Chapter 3 – Curriculum Review

This chapter examines the quality of the program’s curriculum. Before you start, please review Curriculum Design and Delivery Review Guide (KPU Program Review Guide Series #2) for information and guidance on how to conduct an assessment of the program’s curriculum. For ease of reference, the numbering of each item in this chapter matches the numbering used in the Curriculum Design & Delivery Review Guide (Guide #2) and self-study report template.

3.1. Pathway Mapping

3.1.1. Who are Your Students?

(Internal data)

Identify student segments targeted by the program.

Write a brief profile for each student segment you intend to target by this program.

3.1.2. How will the Program Prepare Students?

(Program website, academic calendar, course outlines)

Use the guiding questions in the Guide #2 to complete Appendix 1: Pathway Mapping Template. Add  the completed template to the self-study report appendices document.

In Chapter 3 of the self-study template, write a brief description highlighting key findings from your analysis above.

Invariably industry competencies and 21st century skill requirements would change when you carry out a pathways mapping exercise several years after the original program design. Write conclusions and recommendations in Chapter 7 of the self-study report highlighting some of these changes and its impact to the program.

3.2. Program Competencies

This section will help with developing or reviewing program level competencies based on the competencies and skills identified during the pathways mapping process. Review  section 2 (program competencies) of the Curriculum Design & Delivery Review Guide (KPU Program Review Guide Series #2).

If your program does NOT have program competencies, go to section 3.2.1

If your program does HAVE program competencies, go to section 3.2.2

3.2.1 Develop Program Competencies

Follow the steps provided in the Curriculum Design and Delivery Review Guide to develop competencies for your program. Append the completed appendix 3 Program Competency Development Template to the appendices document of the self-study report.

List the program competencies developed in Chapter 3 of the self-study template.  Note that you will be using the program competencies to develop/review program level outcomes.

Write conclusions and recommendations in chapter 7 of the self-study report pertaining to the newly developed program competencies above. For example, you may want to write a recommendation highlighting the need to carry out a program revision to add program competencies to the current program.

3.2.2 Review Current Program Competencies

Follow the steps provided in the Curriculum Design and Delivery Review Guide to review current program competencies of your program. Append the completed appendix 4 Current Program Competency Review Template to the appendices of the self-study report. Submit the completed template to the Quality Assurance Team at OPA at sscpr@kpu.ca.

In Chapter 3 of the self-study template, discuss any gaps you identified by mapping current program competencies against industry competencies and 21st century skills.

Write conclusions and recommendations in chapter 7 of the self-study report pertaining to current program competencies that need to be updated, deleted, or added.

3.3 Credential-Level Specifications

(Program website, academic calendar, course outlines)

Address the following after reviewing Section 3 of the Curriculum Design and Delivery Review Guide.

3.3.1 Identify the credential awarded for this program.

3.3.2 Explain whether this program is laddering into a higher-level credential or laddering in from a lower-level credential.

3.3.3 Explain the credit requirements a student needs to fulfil to be awarded the credential you specified above.

3.3.4 Explain the admission criteria students’ needs to meet to be accepted into this program.

Write conclusions and recommendations in chapter 7 of the self-study report pertaining to credential level specifications (if relevant) referred to above.

3.4. Program Learning Outcomes 

This section will guide the program review team in developing/reviewing the program outcomes necessary to deliver the program competencies identified in Section 2.

If your program does NOT have program outcomes, go to section 3.4.1

If your program does HAVE program outcomes, go to section 3.4.2

3.4.1 Develop Program Learning Outcomes  

This section will assist the program review team to develop program outcomes. Use the steps provided in Section 4 of the Curriculum Design & Delivery Review Guide (KPU Program Review Guide Series #2) to develop program learning outcomes.

Append completed appendix 6 Program Outcomes Alignment Template to the self-study report appendices document. Send a copy of the template to the Quality Assurance Team at OPA at sscpr@kpu.ca. List program outcomes in Chapter 3 of the self-study report template.

Write conclusions and recommendations in chapter 7 of the self-study report pertaining to the newly developed program outcomes. For example, you may want to write a recommendation highlighting the need to carry out a program revision to add program outcomes to the current program.

3.4.2 Review Current Program Learning Outcomes

Evaluate whether the current program learning outcomes reflect and deliver the program competencies developed/reviewed in Section 2.  Use the steps provided in Section 4 of the Curriculum Design & Delivery Review Guide (KPU Program Review Guide Series #2) to review current program learning outcomes. Append completed appendix 6 Program Outcomes Alignment Template to the self-study report appendices document.

Discuss gaps identified in the current program outcomes

Write conclusions and recommendations in chapter 7 of the self-study report pertaining changes that needs to be made to the current program outcomes due to the above findings.

3.5. Program Description  

(Program website, academic calendar)

3.5.1 Insert the current program description here.

3.5.2 Include the completed table in (KPU Program Review Guide Series #2) section 3.5.2 here. Discuss changes that needs to be made to the current program description based on this analysis.

3.5.3 Draft a new program description to reflect above changes

In the conclusions and recommendations in Chapter 7 of the self-study report, include the changes made to the program description as action item.

3.6. Curriculum Mapping

(Course outlines)

Map out the program learning outcomes developed/updated in Section 3 against the course level learning outcomes using the steps provided in the Curriculum Design and Delivery Review Guide.

3.6.1 Identify courses & course learning outcomes to be considered for the curriculum map (see KPU Program Review Guide Series #2) section 3.6.1.

3.6.2 Develop the curriculum map using the steps in Guide #2 Section 3.6.2.

Append the completed appendix 7 Curriculum Mapping Template to the appendices document of the self-study report.

Discuss key changes that need to be made to program outcomes or course outcomes due to this analysis. If any changes to program outcomes were made, go back to appendix 6 Program Outcomes Alignment Template, and ensure program outcomes are re-aligned with program competencies.

Write conclusions and recommendations in Chapter 7 of the self-study report pertaining to changes that needs to be made to the program and/or course outcomes based on findings of the curriculum mapping process.