FAQs

The Faculty of Medicine (FoM) Curriculum Team operates out of the Office of the Vice Dean (VDE). The team was launched in 2018 to support requests for curriculum, calendar change proposals and new programs/certificate proposals at all levels, including the FoM, Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and UBC-wide. The team supports units within the FoM with the creation of new programs, certificates (including non-credit program certificates and micro-certificates), and courses, and the process of updating or changing information for existing courses, certificates or programs. The FoM Curriculum Team aims to bring clarity and consistency to all curriculum changes, academic calendar changes, and new programs requiring Faculty approval, while ensuring transparency and broad awareness across the FoM.

The FoM Curriculum Team provides support with all aspects of proposal development, obtainment of Faculty endorsements and approvals, and submission of proposal to external approving bodies.

The best way to contact the FoM Curriculum Team is via email: fom.curriculum@ubc.ca.

As early as the inception of an idea or as soon as there is an identified need to update or change information for existing courses, certificates or programs.

The timeline is dependent on the proposal type . It is recommended that new program proposals be submitted at least 24 months prior to the desired first cohort start date. Please contact fom.curriculum@ubc.ca to discuss timelines in further detail.

Faculty of Medicine (FoM) Finance 
Curriculum Pathways Advisory Council (CPAC)
Dean, Faculty of Medicine
Vice Dean, Education (VDE)
Educational Committees:
–Graduate & Post-doctoral Education Committee (GPEC),
–Health Professions Programs Committee (HPPC)
–Undergraduate Medical Education Committee (UGMEC)
–Dean’s Advisory Council (DEX)
–Department Heads and School Directors Committee (DHSD)
–Faculty Executive’s Committee (FEX)
–Full Faculty (FF)

Curriculum changes are categorized into different types and navigate through the FoM curriculum pathway stages differently based on the proposal needs.

Category 1 new program & academic-credit certificate proposals include new undergraduate degree or graduate degree programs, and new academic-credit certificates.

Category 1 non-credit credentials – proposals include new non-credit program certificates (150+ expected hours of learning activities), new non-credit program micro-certificates (50+ expected hours of learning activities, and non-credit letters of completion/participation (fewer than 50 expected hours of learning activities). 

Category 1 proposals are also required for new courses (including Special Topics/Directed Studies), or for major changes to an existing course or program, including the closure of a program or suspending admission to a program.

Category 2 proposals are generally ‘minor’, less substantive changes to existing courses and programs, or the closure of a course (if the closure does not impact other faculties).

Calendar Proofreading are editorial academic calendar corrections to existing programs and courses, and include spelling and grammar errors, change of names and change of contact information. This process occurs twice a year. Programs will be prompted to submit changes in advance of the UBC calendar deadline.

Applications for the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills (PSFS) Call for Micro-credentials: the FoM Curriculum team also accepts submission for the Ministry of PSFS Call for Micro-credentials. All micro-credential applications from the FoM intended for PSFS Call for Micro-credentials must be first sent to the FoM Curriculum Team for FoM review and approval. The submission to UBC Provost will then be facilitated by the FoM Curriculum Team. Upon receiving the Call for Proposals from the Provost Office, the FoM Curriculum team will then broadcast our internal FoM deadline for applications to FoM departments/schools/programs/units.

The FoM Curriculum pathway ensures each proposal is carefully reviewed by key stakeholders and FoM leadership before it can be approved and shared to the UBC-V Senate for final approval. Communication with the UBC-V Senate will be streamlined through the FoM Curriculum Team, who act as a single point of contact with the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, UBC Provost Office and UBC-V Senate Office

Yes. The documents required upon by the FoM Curriculum Team are the ones ultimately packaged for submission to external approving bodies/UBC-V Senate.

Most of the instructions you will need to fill out a Change to Course or Program (2-column) form appear on the form itself. Examples of how to properly format a Calendar change using this form can be found in the Examples of UBC Curriculum Proposal Form from Senate. This form is used for all types of curriculum changes.

Any faculty, department, program, school, or unit that would have an interest in the proposal.

For consultation requests intended for colleagues, and/or departments/programs/schools/units within UBC FoM, please reach out to  fom.curriculum@ubc.ca. Please note these requests typically take up to 4-6 weeks from time of submission to FoM Curriculum. 

For consultation requests intended for UBC faculties and/or departments external to UBC FoM, please reach out to these faculties and/or departments directly.

The FoM Curriculum Team will guide the proposal through the remaining endorsement and/or approval stages within the FoM, including external approvals where necessary. The FoM Curriculum Team will provide regular updates to proponents on the status of their submission.

No. The FoM Curriculum Team will take care of the submission process to external approving bodies. The FoM Curriculum Team will provide regular updates to proponents on the status of their submission.

Along the pathways, there is a possibility where internal and external committees may have additional inquiries and recommendations for the proposal. If necessary, proposal revisions may be requested.