External reviewers are a critical component of the program review process at Mount Royal. As such, they need access to a variety of background information and documents to better understand our strategic plans, the facilities, services offered, and Mount Royal's deep history. The documents outlined below will provide a review team and external reviewers with relevant information about Mount Royal that should be included in the self study report. These resources are reviewed and updated on an as-needed basis.  

About Mount Royal University

Mount Royal University is a public undergraduate university focused on teaching and learning informed by scholarship. Founded as a college in 1910, Mount Royal officially became a university in 2009. MRU offers undergraduate academic programs to over 15,000 students in a range of disciplines including arts, science, business, education, design, communication, health and community studies. 

The following links provide information about Mount Royal that may be helpful for external reviewers.

MRU’s academic programs, courses, and faculties/schools 

MRU’s Strategic Plan: Vision 2030:Opening Minds and Changing Lives

MRU’s Academic Plan: Connect.Inspire.Transform.

MRU's Accountablity Measures 2021/2022

Summary of MRU’s Academic Program Reviews

1. MRU academic program reviews conform to the quality assurance guidelines established by Universities Canada and the Campus Alberta Quality Council (CAQC). 
2. A review of each MRU academic program is conducted at least every seven years.
3. MRU reviews are primarily formative in nature, focusing on how best to improve the program going forward.
4. Key components of the review include the following:
   • A thorough self-study report including the development of a preliminary program advancement plan
   • External review, including a site visit
   • Refinement and approval of the program advancement plan following the external site visit by the dean of the Faculty
   • Final approval of the review by the provost and VP, academic, the Academic Standards Committee, and General Faculties Council

For more information regarding MRU’s academic program reviews, including guiding principles and process details, please see related Policies and Procedures.

Self Study - Expected Composition

1. Executive Summary: overview, synopsis and identification of issues and concerns to be addressed by External Reviewers.
2. Process: Guiding questions, details of the process, comment on process itself.
3. Past Reviews: results and response to previous if applicable.
4. Program Description and Program Viability: general overview, uniqueness or specificity, enrolment, demand and career opportunities, community involvement and future viability of the program.
5. Students and Graduates: admission standards, trends in applications, student profiles, retention and time to graduation, key findings in student experience surveys, trends in post-graduation activities e.g. employment, graduate studies etc.
6. Quality, Curricula and Delivery: how curricula meet standards of quality, learning outcomes, delivery models used including high impact and/or experiential learning components, assessment methods, teaching quality, resources available and supports.
7. Faculty and Staff: academic staff profiles, faculty-to-student ratio, program support staff, professional development resources, future plans for hiring.
8. Research and Scholarship: an overview of scholarly output from the previous five years, how that relates to teaching and learning, research opportunities for undergraduates, and resources for faculty.
9. Strategic Alignment: alignment with university and faculty level directions and priorities.
10. Assessment of resources: budget, space, facilities, equipment and the Library.
11. Reflections: SWOT analysis including input from various sources.
12. Advancement Plan: preliminary program advancement plan will respond to key findings in Self Study Report and will be aligned with both the guiding questions and the SWOT analysis performed by the self-study team.

External Review Team Activities

1. Review the Self Study Report and related information about Mount Royal University (e.g. mission and mandate; Institutional Strategic Plan; Academic Plan).
2. Visit the campus, virtually or in-person, to conduct interviews with key stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff and administrators.
3. On completion of the site visit, provide an initial verbal debriefing of key findings at a meeting with the provost and vice-president academic, the dean/director, the self-study team lead, the academic quality assurance coordinator and other key program administrators.
4. Prepare the External Reviewers' Report (see below) and submit it to the dean within 30 days of the site visit.

External Reviewers' Report

The External Reviewers' Report documents the external review team's methods, findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

External review teams will be provided with guiding questions by the MRU review team. While the specifics of each program's guiding questions will vary, all External Reviewers' reports should address the following:

1. How does the program's overall quality compare to expected standards and similar programs elsewhere?
2. Does the program provide appropriate academic depth and breadth relative to expected standards (e.g. CAQC handbook) and similar programs elsewhere?
3. Does the program demonstrate an understanding of the needs of learners in the program and provide for a high-quality student experience with appropriate learner supports?
4. Does the program have a sufficient number of qualified faculty, and do the faculty demonstrate a level of scholarly activity appropriate for academic staff teaching in a baccalaureate program (or diploma/certificate as appropriate)?
5. Does the institution and/or program have the academic resources (e.g. supporting disciplines, library resources) and infrastructure (e.g. classrooms, labs, offices, equipment) to sustain the program and maintain program quality?
6. What are the program’s key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats based on the review of the self-study document and consultations with key stakeholders?
7. Recommendations for improving the quality and viability of the program going forward.