiring new, non-tenured faculty or staff to support the program, a supportive letter from the dean is required. 

Identify internal and external stakeholders

In addition to the academic unit stakeholders listed here, if the new or modified program may impact other Dalhousie units and/or existing programs (including joint programs, similar programs or courses and electives taken through other faculties), those programs and/or faculties should be consulted and provide a letter of support, where appropriate.  

If the proposal is for an articulated program or will draw on the resources of another institution, the institution must be consulted, and appropriate documentation included, as per the information requirements on the forms.

Some proposals will benefit from review or supportive statements from external stakeholders as well (proposals for new graduate programs, including degrees and diplomas, require a formal external review—see Faculty of Graduate Studies step). If an external stakeholder can speak to or support any element of the proposal (curriculum, rationale, student outcomes, resources, etc.), including a letter may be a good idea.

  • Potential employers or industry (especially for regulated programs or programs that produce practitioners)
  • If the program includes clinical placements, work-integrated-learning, etc., the proposal should include evidence of consultation, support for placement opportunities, etc. 
  • Anyone in a position to verify that resources not yet in place will be available to supoprt the program (i.e. government)
  • Any interest-holding party who may have a direct relationship with, or interest in, the content of the program

Embedding inclusive excellence

Program proposals require programs to describe how they will foster a culture of respect and inclusivity. The types of consultation required may vary depending on the content and context. Some examples include: 

Approval body schedule and timelines

  • Committee meeting frequency/schedules. For example, Faculty of Graduate Studies and Senate committees typically meet every 2-3 weeks. Senate meetings are held monthly. (e.g., committees of FGS and Senate typically meet every 2-3 weeks; Senate meetings occur monthly).
  • Assessment by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC) takes a minimum of 8-12 weeks (for Stage I approval).  
  • Deadlines for the academic calendar, admissions and advertising cycles, and time required to implement the new or modified program. Early consultation with the Registrar’s Office is recommended to discuss this as outlined in Step III.