2025 Bachelor of Science in Physics and Space Science Cyclical Program Review Implementation Plan Update of Cycle 2

Implementation Plan

Recommendation Proposed Follow-Up Responsibility for Leading Follow-Up Timeline for Addressing Recommendation
1. Better instruct students and staff on how to access electronic resources. Invite the Chief librarian to provide a learning seminar to PSS Faculty. Faculty members will then be encouraged to invite the Chief Librarian into their classrooms to speak with students. Head of Department Completed
2. Add a 2nd year course dedicated to computational physics or the practical aspects of numerical analysis. The undergraduate Studies Committee (USC) will look at the possibility of restructuring the curriculum to add a new 2nd year course dedicated to computational physics. Chair, Undergraduate Studies Committee With the 2024/25 FY budget cut we did not have the
resources to add a second year course dedicated to Computational Physics. However, more courses are now using Matlab to solve problems numerically. PHF304 and PHF225 are doing more numerical problem using barriers. Other courses are using
STK and students intract more with Matlab or Python.
Some lab courses (PHE364) are using Scientific
Computing software (Matlab) for fitting data to
function curve. Finally with the CMCRB results, the faculty of Science is reviewing and amalgamating
courses between Sci programmes where it makes
sense
3. Continue to refine course material to reflect the fast-changing defence environment (e.g. PH255) A new description for PH255 and PH355 has been approved at the Syllabus Committee last November 2022. Also new labs are now offered in the third year laboratory course PH364. However, the material may be reviewed on a yearly basis to ensure it is keeping pace. Chair, Undergraduate Studies Committee Subject to yearly review, some actions have been taken in 2025. What was proposed (2nd column) was achieved for the academic year 2024/25.
4. Four pillars
  1. Professors will attempt to announce the dates of exams and assignments in their syllabus at the beginning of terms
  2. The Dept is unable to effect change to the Athletics pillar.
  3. The AVP-IKL is running the Curriculum Indigenization Working Group and the Department is encouraged to participate if applicable.
  1. Administrative Assistant  and the Head of the Dept
  2. Director of Athletics
  3. Head of the Dept to reach out to AVP-IKL
  1. Exam dates are not known before the courses start, but are announced by the UG registrars office. Most profs have tried to included assignment due dates and tests/mid- term exam dates.
  2. Improvements have been made and conflicts avoided, via improved communication, but again here the CMCRB will impact on these pillars.
  3. A course is now available (SCE101 --- Indigenous Perspectives of Science and Technology). Dr Gregg Wade (Faculty member) developed this course. (Some major actions were taken)
5. Connect the oceanography courses to climate change, possibly through the lens of DND/CAF interests. Course PH370 is addressing the problems of climate changes. Department will continue to advance and develop this course to meet the needs of CAF officer training. USC to evaluate on a yearly basis Reviewed annually as a part of Ongoing Monitoring of program (implementation updates due each June)
6. Course syllabi.
  1. The Undergraduate Study Committee (USC) will analyse the various DLE’s and PLO’s and link these to specific courses.
  2. Standardize elements within course syllabi (such as instructor contact information, office hours, inclusivity statements and RMC policies on sexual and workplace harassment).
  3. The USC will examine/ decide if it is necessary to include statements prohibiting sexual harassment and bullying on the campus in the course syllabi.
  4. The USC will review course syllabi to assess AODA compliance as it relates to universal design for accessibility and inclusion.
 Chair, USC No progress made on these. Although the Teaching and Learning group has distributed some course templates, there is no formal direction on what has to be included syllabi.
7. Extend recommendation 6a to teaching documents. The USC will decide if DLE’s and PLO’s should be included in each course syllabus Chair, USC Some instructors have added these to their Syllabi, but not all as the formal decision has not been made that they should be included. 
8. Increase the stimulation of critical thinking.

USC will review current teaching practice. This will:

  1. improve the DLE/PLO tables consistent with IQAP manual v3.1
  2. help to assess the level of conceptual questions currently used by professors. Then the USC will be in a better position to recommend best practices to address this issue.
 Chair, USC No progress on this, but some of this review will be captured during Science Programme review and course design for senior level courses.
9. Laboratories
  1. The USC in concert with the Undergraduate Labs Committee (ULC) will review the current laboratory teaching methodologies and make recommendations
  2. A USC review of the inclusion of PLOs in course syllabi, if recommended, will effectively include demonstrated skill in laboratory methodology as an assessed skill in these courses.  This will also align with recommendation 6a, and 7.
  3. For the second year laboratory, the ULC proposes one common lab type question involving linearization of an experimental equation as well as differential error propagation, common for second year exams with associated labs;
  4. ULC and USC will to complete a review of the learning objectives for the labs (all years), which can then be linked to the overall structure of the PLOs and DLEs for the Physics and Space Science programs. After this, a separate review will occur to see how the specific experiments align with course material.

 
  1. Chair, ULC
  2. Chairs of USC and ULC
  3. Chairs of USC and ULC
  4. Chairs of USC and ULC
 The budget cut of FY2024/25 impacted on the delivery of the Labs. The focus of the lab committee was revamping the delivery of the labs into less sections, from 3 to 2 for both 1st and 2nd year labs, with more students in each. As well there was more incorporation of teamwork in conduct of the labs. With the CMCRB results P&SS has started working with Chem and MCS to determine more synergies within the labs and combining material, this is being considered as part of the Dean of Science  programme reviews.
10. Teaching language.
  1. The department will explore the option of offering courses in alternating years and languages to meet student demand.
  2. Advocate for discussion with administration regarding the limit imposed on class size
  3. Consider language requirements when preparing Stat ment of Merit for upcoming hires. 
  4. The Department will promote flexibility during new  ires to better absorb service appointments.
  1. Head of Dept and Chair of USC
  2. Head of Dept and Dean of Science
  3. Head of Dept
  4. Head of Dept
 This was impacted in 2 ways this year. The first was the budget cut for 2024/25 year, where focus was in reducing course loading within the faculty, which also reduced hiring of term contracts, and no new hirings started. The dept lost 1 full UT this year without replacement. As part of the CMCRB, the faculty of science is reviewing class capacities, specifically lab throughputs, and possible limits on programmes.
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