Ministry of Advanced Education

Degree Authorization

B.C. Public Institutions - Non-degree Program Proposal Approval Process

In 2002 the Ministry of Advanced Education introduced a new process for reviewing new non-degree programs offered at British Columbia public colleges and institutes. Under this process, the institution’s Board of Governors decide whether to implement a new non-degree proposal.

All B.C. public institutions are to participate in the on-line non-degree program review process for new non-degree credit programs, except for certificate programs that do not “ladder” into diploma programs. Eligible programs include:

• New fields of study
• New credentials
• Options developed in existing programs and to be recognized on student’s transcripts
• Major program revisions that warrant an internal review or institutional approval
• Programs originally established as credentials offered outside the province, but are later offered within the province by a British Columbia institution.

Refer to the guidelines and templates for an overview of the non-degree program review process for British Columbia public colleges and institutes and the submission template.

Step 1
Review of proposal by the institution’s Education Council or equivalent.

Step 2
30-day peer review on the Post-secondary Institution Proposal System.

Institutions submitting the proposal consider feedback and recommendations from the peer review and respond to the comments on the Post-secondary Institution Proposal System.

Step 3
Implementation of proposal

Once the proposal has been peer reviewed and peer comments have been addressed, the institution records the implementation date and attaches the proposal they intend to implement.

---