Guidelines for the Distance Delivery of Graduate Programs

At their January 1993 meeting, the Western Canadian Deans of Graduate Studies recognized the growing demand for distance delivery graduate program offered in a combination of modes, including on-site, on-campus and technologically mediated instruction. They offer their support for innovative programs that demonstrate high quality, provide students with genuine professional development and lead to opportunities for further study.The Deans caution, however, that unless such programs are properly organized and delivered, they could seriously compromise the integrity and reputation enjoyed by existing on-campus graduate degree programs in Western Canada. To minimize this risk, the Deans endorse the general principle that distance graduate programs must meet the same standards of quality that are expected of equivalent programs offered on-campus.
In order to achieve this equivalency, the Deans endorse the following guidelines related to program, admission, instruction and supervision, and instructional resources:

A. Program

The university must make the same commitment to students regarding the availability and method of delivery of a complete program as it makes to students enrolled in on-campus programs.
Course content and contact hours must be equivalent to comparable courses offered on-campus.
Courses must not be offered in so compacted a time frame as to preclude opportunities for independent study, reflection and investigation within each course.
Wherever possible, the same choices of elective courses that are available in equivalent on-campus program must be offered to students.
Time limits for program completion must be the same as the limits for equivalent on-campus programs.

B. Admission Requirements

Admission criteria required of all candidates must be no less than those required for equivalent on-campus programs.
Unclassified or occasional students who are allowed to register in individual courses of the program must meet the same registration criteria as required for courses in equivalent on-campus programs.

C. Instruction and Supervision

There must be immediate, On-going interactive both between individual students and the instructor and among students in the delivery of each course.
Each student must be assigned to a program supervisor/advisor who is a member of the academic staff of the university. The quality of supervision or advising must be no less than that available to students in equivalent programs on-campus.
Qualifications and selection procedures for instructors and supervisors/advisors must be no less stringent than those required for equivalent on-campus programs.

D. Instruction Resources

Instructional resources (for example, library, computer, media and laboratory resources) necessary for graduate-level study must be available to all students.
This statement has been endorsed by the Deans of Graduate Studies at the following universities:
• University of Alberta
• University of British Columbia
• University of Calgary
• University of Lethbridge
• University of Manitoba
• University of Northern British Columbia
• University of Regina
• University of Saskatchewan
• Simon Fraser University
• University of Victoria
 

Administration sub shared delivery graduate programs

Policy on Shared Interuniversity Graduate Programs

The Western Canadian Deans of Graduate Studies (WCDGS) support the development of shared graduate programs between universities. These programs can provide a means of sharing resources, combining academic expertise between institutions and making innovative programs available to students. They can also facilitate research collaboration among universities and the public and private sectors. Such shared programs become increasingly feasible as new educational technologies enhance the quality of distance education. Shared graduate programs must be designed to meet the same high academic standards as conventional graduate programs. Their administration must recognize the autonomy and quality-control processes of the participating universities, while avoiding unnecessary duplication.

The following principles will apply:
Standards of quality: Shared graduate programs must satisfy the minimum standards for degrees at that level (masters or doctoral), agreed upon in advance by all participating universities. These academic standards pertain to admission requirements, number of credits, program requirements, passing grades, access to resources, quality of faculty, time limits, thesis or project requirements etc.
Program requirements: When a proposal is made for a specific shared graduate program, participating universities will establish, through initial consultation with the respective Deans of Graduate Studies, the requirements for the proposed program and a list of available resources (courses, faculty members, equipment, library facilities etc.).
Each university will determine its own internal procedures and criteria for approval of specific shared graduate programs. Willingness to participate will be shown by the signatures of relevant department chairs, deans and the graduate dean.
Program management: One institution must assume responsibility for the coordination of the administration of the shared program. The management structure of the program, for example a coordinating committee, shall be agreed upon in advance by the participating universities. The coordinating university will distribute reports to all participants at an agreed-upon interval. Formal reviews of a shared program must be held every five or six years, following a procedure agreed to by the participants.
Distance education: Courses included in shared programs which are offered using distance technology must conform to the standards of the WCDGS/CAGS Distance Education Policy. If a program intends to use new modes of course delivery, such as interactive video or compacted time frame, then this intent should be clearly articulated at the initial stages of program discussions.
Sharing of revenue: Shared programs must be designed to provide academic and financial benefits to all participating universities. Arrangements for sharing revenue and costs must be specified at the outset, and agreed to by the participating institutions. Any changes to these arrangements must be formally approved by these institutions.
Students in shared programs will be admitted by one of the participating universities (the home university). Arrangements for payment of program fees, incidental fees, and fees for courses taken at other participating universities will be specified at the outset. The degree will be awarded by the university to which the student has been admitted. If a component of the program will use the Western Deans Agreement, this must be specified at the outset.
Approval of programs and courses: Each institution awarding the degree must approve the program by its own internal process, thereby retaining its autonomy. Courses to be offered as part of a shared program would be approved by each institution.