Ministry of Advanced Education
Degree Authorization
B.C. Public Institutions
A review of the Degree Approval Process in British Columbia was launched in the fall of 2010 in order for government to review processes and criteria currently employed for evaluating and approving new degree proposals from institutions authorized to grant degrees in the Province.
An Advisory Panel was established to undertake this review that encompassed a wide consultation with institutions, organizations and individuals across the Province and make recommendations to government about how the process might be improved and redesigned. The Advisory Panel’s Report makes 35 recommendations to government on how to improve the degree approval process and the post-secondary system.
The quality of BC's post secondary institutions play a pivotal role in helping align education to government priorities and also leveraging our competitive advantage in attracting international students and delivering on regional employment needs. The Ministry is building on the outcomes of the Advisory Panel's report to expand and strengthen our quality assurance system across the entire post-secondary education sector.
Under the legislation governing public post-secondary institutions, the Minister of Advanced Education must approve all new degree programs. These web pages are designed to provide British Columbia public post-secondary institutions with a step-by-step guide for the new degree application and review process. They include information institutions will need before applying, the content and format for a full program proposal, the criteria used by the Degree Quality Assessment Board to assess proposals, and directions on how to submit a proposal using the online post-secondary institution proposal system.
