Issued April 1, 2003.
Revised: July 31, 2009
Re-issued February 2023.
Format change only, no change to policy directive.

Overview

Purpose and application

The delivery of programs of instruction is the core business of colleges of applied arts and technology in Ontario. As defined in O. Reg. 34/03 under the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act, 2002, a program of instruction means a group of related courses leading to a diploma, certificate, or other document awarded by the college.

The act identifies the colleges' objects or mandate to offer a comprehensive program of career-oriented, postsecondary education and training that:

  • assists individuals in finding and keeping employment
  • meets the needs of employers and the changing work environment
  • supports the economic and social development of their local and diverse communities

The Post-secondary Choice and Excellence Act, 2000 provides the authority for colleges of applied arts and technology to apply for ministerial consent to offer applied degrees subject to the terms and conditions established under the legislation and by the Minister.

Principles

  • Colleges play a major role in the achievement of economic prosperity in the province of Ontario through the provision of programs of instruction that prepare graduates to meet the needs of the workplace, the economy, and society.
  • A college is best positioned to determine the programs of instruction it should offer based on its own strategic direction and the needs of its community. A college is also best positioned to ensure the ongoing relevance and quality of its programs of instruction.
  • A college is best positioned to determine when it can better serve its students preparing them to meet the needs of the workplace, the economy, and society offering programs in partnership or other cooperative arrangement with other entities, including private career colleges that are legally authorized to offer postsecondary educational programs.
  • Credentials awarded in the college system must be credible and meaningful and understood by students, employers and the general public.
  • A college's decision-making processes can be made more effective by enabling students, external stakeholders, and college staff to provide advice relating to the development, establishment, delivery, and review of its program of instruction.
  • All advertising and marketing of college programs must reflect transparency and accuracy.

Glossary

Co-op diploma apprenticeship program:
A program of instruction that combines the elements of an Ontario College Diploma and an apprenticeship trade program and leads to the awarding of an Ontario College Diploma and a Certificate of Qualification for a specific trade. This integrated program includes both in-school training as well as on-the-job training based on ministry-approved standards.
Prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR):
A process that uses a variety of tools to help learners reflect on, identify, articulate, and demonstrate past learning. Prior learning can be acquired through study, work, and other life experiences that are not recognized through formal transfer of credit mechanisms.
Challenge process:
A method of assessment, other than portfolio assessment, developed and evaluated by subject-expert faculty to measure an individual's learning achievement against course learning outcomes. The process measures demonstrated learning through a variety of written and non-written evaluation methods for the purpose of awarding credit without requiring enrolment in a course.
Portfolio assessment:
A method of assessment that involves the evaluation of an organized collection of materials developed by a learner that records learning achievements and relates them to personal, educational, or occupational goals, in this case, achievement of stated learning outcomes of college courses or programs.
Program of instruction:
A group of related courses leading to a diploma, certificate, or other document awarded by the board of governors.
Program standard:
A document produced by the ministry that sets out the essential learning that a student must achieve before being deemed ready to graduate. A program standard applies to all programs of instruction in an identified category regardless of the funding source and, for most programs, consists of a vocational standard, a generic skills standard, and general education requirements. Prior to graduation, students must achieve all three parts of the program standard.

Binding policy directive

A. Authority to approve programs

The board of governors of a college is to approve programs of instruction, consistent with programs of instruction, to achieve a comprehensive program of career-oriented postsecondary education and training offered by the college, consistent with the college's mandate and overall strategic direction, the economic and social needs of its local and diverse communities, and government directions and priorities.

B. Credentials awarded

A college is to award credentials at the successful completion of programs of instruction consistent with the Ontario Qualifications Framework.

Read the Ontario Qualifications Framework

C. Advisory committees

The board of governors is to ensure that an advisory committee for each program of instruction or cluster of related programs offered at the college is established and is made up of a cross-section of persons external to the college who have a direct interest in and a diversity of experience and expertise related to the particular occupational area addressed by the program. The board of governors is to establish in by-law the structure, terms of reference, and procedures for program advisory committees.

D. Programs of instruction

  1. All programs of instruction with similar outcomes and credentials are to have the same title.
  2. Programs of instruction are to include, along with the vocational outcomes relevant to the particular industry, field of study, business, or profession, the applicable outcomes for generic employability skills and general education as outlined in the Ontario Qualifications Framework, and further expanded in the Essential Employability Skills and in the themes for courses developed to provide general education.
  3. When a college chooses to deliver a program of instruction for which a ministry program standard exists, the program must meet all the requirements of the program standard.
  4. Colleges are to establish a system-wide credentials validation service that will provide reasonable assurance that all postsecondary programs of instruction leading to one of the following credentials:
    • Ontario College Certificate
    • Ontario College Diploma
    • Ontario College Advanced Diploma
    • Ontario College Graduate Certificate (or the French-language equivalent)
    These credentials offered by the colleges, regardless of funding source, conform to the Ontario Qualifications Framework and are consistent with accepted college system nomenclature/program titling principles.
  5. Prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) is to be made available for as many credit courses as possible in programs of instruction in which enrolment is eligible for funding through the general purpose operating grant. If a credit course is to be excluded from PLAR, the reasons and considerations should be clearly documented for the student. Information on the PLAR process is to be made available to the public in the college central admissions publication and posted on the college's web site.
  6. Colleges are to have protocols in place for students regarding grading, advancement, and dispute resolution. These protocols must be clearly articulated and provided to all students and college staff by posting the protocols on the college web site and by allowing people who do not have Internet access to obtain a copy of the protocols.

E. Applied degrees

Pursuant to the Post-secondary Choice and Excellence Act, 2000, colleges may offer applied degrees as authorized by consent of the Minister and consistent with the act and any terms and conditions stipulated in the consent.

F. Quality assurance

  1. Colleges are to establish mechanisms for the review of their programs of instruction to ensure ongoing quality, relevancy, and currency. A college's policy on quality assurance for programs of instruction is to be publicly available.
  2. If there is a legal requirement for graduates in a program to be certified, registered, licensed or granted some other form of official recognition by an regulatory authority that is authorized by Ontario law to grant such certification, registration, license or other form of recognition, in order for the graduate to work in the occupation in Ontario or use an occupational title, the college shall not offer the program, except with the consent of the Minister, unless:
    1. the program has been accredited or approved by the relevant regulatory authority

      or
    2. the regulatory authority has formally acknowledged to the college that the program graduates are eligible to write any certifying or registration exam required by the regulatory authority or the program is otherwise recognized by the regulatory authority for the purposes of certifying or registering a graduate

G. Programs offered through partnerships or other arrangements

  1. Colleges offering programs in partnership or through other arrangements with other postsecondary education institutions, including private career colleges, must clearly indicate the nature of these partnerships or arrangements on all communications and materials prepared by the college and the other institution.
  2. Students enrolled in programs offered through these partnerships or arrangements are students of the college and are entitled to all the rights and privileges accorded to other students of the college, regardless of the location of the program delivery.

H. Program accreditation or recognition by voluntary external bodies

A college may seek to have a program accredited or recognized by a voluntary external body. If a college does seek such accreditation or recognition the college shall not communicate or advertise, directly or indirectly, with respect to such accreditation or recognition unless the program has been formally accredited or recognized by the body and such accreditation or recognition remains in good standing.

For the purpose of this directive, a voluntary external body is an accrediting body or other body which has no legislative authority to require program accreditation or recognition, whether as a condition of graduate employment or membership in the body.

I. Advertising and marketing

  1. All advertising and marketing about college programs must be consistent with the requirements set out in the college advertising and marketing guidelines.
  2. The board of governors of a college shall ensure that the college has established a:
    1. mechanism to ensure that all marketing relating to its programs, whether undertaken directly by the college or indirectly by persons or entities acting on the college's behalf or in partnership or other arrangement with the college, reflect accurate and comprehensive representation of the program or programs
    2. process to receive and review complaints regarding college advertising and marketing of college programs

Summary of responsibilities

Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology

The board of governors is responsible for:

  • approving the programs of instruction a college will offer

and ensuring that:

  • programs of instruction are developed and implemented consistent with provincial standards where they exist
  • all new and modified postsecondary programs of instruction leading to one of the credentials listed below receive system-wide validation that the programs of instruction conform to the Ontario Qualifications Framework and are consistent with accepted college system nomenclature/program titling principles:
    • Ontario College Certificate
    • Ontario College Diploma
    • Ontario College Advanced Diploma
    • Ontario College Graduate Certificate (or the French-language equivalent)
  • credentials awarded to students on successful completion of their respective programs of instruction are consistent with the Ontario Qualifications Framework
  • program advisory committees are established
  • protocols for grading, advancement, and dispute resolution are established and publicly communicated
  • programs of instruction offered by the college are reviewed and revised on an ongoing basis
  • college communications, advertising and marketing meet the requirements of this directive

    This includes ensuring compliance with the requirements set out in the college advertising and marketing guidelines and the accountability requirements.

The ministry is responsible for:

Ontario Qualifications Framework

A college is to award credentials at the successful completion of programs of instruction consistent with the Framework.

Read the Ontario Qualifications Framework

Essential Employability Skills

Essential Employability Skills (EES) are critical for success in the workplace, in day-to-day living, and for lifelong learning regardless of a student’s program or discipline.

Read the Essential Employability Skills

General Education requirement

General Education strengthens student’s generic skills, such as critical analysis, problem solving, and communication, in the context of an exploration of topics with broad-based personal and / or societal importance.

General Education in the Ontario college system contributes to the development of citizens who:

  • are conscious of the diversity, complexity and richness of the human experience
  • can establish meaning through this consciousness
  • are able to contribute thoughtfully, creatively, and positively to the society in which they live and work

Themes in General Education

Five themes provide direction to colleges in the development and identification of courses that are designed to fulfill the General Education requirement for programs of instruction

  1. Arts in society
  2. Civic life
  3. Social and cultural understanding
  4. Personal understanding
  5. Science and technology

Read the General Education requirement and its five themes.

College advertising and marketing guidelines

Overview

It is the ministry’s expectation that all college advertising and marketing should primarily focus on college programs. All college advertising and marketing must be transparent and accurate and conform to the following guidelines, which are based on the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards.

Accuracy and clarity

  • Advertising and marketing must not contain inaccurate or deceptive claims, statements, illustrations or representations, either direct or implied, with regard to a program. In assessing the truthfulness and accuracy of a message, the concern is not with the intent of the sender or precise legality of the presentation. Rather, the focus is on the message as received or perceived, that is, the general impression conveyed by the advertising or marketing.
  • Advertising and marketing must not omit relevant information in a manner that, in the result, is deceptive.
  • All pertinent details of a program, including abilities required to complete the program, must be clearly and understandably stated.
  • Disclaimers and asterisked or footnoted information must not contradict more prominent aspects of the message and should be located and presented in such a manner as to be clearly visible and/or audible.
  • Both in principle and practice, all advertising and marketing claims and representations must be supporting information should be kept on file and be readily available for review.

Program costs

No advertising or marketing shall include deceptive claims regarding program costs.

Guarantees

No advertising or marketing shall offer a guarantee of employment, employment opportunities or job placement, unless such guarantees can be verified.

Testimonial advertising

Testimonials, endorsements or representations of opinion or preference, must reflect the genuine, reasonably current opinion of the individual(s), group or organization making such representations, and must be based upon adequate information about or experience with the program being advertised, and must not otherwise be deceptive.

Limitations on advertising and marketing

Ministry funded programs that have not received funding approval by the ministry may not be advertised in advance of that approval, nor may students be accepted into an unapproved program.

A college may not advertise or market a program subject to the Directive set out in Section F 2, except with the prior approval in writing of the ministry.

A college may not advertise or market the accreditation or recognition of a program by a voluntary external body except in accordance with Section H of the directive.

Accountability

Each college shall establish a process to receive and review complaints regarding advertising and marketing of college programs.

A college shall respond to any such complaints in a timely fashion and shall provide a summary of such complaints in its annual report, including information regarding number of complaints received, how they were disposed of, and the time frame involved.