In accordance with the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP), the Program Chair and review group submitted the Program Self-Study report on February 13, 2024. For the program under review, it contained the degree-level expectations for this program, an analytical assessment of the program, course outline, program-related data, survey data from the Office of Quality Assurance and appendices with sample examinations and CVs of faculty members. Two arm’s-length external reviewers (Philippe Lagassé, associate professor of international affairs, Carleton University, and Byron Lew, professor of economics, Trent University) were selected from a list of possible reviewers and approved by the Deans of Social Sciences and Humanities. An internal reviewer, Claude Tardif, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, was also selected for participation on the ERC. They reviewed the self-study documentation and conducted a virtual site visit to RMC from 17-18 June 2024.During the site visit, the ERC met with the VP Academic, the Director of Quality Assurance, the Dean of Social Science and Humanities, the Program Chair, faculty members, alumni, students registered in the programs under study, the Head of the Writing Centre and the Librarian-in-chief. The reviewers submitted their report on 11 July 2024.
In their report, the ERC expresses the opinion that RMC is offering a high-quality BMASc program in a resource constrained environment. The ERC identified a number of strengths of the BMASc program including providing a path for CAF members to take a University degree; incorporation of the RMC Mission into curriculum through focus on ethics and military content, good proportion of courses taught by Indeterminate or military faculty, key committed faculty and administrative staff; and high praise for program from students and alumni. The ERC also identified several primary areas of concern such as; limited course availability, particularly the core required courses; insufficient succession planning, both for faculty and for administrative staff assigned to support the program; and online resource access.
The program Chair, after consultation with faculty and staff in the program, submitted a response to the Reviewers’ Report 27 Aug 2024. The Dean of Social Sciences and Humanities prepared a Final Assessment Report on 29 Sept. 2024. The Dean concluded that ERC Report provided positive feedback on the outcomes of the BMASc degree and confirmed that it is a successful program that continues to deliver a quality undergraduate education. However, the ERC did identify areas that had room for improvement, and RMC is, or has already taken steps to address the issues raised. RMC will continue to work toward program enhancement and improve student success in the BMASc program.