Policy #43: Program Review

43.1 Purpose

To ensure that the Canadian International Institute of Art Therapy offers the highest quality educational experience for students, it undergoes both external and internal program evaluation on a regular basis. The Institute is committed to offering programs that are current and relevant in the art therapy field and from which the students will graduate as professional art therapists. The appointed and assembled Program Advisory Committee (PAC) will provide quality assurance support to the Institute.

43.2 Program Review: Internal Evaluation

The Institute has a comprehensive annual internal review process, which includes:

• Confidential student course evaluations
• Confidential student surveys
• Program Reports from faculty and staff

On an ongoing basis, the Institute surveys and makes recommendations to instructors for course development.

43.3 Annual Reports to the PF/CiiAT Board of Directors

• Institute evaluation surveys (student, faculty and staff)
• Program Advisory Committee
• Academic standards and practice
• Executive Director Annual Report, which includes student records showing:
  • Student entry and completion dates
  • Withdrawals (attrition and retention rates)
  • Number of diplomas granted
• Number and percentage of faculty, level of education, professional designation, and experience
• Student satisfaction
• Professional activities and development for faculty
• Financial statements
• Current calendar and tuition fees
• Transfer agreements for which consent has been granted

43.4 Program Review: External Evaluation Procedure

The Institute has a Program Advisory Committee. The purpose of this committee is to review the program evaluations, review student satisfaction, faculty and staff procedures, equipment and facilities, minimum instructor qualification requirements, and student achievement outcomes as a means to provide the Institute with an external review of its program.

43.5 Program Advisory Committee Members

The committee may have representatives from the employment community, art therapy practitioners, educators and administrators, etc., as appropriate. This committee is composed of appropriately qualified representatives external to the Institute who can provide a meaningful review of the Institute’s programs and supporting resources and materials. All committee members are to be at arm’s length from the Institute (not faculty or under contract).

• One of the committee members is to be a qualified professional in a relevant field, with the educational background to be able to adequately evaluate the curriculum.
• The Program Advisory Committee must include at least one individual with experience in the delivery and administration of distance education programs who can review and comment on the institute’s distance education platform, methods, processes, procedures, and infrastructure in the context of program/course content and objectives.
• One committee member should be a representative from the employment community.
• One staff member from the Institute serves on the Program Advisory Committee as the secretary.

43.6 Meetings

The Program Advisory Committee must meet at least once every two years – and the institution must keep written records of PAC meetings for at least four years.

43.7 Senior Educational Administrator Review

• Ensuring that the course outline(s), curriculum and program outline of an approved program are relevant appropriate to the learning objectives of the program, and
• Overseeing a performance evaluation process for instructors