Curriculum Change Guidelines

The Undergraduate and Diploma Curriculum website houses calendar templates for the curriculum change cycle. The website includes information on submission guidelines, style guides, templates, frequently asked questions and contact information for resource staff and Program Committees across the campus. 

Curriculum Inventory Management System 

After October 1, 2022, all curriculum changes will occur through the Curriculum Inventory Management (CIM) system. 

The CIM system will be where the community will complete and approve proposals for additions, changes or deletions to courses and programs. Once a proposal has been developed in CIM, a workflow will be generated to ensure the required consultation and approvals are completed. The system will therefore streamline the approval process. Once changes have been approved via the appropriate governance channels, the CIM system will allow for integration and synchronization with Colleague (Student Information System) and the Academic Calendars.

New Programs and Curriculum Changes 

Changes, additions, or deletions to the existing University of Guelph undergraduate degree or diploma curriculum, or the University of Guelph - Humber curriculum, require the approval of the Board of Undergraduate Studies (BUGS) and Senate.

All proposed changes to the curriculum are forwarded annually to the Office of Quality Assurance by the relevant Program Committee following the timelines and deadlines for approval, and must have received prior approval from both the Program Committee and Dean of the College. Program committees are required to submit proposed changes to the undergraduate and diploma curriculum on the calendar templates or through the CIM system. 

The Office of Quality Assurance manages the Calendar Review Committee, a sub-committee of BUGS, which is responsible for reviewing proposals from Program Committees for new programs and courses, the discontinuation of programs and courses, and the modification of existing programs and courses. The Director, Academic Programs and Policy presents Calendar Review Committee reports to BUGS with recommendations for approval.

Upon approval by BUGS and/or Senate, the submissions will then appear in the next edition of the University of Guelph Undergraduate,  Associate Diploma or Guelph - Humber calendars, posted by the the Office of Registrarial Services posts in draft format on March 1 and published on May 1 each year. 

Learning Outcomes: New Programs and Courses

Proposals for new programs must outline and describe the intended learning outcomes of the course or program, how the intended outcomes will be assessed, and their alignment with the five Senate-approved Learning Outcomes. Use the alignment template found on the learning outcomes website.

New course additions must include a section on intended learning outcomes and how those outcomes will be assessed through the methods of evaluation for the course. More information on learning outcomes 

New Programs: Approval by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) and the Ontario University’s Council on Quality Assurance (the “Quality Council”)

"New Programs" includes new degrees, majors, minors, areas of concentration, certificates and diplomas. Depending on the proposed program, in addition to Senate approval, external review and subsequent “approval to commence” may be required from the Quality Council and in many cases funding approval submission to MCU may be required. Read all of the information carefully and contact the Director, Academic Programs and Policy for support with new program proposal submissions.

In accordance with the University of Guelph Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP), proposals for new undergraduate degrees and majors require an external review prior to final submission.

In addition, programs having undergone major modifications must be reported to the Quality Council annually through the Office of Quality Assurance. Details regarding what constitutes a major modification can be found in the IQAP. For clarification as to whether proposed revisions would be considered a major modification or constitutes a new program, contact the Office of Quality Assurance.