Program Approval Process

The Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Office works with Faculties and Schools, their departments or areas, and their staff to coordinate the external (government and CAQC) approval routes for new programs and significant changes to existing programs after internal approvals are secured. All required forms are submitted to the Ministry by staff in the Provost’s Office. Please contact the Provost's Office for more information (provost@uleth.ca).

Internal approval process

Prior to submission to the Ministry, proposals for new for-credit programming and certain changes to existing programs go through internal review and approval steps. Internal approvals include departmental/area approvals, Faculty/School councils, Curriculum Coordinating Committee, and General Faculties Council.

New credit programs

All proposals for new for-credit programming, including undergraduate and graduate degrees, certificates, and diplomas must be submitted to the Post-Secondary Programs Branch of the Ministry of Advanced Education for approval prior to being listed in the University Calendar. A staff member in the Provost’s Office assists with the completion of required forms and submits them to the Ministry after all necessary University of Lethbridge internal approvals have been secured.

Changes to existing programs

Proposed changes to the name of a program or major must be approved by the Post-Secondary Programs Branch after internal approvals and before being implemented.

Proposed changes to the credit hour load of a program (not a major) must be approved by the Post-Secondary Programs Branch after internal approvals and before being implemented.

Proposals to terminate a major or program go through a two-step process after being internally approved. First, a proposal to suspend the program/major is submitted to the Post-Secondary Programs Branch to allow students in the program time to complete it while the University suspends new admissions to the program. Then, within five years, a proposal to terminate the program/major is submitted to the Post-Secondary Programs Branch.

Relatively minor changes to existing programs, while requiring internal approvals, do not require approval from the Ministry (Post-Secondary Programs Branch) before being implemented. It is important, however, that the changes be submitted as a curriculum update to ensure the Ministry records of our programs remain accurate.

The Provost Office staff member will assist with all of these forms and submissions.

New non-credit programming

Non-credit programming does not require government approval. A framework and processes for internal approvals of non-credit (continuing education, professional development, etc.) is currently being developed.

For more information, please contact the Provost's Office (provost@uleth.ca).