Appendix F: Curriculum Mapping
What is curriculum mapping?
Curriculum mapping for pathway development is the process of assessing program alignment between two programs to assign transfer credit or grant advanced standing. Mapping also informs decisions on eligibility requirements, point of entry, and program progression at the receiving institution. This process may also be referred to as a gap analysis or program equivalency assessment.
Comprehensive curriculum mapping ensures that transfer students are appropriately prepared to commence studies at the point of entry and have a fair and reasonable chance of successfully completing the program they are transferring into.
Who is responsible for curriculum mapping?
For Internal Program Pathways, mapping is completed by subject matter experts (i.e., Faculty) from both the receiving and sending program. Curriculum Consultants from the Centre for Academic Excellence are available for support.
For External Program Pathways, mapping is completed by the receiving institution and reviewed by the sending institution. When Fanshawe is the receiving institution and responsible for mapping, a Curriculum Consultant works with the subject matter expert (i.e., Faculty) to map the curriculum. A Curriculum Consultant is also available to consult on a review of a curriculum map provided by the receiving institution.
How is curriculum mapping completed?
Curriculum mapping is based on the following aspects of curriculum:
- Program vocational learning outcomes: Program vocational learning outcomes, outlined in Program Standards or Program Descriptions, can be used as a baseline to determine program alignment. (All programs at Ontario’s Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology must follow either a Program Standard or Program Description.) Program Standards include clearly defined vocational learning outcomes, along with Elements of Performance, while Program Descriptions include only the vocational learning outcomes.
- Course learning outcomes and course content: Course learning outcomes can also be mapped to determine course and overall program alignment. When mapping course learning outcomes, subject matter experts will also assess for comparable content, considering field of knowledge and scope (i.e., broad versus narrow), the level of instruction, prerequisites, subject matter covered, evaluation methods, and the credit weight/course duration.
At Fanshawe, whenever possible, credit transfer and advanced standing decisions would be mainly driven by the review and subsequent alignment of both program vocational learning outcomes and course learning outcomes and between the sending and receiving program.
Academic Policies
Refer to Academic Policy A124, Recognition for Prior Learning, Guideline A: Credit Transfer for more information. Key points from Policy A124 are provided below.
Internal Credit: Credit granted by the College for one Fanshawe College course on the basis of previous credit achieved in different Fanshawe College course(s).
- To receive internal credit, courses will have at least 80% comparable content.
- A minimum passing grade must be achieved to grant the Internal Credit. Some Courses or programs may require a higher grade in accordance with A112: Course Grade System.
- Internal credits are not used in GPA calculation.
External credit: Credit granted by the College for one Fanshawe College course on the basis of previous post-secondary academic achievement at another recognized institution or as defined in an approved articulation agreement.
- To receive external credit, courses will have at least 80% comparable content.
- A minimum grade of 60%, or “C,” must be achieved to grant the external credit. Some courses or programs may have exceptions to the minimum grade as defined in policy A112: Course Grade System. Exceptions to this requirement may exist due to articulation agreements.
- External credits are not used in GPA calculation.
