Final Approval Body: Senate
Senior Administrative Position with Responsibility for Policy: Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning)
Date Initially Approved : 2/12/13
Date of Last Revision, if applicable: 27/11/25
Purpose
This policy defines For-Credit Certificates and Diplomas which will have academic status at Queen’s and articulates the process for development, approval and regular review of these credentials. All references to Certificates and Diplomas in this policy and accompanying procedures pertain to Senate-approved, For-Credit credentials. Certificates and Diplomas which are not for academic credit are out of scope of this policy.
Definitions
Undergraduate Certificate
Admission to a Queen’s Undergraduate Certificate will be in accordance with the admission policies of an individual Faculty/School. An Undergraduate Certificate is a program of study coherently organized around clear learning objectives and outcomes and typically having academic content equivalent to a minimum of half a year of full-time undergraduate study at Queen’s (15.0 units of degree-credit courses or equivalent). An Undergraduate Certificate may be a stand-alone credential or, under prescribed conditions, it may be part of a set of laddered undergraduate diplomas and/or degree programs (see Credit Towards Degree Program Studies section).
Undergraduate Diploma
Admission to a Queen’s Undergraduate Diploma will be in accordance with the admission policies of an individual Faculty/School. An undergraduate diploma is a program of study that involves a significant body of academic work coherently organized around clear learning objectives and outcomes typically having academic content equivalent to a minimum of one year of full-time undergraduate study at Queen’s (30.0 units of degree- credit courses or equivalent). An Undergraduate Diploma may be a stand-alone credential or, under prescribed circumstances, it may be part of a laddered set of programs leading to an undergraduate degree.
Graduate Diploma
Admission to a Queen’s Graduate Diploma requires an undergraduate degree as a prerequisite. A Graduate Diploma may be a stand-alone credential or, under prescribed circumstances, it may be part of a laddered set of programs leading to a Master’s degree. A Graduate Diploma typically has academic content equivalent to a minimum of four courses (12.0 units of graduate degree-credit courses or equivalent), and may take one of three forms defined by the Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance’s Quality Assurance Framework:
Type 1 Diploma: Awarded when a candidate admitted to a master’s program leaves the program after completing a specified proportion of the requirements. Students are not admitted directly to these programs.
Type 2 Diploma: Offered in conjunction with a master’s or doctoral degree, the admission to which requires that the candidate be already admitted to the master’s or doctoral program. This represents an additional, usually interdisciplinary, graduate-level qualification.
Type 3 Diploma: A stand-alone, direct-entry graduate-level program, generally developed by a unit already offering a related master’s or doctoral degree, and designed to meet the needs of a particular clientele or market.
Please note: Graduate Certificate programs are no longer offered by Ontario Universities. This credential type is reserved for Ontario Colleges.
Policy Statement
Criteria for Establishment of a Certificate or Diploma Program with Academic Status at Queen’s University
Senate-approved Certificate and Diploma programs must meet the evaluation criteria for academic quality and program sustainability detailed in the Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance’s Quality Assurance Framework and Queen’s University Quality Assurance Processes (QUQAP). In addition, the following criteria apply to Certificates and Diplomas:
- Follows the policies and procedures of the Faculty/School in which it is conceived and, in the case of Graduate Diplomas, of the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (SGSPA).
- Consists of university degree-credit courses (or equivalent) that may include those developed specifically for the program but nevertheless, must be at a level of intellectual rigour comparable to those found in degree programs in the same or similar disciplines.
- Specifies conditions, if any, for laddering and advanced credit options.
- Includes the word Certificate or Diploma in the program name.
Certificate and Diploma Approval Processes
The process and criteria for approval of Graduate Diploma programs are included in Queen’s University Quality Assurance Processes (QUQAP). The process and criteria for approval of Undergraduate Certificate and Diploma programs are included in the accompanying Procedures.
Proposed certificates and diplomas will be approved by Senate on the recommendation of the Senate Committee on Academic Development and Procedures and the relevant Faculty Board/Faculty Graduate Council.
Approval of Undergraduate Certificates and Undergraduate Diplomas will be granted on a time-limited basis. The maximum period for which an Undergraduate Certificate or Undergraduate Diploma will be approved is 5 years from the first enrolment of students. The program should seek continuing approval through the first regular review, to take place at least 6 months before the end of the initial approval period. Re-approval will be conditional on indicators of success including academic quality, enrolment numbers and financial sustainability. (See the review procedure for further details). If re-approval has not been sought at the end of the approval period, the Senate Committee on Academic Development and Procedures will recommend to the relevant Faculty Dean that admissions to the program be suspended until approval to continue is granted.
Approval of Graduate Diplomas is not time-limited. Following approval by Senate, Graduate Diplomas must also be approved by the Appraisal Committee of the Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance.
Any Certificate or Diploma program that seeks to be Ministry funding-eligible requires approval by the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. This funding submission is made by the Office of the Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) after the program is approved by Senate.
Credit Towards Degree Program Studies
Where appropriate and desired by a Faculty or School, proposals for new Certificate and/or Diploma programs may be developed in such a way as to offer a ‘laddered’ pathway to successively advanced academic credentials. For example, a Certificate may count towards a Diploma, which counts towards a Degree. Thus, programs may be developed and structured such that accredited courses included in a Certificate/Diploma program can be used for credit towards a Diploma/Degree program in accordance with the academic rules and procedures specified by the Faculty/School(s) offering the Diploma/Degree.
Similarly, the academic credit courses included in a Diploma program may be used for credit towards a Degree program in accordance with the normal academic rules specified by the Faculty/School offering the degree. Such credit toward an advanced credential will normally be given only when all the requirements of the Certificate or Diploma program are satisfied.
Regulations Regarding Credit Transfers from One Academic Program to a Second Program
A proposal for a new Certificate or Diploma program must be accompanied by a clear statement on the number of transfer credits (units) that can be counted towards an affiliated or concurrent academic (Degree/Diploma/Certificate) program.
Regular Review of Certificate and Diploma Programs
Graduate Diplomas are subject to cyclical program review, as defined in QUQAP.
Undergraduate Certificates and Diplomas will be reviewed once every 5 years by the Senate Committee on Academic Development and Procedures, on behalf of Senate. Further details are included in the accompanying Procedure: Review Requirements for Undergraduate Certificates and Diplomas.
Changes to Certificate and Diploma Programs
Graduate Diplomas are subject to QUQAP. Major and minor modifications to these programs will be approved following the process outlined in QUQAP.
Undergraduate Certificate and Diploma programs are not subject to QUQAP. Changes to these programs will be reviewed by the Faculty/School curriculum committee and approved by Faculty Board.
Awarding of Senate-Approved Certificates and Diplomas
Successful completion of a Senate-approved Certificate or Diploma program will be recorded on a student’s academic transcript. Graduates will be invited to receive their Certificate or Diploma at convocation.
Suspension and Closure of Certificate and Diploma Programs
Certificate and Diploma programs are subject to the provisions of both the Recommended Procedures Concerning the Temporary Suspension of Admissions to Academic Programs and the Policy and Procedures for the Closure of Academic Programs (Undergraduate or Graduate).
Scope
This policy applies to all Senate-approved Certificate and Diploma programs which, when successfully completed, are noted on a student’s academic transcript as an academic credential.
Queen’s University Quality Assurance Processes (QUQAP) governs the development, approval and regular review of Graduate Diploma programs.
Responsibilities
Senate is responsible for the approval of a new Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma.
Senate, followed by the Appraisal Committee of the Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance, are responsible for approval of a new Graduate Diploma.
The Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security is responsible for approval of funding eligibility for both Certificate and Diploma programs.
Related Policies, Procedures, Guidelines:
Procedure: Approval Processes for Certificates & Undergraduate Diplomas
Procedure: Review Requirements for Certificates & Undergraduate Diplomas
Ontario Quality Assurance Framework
Recommended Procedures Concerning the Temporary Suspension of Admissions to Academic Programs
Policy and Procedures for the Closure of Academic Programs (Undergraduate or Graduate)
Policies Superseded by this Policy: n/a
Responsible Officer: Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning)
Contact: vptl@queensu.ca
Date for Next Review: 2030-2031 academic year