2024 IQAP Review of the Bachelor of Military Arts and Science Program - Final Assessment Report and Implementation Plan
In accordance with the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP), this Final Assessment Report (FAR) provides a synthesis of the external evaluation and internal response and assessments of the undergraduate program offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities in Bachelor of Military Arts and Science (BMASc). This report identifies the significant strengths of the programs, together with opportunities for improvement and enhancement, and sets out and prioritizes the recommendations that have been selected for implementation.
This report includes an Implementation Plan that identifies who will be responsible for approving the recommendations set out in the Final Assessment Report; who will be responsible for providing any resources entailed by those recommendations; any changes in organization, policy or governance that will be necessary to meet the recommendations and who will be responsible for acting on those recommendations; and timelines for acting on and monitoring the implementation of those recommendations.
Overview of Program Review Process
The Program Self-Study Report was completed on February 13, 2024. For the program under review (BMASc) it contained the degree level expectations for the program, an analytical assessment of the program, course outlines, 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.
Significant Strengths and Areas of Concern of the Program:
The ERC identified a number of strengths of the BMASc program:
- Path for CAF members to take a University degree;
- Incorporation of RMC Mission into curriculum through focus on ethics and military content, provided in both languages;
- Good proportion of courses taught by Indeterminate or military faculty, generally above 50% except for summer term. These ratios compare favourably to averages of the university sector;
- Key committed faculty and administrative staff; and
- High praise for program from students and alumni.
The ERC identified a number of areas of concern for BMASc program:
- Course availability, particularly the core required courses. Science requirements were flagged by students as the most critical constraints;
- 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 programs, submitted a response to the ERC Report on 27 Aug 2024. The Dean of Social Sciences and Humanities prepared this Final Assessment Report on 29 Sept. 2024. Specific recommendations are discussed, and follow-up actions and timelines provided.
Summary of the Reviewers’ Recommendations with Dean’s Responses
The ERC identified several areas of concern or issues that require attention. These issues are discussed in the order that they appear in the ERC Report:
Program Response Summary:
The Chair of the BMASc thanks the reviewers for their attentive review of the BMASc and BMASc (Honours). It is notable that in this cycle, we received six recommendations, compared to 18 in the previous IQAP cycle. The comparatively fewer recommendations denote the progress made in administering the programmes, especially considering the cycle included the Covid-19 pandemic, a network incident that affected our electronic resources for many months, the disbandment of the administrative structure that the Division of Continuing Studies provided, and adjustments to a new administrative structure. The reviewers’ recommendations in this last cycle are important and fully supported by the outgoing and new programme chairs.
Recommendation 1
Ensure that the program continues to have adequate administrative support and that proper succession planning is considered to maintain the high-level of administrative support that is current offered.
Departmental Response
This recommendation specifically underscores the valuable work conducted by the programme representatives, who have in the past cycled to other jobs. Long-standing programme representatives may eventually retire. As they occupy full-time jobs to support students in these programmes, they are closely aware about students’ concerns, progress, or hurdles. The BMASc is not a linear programme and most of our students complete it on a part-time basis. Because they may take several years to complete their programme, course offerings may evolve, along with access to resources and teaching tools. Moreover, program chairs occupy temporary service roles. Thus, the consistent presence of well-informed program representatives is crucial. The outgoing and new programme chairs fully supports the elaboration of a succession plan and drafting of appropriate transfer of knowledge resources to ensure a smooth transition between program representatives to maintain the high level of administrative support currently being offered.
Dean’s Response:
After years of lack of administrative support for the BMASc program, due to the dismemberment of the Division of Continuing Studies, new resources have been invested in the management of distance courses starting in the fall of 2023. Starting in January 2024, the new position of RMC Online Coordinator was in effect, which has significantly changed the way of operating. There is now a person responsible for online teaching who serves as a liaison between the departments (which provide the courses and the professors to teach them), the online programs and the Dean of SSH. Core documents – such as the Student Handbook, the Instructor Handbook and instructor contracts – have been updated, the website is being updated and a course update plan has been developed. In short, the needs of the BMASc program are better represented and the program is benefiting from this modernization effort. This improved working environment helps to postpone the retirement of the BMASc representative.
While the sense of urgency to have a succession plan has passed, it is still necessary to have one. We encourage the development of SOPs to clarify the procedures and the various tasks carried out by the program representative so that handover can be done easily when it becomes necessary.
Recommendation 2
Ensure that administrative staff are surveyed alongside faculty and students when reviewing the program in the future. Online programs depend heavily on the work of administrators and their views and concerns should be given equal weight in future evaluations.
Departmental Response
This is a valid point of view that is specifically targeting the IQAP reviews, rather than regular day-to-day interactions between the administrative staff, students, and the BMASc Chair. Although currently, there is only one programme representative per programme, it is a good idea to have that person complete a survey. It would also be worthwhile to ask those who occupy such roles what the survey should contain.
The programme representatives of all programmes were asked their opinion during the virtual visits and provided valuable feedback. Thus, they did have the opportunity to express themselves and it seems the reviewers found their feedback very helpful. The outgoing BMASc Chair fully supports this recommendation and the collective implication of the new programme chair and programme representative in crafting the appropriate survey questions. Moreover, it is recommended that such a survey be conducted routinely at key times during the year to help the Chair and Representative better coordinate their efforts and mutual understanding of programme issues and successes.
Dean’s Response:
We recognize the importance of the BMASc Program Representative in the administration of the program. Providing front-line services and being in direct contact with students, the Program Representative has a wealth of information on the perception of the program, its strengths and weaknesses. Her extensive experience in program administration and her professionalism ensure that she has much to contribute to the development of the program. We encourage consultation with this representative, not only as part of IQAP processes, but also periodically with key program stakeholders.
Recommendation 3
Work to expand electronic resources available through the library, notably journals and ebooks. Work toward a simplified system for accessing electronic materials through the library website.
Departmental Response
The BMASc Chair fully supports this recommendation to continue the heroic work accomplished since 2017 by the library staff to develop better resources for online students.
Dean’s Response:
We encourage investment in the electronic resources of the College library, within the framework of our financial means.
Chief Librarian’s Response
The Chief Librarian supports the recommendation and the implementation plan. Increasing resources depends on available budget, of course. While the Library works to improve access to electronic resources, students, particularly those in MAS400, may benefit from an orientation session on the “many paths” to those resources. Improving their navigation skills may help meet their expectations. In addition, the Library could perform an early baseline check of course reading lists or other bibliographies to identify gaps, or to fast track improvements.
Recommendation 4
When funding allows it, resume recruitment-related travel and presentations at Canadian Forces Bases across Canada and at National Defence Headquarters, with a view broadening enrollment and increasing the number of female students in the program.
Departmental Response
This is a critical recommendation. BMASc students are mainly recruited through presence on Canadian Forces Bases and NDHQ. Since travel for recruitment was curtailed, enrollment has dropped significantly, as this is the only means of informing people about the existence of our programmes against the advertising power of competing institutions. Moreover, the BMASc is a unique programme that offers targeted opportunities for members of the CAF through specific military credits and a high level of flexibility. Each BMASc student has a unique journey that can best be discussed through in-person opportunities for personal exchanges. The BMASc Chair fully supports this recommendation and underscores its importance to increase enrollment in the programme.
Dean’s Response:
We encourage not only recruiting operations on military bases, but also the participation of representatives of our online programs in university fairs, when the budget allows and when there is no travel cap.
Recommendation 5
Course planning needs to be enhanced. Students indicate that finding availability of core required courses, particularly science credits, is challenging. Moreover, courses whose enrollments are below the (externally-defined) minimum cut-off will be cancelled, and very little lead time is offered to students. While advanced mapping of course availability can help, it cannot ensure that courses are not cancelled at the last minute. Coordination among students in terms of advanced course planning could help. If a coordinator is aware of student needs, then communicating that information may allow students to choose courses that other students are also likely to choose. We understand the administrative Program Support Coordinator assists students in course planning, but we recommend that information on course demand for the future be shared among students more formally.
Departmental Response
This is an excellent recommendation that would help better communicate course offerings to students. A collective effort between the BMASc Chair, Dean of SSH, Online coordinator and relevant department Heads is required. Efforts in this direction have been made in the past year and should be further developed.
Dean’s Response:
The dean support the Departmental response.
Recommendation 6
The honours degree needs to be differentiated from the BMASc general degree. There is no difference in Undergraduate Degree-Level Expectations for the general and the honours programs. In addition, the path to meeting Undergraduate Degree-Level Expectations for the general degree needs some refining. Where expectations are met in full in courses that are not required, there needs to be assurance that those expectations are met. As well, the UDLEs specific to the honours degree should be mapped out. We recognize that in this program, flexibility for students to schedule their courses is extremely important, and therefore having too many requirements would conflict with the program goals, To a great extent, the program allows for meeting of UDLEs through the core required courses.
Departmental Response
Since the BMASc is a 30-credit degree that gives students the opportunity to ladder into the 40-credit BMASc (Honours), some of the DLEs will necessarily overlap. However, the reviewers make an important point that the Honours degree should have higher-level DLEs for the additional ten credits. Moreover, while the programme description outlines clearly the DLEs for MAS400, the DLEs for this objective could be more specifically articulated. Although it is not quite clear what the reviewers meant by “refining” the UDLEs for the BMASc, the recommendation suggests a need for a thorough review of those DLEs to identify what needs refining.
Dean’s Response:
We recognize that the differences between a 30-credit program and a 40-credit program are not simply the addition of 10 additional credits. DLEs need to be better defined for each program and ensure that the 40-credit program is a true honors program. We encourage the Program Chair to review the DLEs, possibly with the help of a committee, and have these new objectives recorded by the Program Committee.
Implementation Plan
| Recommendation | Proposed Follow-up and Resource Implications |
Responsibility for Leading Follow-up | Timeline for Addressing Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ensure that the program continues to have adequate administrative support and that proper succession planning |
|
BMASc Chair, in collaboration with the Programme Representative and the Dean of SSH. | One year (2024-25) to implement a succession plan and preparing transfer of knowledge resources. The work should include an annual review to ensure the plan and resources are adequate. |
| 2. Ensure that administrative staff are surveyed alongside faculty and students when reviewing the program in the future |
|
|
|
| 3. Work to expand electronic resources available through the library, notably journals and ebooks |
|
|
Survey phase: one year, followed by a follow-up survey mid-cycle to ensure resources match students’ expectations. |
| 4. Resume recruitment-related travel and presentations at Canadian Forces Bases across Canada and at National Defence Headquarters |
|
|
|
| 5. Course planning needs to be enhanced | A collective effort between the BMASc Chair, Dean of SSH, Online coordinator and relevant department Heads is required. | BMASc Chair, in consultation with the Programme Representative. | Should be initiated immediately and updated annually as a part of ongoing monitoring each June |
| 6. Differentiate the Degree-Level Expectations for the general and honours programs | Review the current DLEs for both programmes to determine how they could be refined. | BMASc Chair | Immediately. A review should be completed by August 2025 |
Conclusion:
The 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, taking steps to address the issues raised. RMC will continue to work toward program enhancement and improve student success in the BMASc program.
The Dean of Social Science and Humanities, in consultation with the Program Chair for BMASc, is responsible for monitoring the Implementation Plan.