Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Read the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about curriculum and governance.
Please reach out to the Graduate Affairs Officer in the Office of the Vice Dean, Research and Health Science Education (RHSE) if you need assistance.
I don't see the type of academic change I would like to make. What should I do?
We have listed the most common types of minor modifications and major modifications on our website. If the academic change you wish to implement is not listed here, please contact the Graduate Affairs Officer at RHSE.
How long does it take to obtain all of the necessary approvals (i.e., complete the divisional governance process)?
Once the governance template is submitted to RHSE, the process can take up to 2 – 3 months.
Are the approvals at each step communicated back to our department?
Once the final approval is obtained, we will send confirmation emails to the Graduate Unit Chair, Graduate Coordinator and Graduate Administrator. If there is a designated lead faculty, outside of these position(s), s/he will be included in this email.
What happens once we obtain all of the approvals?
RHSE informs the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) and the Vice-Provost, Academic Change of the approved changes. SGS will then updated ROSI to reflect the approved changes.
Graduate units (Graduate Coordinators and Administrators), as well as any designated faculty (as noted on the Governance template) will recieve an email once all the necessary divisional governance approvals are obtained. Graduate units and Collaborative Specialization will continue to be responsible for updating their SGS calendar entry each year by the deadline, as communicated by SGS.
We recieved governance approval for a new program (or a new field). Do new courses in this new program (or new field) require additional governance approval?
It depends on the level of detail these courses were described in the approved program proposal. Please contact the Graduate Affairs Officer at RHSE to discuss your situation.
How soon can an academic change be implemented?
As noted above, we communicate all approved changes immediately to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS). However, the SGS calendar is updated on a yearly basis. Graduate units and Collaborative Specialization normally submit their edits by March 31st.
For any academic changes that impact the core curriculum or program requirements, approvals must be obtained well in advance of the SGS Calendar deadline. This is imperative for program requirements and optional for electives.
