Over the past several months, Brock has engaged in a Senate-led process to reimagine the University's degree architecture in a way that will prioritize student choice, flexibility, accessibility and customization during their studies.
The culmination of this work is a new Brock University Degree Framework Policy, which was rigorously discussed and approved by Senate on May 27.
In support of the new degree architecture framework, Brock University Students' Union President Aaliyah Ariella says, "Overall, it's not about the quantity of classes but rather a focus on the quality how degrees are structured and how the content is delivered to best equip students with the knowledge they need to succeed."
The development of the new degree framework was led by a small working group that included Arja Vainio-Mattila, Provost and Vice-President, Academic; Geraldine Jones, Registrar and Associate Vice-President, Enrolment; and Larry Savage, Professor of Labour Studies in the Faculty of Social Sciences and a Brock Senator.
Over the past year, this working group consulted widely across the University and met with all six teaching Faculties and many academic units and engaged in several lively generative discussions at Senate. Consultation also took place with the wider community, including students, faculty and staff as well as alumni, employer and industry partners and graduate schools. Overall, the feedback has reflected an increasing desire and support for allowing students to chart more individualized and diverse academic pathways.
Under the new framework:
- Degree and module requirements will be standardized and clearly communicated.
- Curriculum will be faculty-led, with modules serving as core academic units for progression and degree completion.
- Principles will be implemented through standardized module sizes, shared degree requirements and common progression and adjudication rules across undergraduate programs.
- Each undergraduate degree will include a primary module, chosen by the student in their second year, which anchors progression decisions and degree adjudication.
These principles are aimed at breaking through Canadian Higher Education's "sacred scaffolding," and will be the foundational building blocks for Brock students in the future in determining how their classes are scheduled, how their credits are defined, how their grades are awarded and, ultimately, how Brock degrees are distinguished.
Vainio-Mattila notes that while educational scaffolding is often considered sacred or fixed, it is ready for thoughtful, deliberate and meaningful change that puts students first.
"Students are at the heart of everything we do, and the academic structures we have in place need to prioritize their experiences above all," she says. "The new degree architecture at Brock is at its core about providing students with the choice and flexibility to tailor their degrees in a way that suits their own individual and unique interests, goals and aspirations. It is about supporting student curiosity, creativity and courage.
"I would also like to extend a special thank you to Larry and Geraldine as members of the working group for their invaluable expertise, knowledge and assistance in making this possible," says Vainio-Mattila.
The new degree framework directly flows from one of the key priorities identified in Brock's 2023 to 2028 Academic Plan to be more flexible, accessible and customizable. Students will be able to assemble their own degrees by combining honours majors, majors and minors as either focused earners from years one through four or by taking a more exploratory approach to their higher education journey.
"Current and prospective students are raising their expectations for both quality and flexibility of academic programs," says Jones. "As we align our offerings with growing interest in customizable learning, the new degree architecture plays an important role in that work."
The new architecture is built on a modular design with standardized credit structures to make degree pathways clearer and easier to navigate for students, while at the same time providing flexibility for program and disciplinary differences in a way that safeguards academic standards.
More details on next steps for academic units, which will begin this fall, will be shared by Vainio-Mattila in an upcoming Memoranda from the Provost's Office.
