Memorandum
To:
Dr. Ernie Barber, Provost and Vice-President Academic
Dr. Patti McDougall, Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning
CC:
Dr. Adam Baxter-Jones, Dean, College of Graduate Studies and Research (CGSR)
From:
Dr. Trever Crowe, Associate Dean, CGSR
Date:
January 20, 2016
Re:
Graduate Professional Skills – program modification
_________________________________________________________________
In the fall of 2014, approval was granted for a Graduate Professional Skills Certificate to be delivered by the Gwenna
Moss Centre for Teaching Excellence (GMCTE). The purpose of the certificate program was and continues to be
supporting the ongoing development of professional skills among graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Since the certificate was implemented, the GMCTE consulted with students and faculty to ensure that program delivery
was aligned with learning objectives. Based on the feedback received, the GMCTE proposed changes to the Graduate
Programs Committee of CGSR in the spring of 2015. The Graduate Programs Committee worked with proponents to
augment the proposal, and the Graduate Programs Committee was happy to recommend approving changes to the
Executive Committee of CGSR in the fall of 2015.
The proposed changes include completion of GSR 960.0: “Introduction to Ethics” before commencing the program,
modifying the GSR 974.0 “Graduate Professional Skills” course, and changes to the total time requirements. The
program had originally prescribed a minimum of 20 hours of elective courses and/or workshops, without much guidance
to support course selection. The proposed changes will have students develop learning goals at the beginning of the
program. From those planned learning goals, students will partake in experiential learning opportunities that may
include courses and/or workshops, but may also include other experiences, such as internships.
On November 19, 2015, the Executive Committee of CGSR passed the following motion:
“Approve the minor program modifications to the Graduate Professional Skills Certificate.”
Pohler/Crowe Carried
If you have any questions, I would be happy to respond.
:kc
Attachment
Memorandum
To:
Dr. Adam Baxter-Jones, Chair, CGSR Executive Committee
CC:
Dr. Dionne Pohler, Chair, Graduate Programs Committee
From:
Graduate Programs Committee of CGSR
Date:
November 10, 2015
Re:
Graduate Professional Skills – program modification
_________________________________________________________________
The Graduate Programs Committee met on June 9, and September 14, 2015, and considered information provided to
propose a minor modification to the Graduate Professional Skills Certificate program.
The proposed changes include completion of GSR 960 before commencing the program, modifying the GSR 974 course,
and changes to the total time requirements. The program had prescribed a minimum of 20 hours of elective courses
and/or workshops. The proposed changes will have students develop learning goals at the beginning of the program.
From those planned learning goals, students will partake in experiential learning opportunities that may include courses
and/or workshops, but may also include other experiences, such as internships. The proposal had also included
changing the title to Advanced Graduate Professional Skills.
There was much discussion on the proposed modification, with considerable time spent talking about the proposed
name change. Committee members felt that inclusion of the word “advanced” implied that there would be a separate,
introductory certificate that students could complete prior to this current program. Committee members acknowledged
that there was a certificate offered within the School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS) which was separate from
the program delivered by the GMCTE. However, it was understood that the capacity of the SENS program was limited;
not all students would be able to avail themselves to that program. Further, the certificate offered by SENS has not
been formally approved and would not appear on a student’s transcript or result in an official U of S parchment. The
committee felt that it would be likely that some students would complete only the Professional Skills Certificate offered
by the GMCTE, and the name of the certificate should not change.
Members of the Graduate Programs Committee were asked to consider what would be required for the committee to
favourably recommend approval of the program modification. Ultimately it was determined that the proposed title
change would not be accepted; however, the modification to the program requirements would be recommended for
approval. The GMCTE was satisfied with the outcome.
Members passed the following motion:
Motion: To recommend approval of the changes to the Graduate Professional Skills Certificate
without changing the title.
Waldner/Desjardins CARRIED
If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Clement at Kelly.clement@usask.ca or 306-966-2229.
:kc
Proposal for Academic
or Curricular Change
1. PROPOSAL IDENTIFICATION
Title of Proposal: Program Revision - Graduate Professional Skills Certificate
Degree(s): Current: Certificate of Completion – Graduate Professional Skills
Proposed: Certificate of Completion –Graduate Professional Skills
Field(s) of Specialization:
Level(s) of Concentration: Certificate of Completion
Option(s):
Degree College: The College of Graduate Studies and Research
Contact person(s) (name, telephone, fax, e-mail):
Kim West
Educational Development Specialist, The Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching Effectiveness
Tel: 306-966-2249; Fax: 306-966-2231
Email: kim.west@usask.ca
Nancy Turner
Acting Director, The Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching Effectiveness
Tel: 306-966-1804; Fax: 306-966-2231
Email: nancy.turner@usask.ca
Proposed date of implementation: September 2015
Proposal Document
2. TYPE OF CHANGE
Program-level revisions
3. RATIONALE
3.1 Purpose
The Graduate Professional Skills Certificate is a certificate of completion for graduate students
and post-doctoral fellows. It supports the development of professional skills such as critical
thinking, problem solving, communication, and interpersonal skills that are complementary to
the skills learned within academic disciplines. Universities across Canada such as Concordia
University, McGill University, and the Ontario Consortium for Graduate Professional Skills
Training are developing and implementing professional skills programs that follow
recommendations from the Canadian Association of Graduate Studies (CAGS). Lee, Plant,
Khayat, & Reighmeir (2015) discuss the relevance and significance of professional skills
development quite succinctly in the quote that follows:
“While cutting-edge research remains the backbone of graduate education, it is
imperative that universities and faculty members be more proactive in helping their
trainees develop a full range of soft skills, as well as a network beyond academia to
allow them to success in career opportunities in the global marketplace. This requires
an institutional recognition that the purpose of graduate education is not solely to
groom students for a career in academia but also to foster the development of critical
thinkers and problem-solvers who will be highly valued leaders in non-academic
sectors.”
The revisions that are suggested in this document for the Graduate Professional Skills
Certificate will continue to follow the recommendations from the Canadian Association of
Graduate Studies to ensure that our students develop the same types of professional skills as
their peers across the country. In addition, our approach to professional skills development
remains unique within Canada due to its emphasis on experiential learning and reflective
practice. Learning to reflect is an intentional process that will help our students to practice as
well as to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills (Moon, 1999).
References
Lee, N., Plant, P., Khayat, Z, and Reitmeier, R. (2015). Training the trainers: The importance of
mentorship in graduate education.
University Affairs. Retrieved May 14, 2015 from
http://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/career-advice-article/training-the-trainers/.
Moon, J.A. (1999). Reflection in learning and professional development: theory and practice.
Great Britain and the United States: Kogan Page Limited.
3.2 Rationale for Proposed Revisions
The Graduate Professional Skills Certificate was approved in January 2015 as a university-level
certificate of completion. From January to April 2015, five Masters and Ph.D. students
participated in a pilot offering of its capstone course, GSR 974: Graduate Professional Skills.
These five students will be the first to receive the Graduate Professional Skills Certificate during
fall convocation.
During this time, The Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching Effectiveness (GMCTE) consulted with
faculty and collected feedback from students in the pilot to determine how the Certificate
program was meeting the needs of graduate students and stakeholders. The following revisions
are being suggested for the program based upon feedback that was received:
• Streamlining the program requirements to provide for more learning support as well as
flexible and personalized learning
• Assessing students based on learning outcomes rather than attendance requirements
• Revising the name of the Certificate program to clarify its relationship to other certificates
in professional skills on campus
It is anticipated that aspects of the original proposal such as demand, uniqueness and expertise
of the sponsoring units, and the resources and budget will be unaffected by these program
revisions.
3.3. Proposed Program Revisions
The proposed program is not as prescriptive as the current one, which is requirement-based. A
key difference is that GSR 960: Introduction to Ethics & Integrity is proposed as a prerequisite to
the program rather than as a requirement. GSR 984: Thinking Critically still remains a critical
component in the program, as does GSR 974: Graduate Professional Skills. The proposed
program introduces more flexible and personalized learning as well as enhanced support for
learning in response to feedback received from students. It also continues to emphasize the
development of reflective professional practice.
The following chart summarizes the key differences between current and proposed
requirements for the Certificate program:
Current Graduate Professional
Skills Requirements
GSR 984: Thinking Critically
GSR 974: Graduate Professional Skills
(including 20 hours of professional skills workshops
in three skill domains: Leadership & Management,
Communication & Teamwork, and Entrepreneurship
& Career Development)
Proposed Graduate Professional Skills
Requirements
Remains unchanged
Becomes GSR 974: Graduate Professional
Skills (with no requirement for workshops but
including development of learning goals upfront, see
attached course syllabus for details)
At least 20 hours of elective courses or
workshops in Teaching, Research, or
Communications
Experiential learning opportunities
GSR 960: Introduction to Ethics & Integrity
Becomes a prerequisite
Attendance requirement to complete:
Approx. 70 hours
Attendance requirement to complete: 36
hours plus time in experiential learning
activities the amount of which will be
dependent on each students’ learning plan
and their previous knowledge and
experience
(workshops, internships, courses, and other
experiences completed to the extent that
achievement of learning outcomes in GSR 974 can
be demonstrated (mapped to 10 skill domains) with
artifacts and a reflective commentary)
More Flexible and Personalized Learning
Rather than follow a set path, in the proposed program students will create their own path by
defining their learning goals and reflecting on personalized learning experiences that help them
achieve these goals. The learning goals will be developed with support and monitored
throughout the certificate. They will ultimately map to the overarching learning outcomes for the
certificate program. Support for learning will be provided through classroom time (GSR 984:
Thinking Critically and GSR 974: Graduate Professional Skills), one-on-one coaching (provided
by GMCTE), and individual and group reflection.
In GSR 984, students learn about critical thinking and practice reflective writing. In GSR 974,
students are introduced to strengths-based development and through group activities practice
critical reflection and intercultural competency skills. During GSR 974, and in consultation with
their coach, students develop their learning goals and an action plan that outlines the
personalized learning they will undertake (or have undertaken) throughout the program to build
desired professional skills. Finally, students reflect on their learning through the development of
a professional skills e-portfolio, which is assessed formatively by instructors and coaches
throughout the program, and presented verbally to instructors, coaches, and peers at the end of
GSR 974.
In the proposed program, students will have more flexibility in terms of what sort of learning
opportunities to include in their professional skills development and e-portfolio. Such
opportunities will include internships, volunteer work, and other types of experiential learning
along with courses or workshops on professional skills. These opportunities could include
professional development that was completed prior to enrolment in the Certificate program. In
the proposed program students will have the flexibility to develop more specific learning goals
relevant to their profession in ten skill domains (see Section 3.4). In the current program,
students are required to enroll in courses or workshops in three broad skill domains: Leadership
& Management, Communication & Teamwork, and Entrepreneurship & Career Development.
A desire for more flexibility and personalized learning in the Certificate program is reflected in
the following comment received from a student in the GSR 974 pilot:
“The in-class activities [in GSR 974] gave me valuable instructions and helped me to
be clearer about what I should prepare for and include in reflective skills portfolio. It
was really great experience to do reflect-in-action, which could efficiently updated
notes and keep records. I think if we could include more other professional skills in
addition to those three categories required, for instance, administrative skills, service
skills, research skills, etc those specific skills included and students could develop
their professional skills based on their own individual needs and thus the portfolio
could be more personalized and flexible.”
More Support for Learning
In the proposed program, students will enroll in GSR 974 over the course of the completion of
the Certificate, rather than as a capstone course at the end of the program. This change will
help facilitate student planning: students can identify their strengths and goals, and map out
their personalized learning so they can work toward achieving those goals.
The overall workload and time to completion is not expected to differ drastically between the
current and proposed program (one to two years being the average time to complete). However,
it is expected that students will need to re-register in GSR 974 until they are near to completing
their program. During this period, students at varying levels of completion will learn from one
another through discussions in GSR 974 that will depend on the backgrounds and experiences
of individual cohorts. They will receive feedback from their instructors, coaches, and peers as
they reflect on their learning experiences in their professional skills e-portfolio.
The benefit of students registering in GSR 974 over the course of the completion of the
Certificate is that it provides more opportunities for students to learn from each other. There is
also more opportunity for the teaching team to provide the feedback and direct instruction that is
essential to the program’s learning outcomes. In the pilot of GSR 974, students noted that
discussion with their peers helped them to more fully reflect on their learning experiences:
In what way(s) GSR 984 best support your learning experience, and why?
“It gave me an opportunity to develop my skills related to my career that I am pursuing
with. For example, strengthsfinder helps me recognize my strengths which made me
become more confident. And the workshops, conferences, and panels that I attended
motivated me to become more professional in teaching, leadership, and research
areas. Moreover, the in-class and individual discussions encouraged me to reflect in
action, to think about what I did and what I am going to do, and to have clearer aims
for my further professional career development.”
What is the most significant thing you learned in GSR 974?
“1. Through teaching team, they motivated me to become a more confident and
thoughtful person;
2. Through my peers, they motivated me to become a more positive and social
person;
3. Through in-class instructions, they motivated me to become a more reflective
person;
4. Through workshops, conferences, panels based on GSR 974 required four
categories, they motivate me to become a more comprehensive and full-scaled
person.”
Finally, GSR 960: Introduction to Ethics & Integrity is proposed as a prerequisite to the
Certificate program rather than as a requirement. Student feedback provided during the pilot
offering of GSR 974 suggested that this course does not quite fit students’ needs within the
program:
“I think GSR960 should not be part of the professional portfolio. I see it as a course
to manage your research, rather to be part of your profession.”
Professionalism, ethics, and integrity has been included as one of the ten skill domains in
the proposed program. Students are expected to develop learning goals specific to this skill
domain and to reflect on their experiences in their professional skills portfolio.
4. DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS
4.1 Program Description
The Graduate Professional Skills Certificate is a non-credit certificate of successful completion
for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. The program is intended to be available to
graduate students during the time they are formally enrolled in a graduate program, and it will
be possible to complete the certificate within one year (but there is no time limit to complete the
program beyond normal limits on graduate student enrolment at the U of S). The certificate can
even span across multiple graduate degrees, if the student so chooses.
4.2 Program Requirements
The proposed requirements will include:
1. GSR 984.0 – Thinking Critically: Professional Skills for Global Citizens
2. GSR 974.0 –Graduate Professional Skills (expected learning hours follow)
Prerequisite:
1. GSR 960.0 – Introduction to Ethics and Integrity
4.3 Draft Catalogue Entry
The Graduate Professional Skills Certificate is a comprehensive, non-credit program for
graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. It focuses on strengths-based professional skills
development. One of few such certificates in Canada, it emphasizes reflection and experiential
learning.
Admission Requirements
• Registration in a graduate program or be in a post doctoral fellowship position
• GSR 960.0 – Introduction to Ethics and Integrity
Program Requirements
• GSR 984.0 – Thinking Critically: Professional Skills for Global Citizens
• GSR 974.0 –Graduate Professional Skills
4.4 Program-Level Learning Outcomes
Students will be assessed on whether or not they met the following outcomes by the end of the
Certificate program. Additional materials, including an evaluation rubric and a description of the
requirements for the professional skills portfolio, have been provided along with this proposal.
Self-Discovery Goals
During this program, students will:
• Experience and reflect on learning in various ways, including independently,
experientially, through coaching, and in teams (Interpersonal Skills, Intercultural
Competence, Communication, Leadership, Reflection & Intrapersonal Skills).
• Engage in strengths-based professional development (Leadership, Research & Project
Management).
•
•
Develop a capacity for self-reflection through writing, dialogue, and feedback (Reflection
& Intrapersonal Skills, Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Intercultural Competence,
Professionalism, Ethics & Integrity, Critical & Creative Thinking).
Practice their written and verbal communication skills including giving and receiving
feedback with peers (Communication, Professionalism, Ethics & Integrity).
Knowledge Goals
By the end of this program, students are expected to demonstrate ability to:
• Think critically by identifying their conceptual frameworks as well as assumptions and
biases in their own and others’ thinking (Critical & Creative Thinking, Reflection &
Intrapersonal Skills).
• Write reflectively, describing, explaining, interpreting, and analyzing their strengths,
learning goals & experiences (Reflection & Intrapersonal Skills, Critical & Creative
Thinking).
• Integrate theory with ethics and practice, reflecting on how to apply what has been
learned to their professional practice in the ten skill domain areas (Critical & Creative
Thinking, Professionalism, Ethics & Integrity, Communication, Interpersonal Skills,
Intercultural Competence, Leadership, Career Development, Wellness & Life Balance,
Research & Project Management, Reflection & Intrapersonal Skills).
Integrity & Citizenship Goals
During this program, students are expected to:
• Develop a guiding set of principles for integrity and ethical behavior in their professional
practice (Professionalism, Ethics & Integrity).
• Reflect on their subjectivity (metaphors, narratives, language, belief systems as they
form identity, cultural artifacts, cultural and educational experiences) and how they
position themselves ( 1subject position) in shaping their thinking, beliefs, cultural
constructions, perceptions, and worldviews as they relate to others (Intercultural
Competence, Critical & Creative Thinking, Reflection & Intrapersonal Skills).
• Critically reflect upon and deconstruct how they perceive their subject position either
biased or aided in responding to other subject positions and the equally complex
influences on those subjectivities and subject positions (Intercultural Competence,
Critical & Creative Thinking, Reflection & Intrapersonal Skills).
• Cultivate an interest and curiosity in exposing oneself to and experiencing other
worldviews, ways of knowing and learning, and cultural perspectives and experiences
(Intercultural Competence, Critical & Creative Thinking, Reflection & Intrapersonal
Skills).
• Reflect on how to apply what they have learned locally, nationally, and/or globally.
Skills Goals
During this program, students are expected to:
1
A subject position incorporates both a conceptual repertoire & a location for persons within the structure of rights for those that use
that repertoire. Once having taken up a particular position as one's own, a person inevitably sees the world from the vantage point
of that position & in terms of the particular images, metaphors, storylines & concepts which are made relevant within the particular
discursive practice in which they are positioned. At least a possibility of notional choice is inevitably involved because there are
many & contradictory discursive practices that each person could engage in (Davies & Harre, 1990, p. 46). Accessed:
http://www.massey.ac.nz/~alock/theory/subpos.htm
Simply put, your identity is constructed in terms of everything you have been exposed to including culture, media, narrative,
metaphor, stories, and concepts. All of your subconscious and conscious learning experiences contribute to a subject position
unique to you for how you respond to other people, cultural artifacts, and environments.
•
•
Effectively plan and manage progress towards their learning goals (Reflection &
Intrapersonal Skills, Research & Project Management, Leadership, Career
Development, Wellness & Life Balance).
Reflect on, document, & demonstrate in an e-portfolio the development of skills in nine
domains: critical and creative thinking, professionalism, ethics, and integrity,
communication, interpersonal skills, intercultural competence, leadership, career
development, wellness and life balance, research and project management, reflection
and intrapersonal skills (Reflection & Intrapersonal Skills, Critical & Creative Thinking).
4.5 The Ten Skill Domains
1. Critical and creative thinking
• You will explore your thought processes, personal biases, and creative
propensities. By engaging in courses and workshops that address these issues,
you will analyze and question your assumptions and expand your thinking, along
with your empathy.
2. Professionalism, ethics, and integrity
• Learning experiences focus on your professional conduct. By exploring such
topics as business ethics and professional integrity, you will learn how to conduct
yourself in ways that are favorable to your career.
3. Communication
• Workshops and courses will help you to develop your written and verbal
communication skills, which you can then apply within a professional sphere.
Topics may include creating memos, writing professional emails, and giving
presentations.
4. Interpersonal skills
• Learning experiences address topics such as networking and developing
relationships with people in a professional context. You will learn how to establish
and maintain connections within your respective field.
5. Intercultural competence
• You will develop an understanding of the impact your own experience and culture
has on your view of the world and others and an appreciation for the
perspectives of others, particularly those from different cultural backgrounds.
Understanding diverse cultural contexts allows you to develop connections and
thought processes that may help you in both your professional and personal life.
6. Leadership
• Workshops and courses teach you how to take initiative and challenge yourself
and your colleagues to do their best work.
7. Career development
• Learning experiences address how to choose a career path and how to
continually adapt to workplace changes.
8. Wellness and life balance
• You will learn how to balance your professional and personal life to get the most
out of both. You will learn that, as the proverb goes, having a career is not the
same as having a life.
9. Research and project management
• You will learn how to cultivate the skills necessary to manage whatever
professional initiatives they may develop. You will also learn how to gather and
utilize resources, handle deadlines, organize teams, and plan projects.
10. Reflection and intrapersonal skills
• Workshops and courses focus on your development through reflective practice.
As you work your way through your learning experiences, you will keep track of
your progress and identify what works, what doesn’t work, and what needs to be
changed. You will need to learn to look inward as well as outward.
4.6 Expected Learning Hours
In the proposed program, students would no longer be asked to complete a required number of
electives, courses, or workshops. Instead they would complete GSR 984 and GSR 974 while
fulfilling expected learning hours (that could include courses, workshops on professional skills,
or internships) based on their learning goals. The current program requires approximately 70
hours of in-class instruction while this requires 36 plus time in experiential learning activities the
amount of which will be dependent on each students’ learning plan and their previous
knowledge and experience.
:
Expected Learning Hours:
GSR 984
Classroom Time
21 hours
(Structured Group
Activity)
Coaching,
42 hours
Individual Work,
Includes:
and Individual &
completing preGroup Reflection
class activities and
readings, reflective
(This number of
hours will depend on journaling, and final
reflective essay
your prior
experience, the
learning
experiences your
select and your skill
level in reflection
and writing. The
hours listed here are
estimates.)
GSR 974
15 hours (as
needed)
Experience
Workshops, courses, volunteer
work, internships
(Coaching + Individual Work + Individual and Group
Reflection) Nominally this could be 50 hours.
Includes: discussing and writing learning plan, ongoing
meetings to check progress, and adjusting plan as
needed, preparation of e-portfolio, importing evidence,
and compiling overall reflections against learning
outcomes
The exact number of learning hours over one to two years will depend on student’s previous
knowledge and experience in the competency areas when entering the program. The expected
learning hours will be approximately equivalent to a 6 credit unit course.
Prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) will be offered in instances where a student
is able to demonstrate the successful achievement of equivalent learning outcomes for required
courses or workshops within the Graduate Professional Skills Certificate. Ideally an advisor who
will compare and assess the learning outcomes of the program, courses, or workshops in
question will facilitate this process. In the absence of learning outcomes, the student may be
asked to demonstrate how they have achieved the learning outcomes in question through
writing or other means. Students will be expected to include any additional work completed for
the PLAR process as part of their professional skills portfolio.
Students who completed the GSR 974 pilot had a high level of satisfaction associated the focus
on reflection:
Reference
Wilkinson, J., & Wilkinson, C. (1996). Group discussions in nursing education: A learning
process. Nursing Standard, 10, 44, 46-47.