Process

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Criteria

The proposed implementation, or re-launch of a new course, program, or certificate should have the following attributes for consideration:

1. Use a cross-disciplinary approach to create modules that leverage expertise between departments/schools/institutes 
2. Deliver sustainable benefits to learners either directly (e.g. enhancement and long-term viability of content; experiential learning opportunities, career trajectory) and/or indirectly (e.g. training of faculty and staff in new leaching/learning tools) 
3. Achieve higher enrolment and net revenues over a multi-year horizon
4. Ensure it can be delivered within existing UBC facilities and infrastructure.
5. Be deliverable within the existing infrastructure of UBC facilities 
6.  Align with the goals and objectives of the UBC Faculty of Medicine 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, Building the Future, in particular, the Education Pillar and UBC’s strategic plan 2018-2028 in Shaping UBC’s Next Century.

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UBC Vancouver Senate Requirements and Curriculum Categories

Details on Senate requirements, including the different categories of curriculum changes, can be found via the UBC-V Senate ‘Guide to Curriculum Submissions for UBC Vancouver‘.

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Pathways

The timeline for a curriculum change depends on its Category, which are defined in the UBC-V Senate Guide to Curriculum Changes. All proposed changes will travel through the four key stages: Inception, Endorsement, Faculty Approval and External Approval. If you have any questions, please contact the FoM Curriculum Team.

FoM Curriculum Review Pathway for Category 1 New Degree Programs
*List of commonly used acronyms found on the diagram above.

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FoM Curriculum Review Pathway for Category 1 Proposals

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FoM Curriculum Review Pathway for Category 2 Proposals

For information on pathways for departments under more than one Faculty, new certificates, new non-credit credentials, or for additional information on any type of curriculum change, please reach out to fom.curriculum@ubc.ca.

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Submission Deadlines for Annual Sessions and Calendar Releases

All proposed changes to curricula must first be submitted to the FoM Curriculum Team, and approved by the FoM before moving forward to UBC-V Senate Office for final approval.  The FoM Curriculum Team is the single point of contact between proponents, the FoM, UBC-V Senate, and external governing bodies to support and facilitate all curriculum changes.

Below is the estimated timeline for Category 1 and Category 2 curriculum change proposals to be tentatively accepted for the 2026W or 2026S sessions, and reflected in the 2026/2027 UBC Calendar release. This is provided as a ‘best estimate’ only, and can be subject to change based upon decisions made by FoM committees or external governing bodies/committees during any step in the review process.

These submission deadlines do not pertain to new program, degree, diploma, certificate, or micro-certificate proposals. For timelines associated with new program, degree, diploma, certificate, or micro-credential proposals, please contact the  FoM Curriculum Team at fom.curriculum@ubc.ca.

Submit to FOM Curriculum fom.curriculum@ubc.ca	Department Heads & School Directors (DHSD) Meeting	Faculty Executive Committee (FEX) Meeting	Graduate Curriculum Committee (GCC) Meeting	Senate Curriculum/ Senate Admissions Committee (SCC / SAC) Meeting	Senate Meeting	Calendar Release
28-Jul-25	01-Oct-25	12-Nov-25	TBA	SCC: 26-Jan-26 SAC: 10-Dec-25	18-Feb-26	2025/2026

To identify which council/committee is appropriate for your proposal to travel through, please contact the FoM Curriculum Team at fom.curriculum@ubc.ca.

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Annual FoM Meeting Frequency

Committee/ Council	Typical Frequency	Proposal Submission Information	Note
Curriculum Pathways Advisory Council (CPAC)	First Thursday of Feb, May, Aug, Nov from 11:00am – 12:00pm.	6 weeks prior.   Submit to fom.curriculum@ubc.ca	Meetings only held as required.
Dean’s Advisory Council (DEX)	Weekly on Wednesdays from 1:00 – 3:00pm	Facilitated by FoM Curriculum Team
Department Heads and School Directors Committee (DHSD)	First Wednesday of every month from 4:30-6:00pm	Facilitated by  FoM Curriculum Team	Meetings may be cancelled during summer season.
Faculty Executive Committee (FEX)	Second Tuesday of Sept, Nov, Jan, March, May, July from 4:00 – 6:00pm	Facilitated by  FoM Curriculum Team	Meetings may be cancelled during summer season.

*The FoM Curriculum Team will forward your proposal to the appropriate council or committee.  If a presentation is needed, we will contact the lead proponent(s) well in advance of the meeting.

Once approved by the Faculty, the FoM Curriculum Team will submit curriculum change proposals to the UBC-V Senate and any relevant external governing bodies for final review. Since each committee follows its own schedule, we recommend checking their individual websites for their upcoming meeting dates.

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies – Graduate Curriculum Committee

UBC-V Senate Admissions Committee

UBC-V Senate Curriculum Committee

UBC-V Senate

UBC Board of Governors