The Program Concept Assessment Committee (PCAC) is an administrative committee that supports the early stages of new academic program development at York University. Its role is to provide a structured opportunity to consider how emerging program ideas align with institutional priorities and available resources before they enter the formal quality assurance process.
PCAC operates in parallel with, but distinct from, the York University Quality Assurance Procedures (YUQAP). While YUQAP governs the academic quality assurance and collegial approval of new programs, PCAC focuses on broader planning considerations, including strategic alignment, potential demand, and overall feasibility. The committee does not assess academic quality, nor does it replace or duplicate the collegial governance processes that are central to YUQAP.
As part of the University’s program development process, proponents are expected to engage with PCAC and receive Provostial authorization to proceed prior to initiating a Notice of Intent (NOI) under YUQAP.
Through a staged and advisory process, PCAC:
- Provides early feedback on the alignment of program concepts with institutional priorities
- Helps frame and support market and feasibility research, where appropriate
- Considers preliminary information related to demand, differentiation, and sustainability
- Offers advice to the Provost on whether a concept is ready to move forward to the Notice of Intent (NOI) stage
By supporting early-stage planning and development, PCAC is intended to complement existing academic processes and assist proponents in preparing strong proposals for consideration through YUQAP.
PCAC Review Overview
The PCAC review process follows the steps below.
Step 1: Submit Program Concept
Following initial discussion within the Faculty, the Faculty Dean submits a Program Concept Assessment Form.
Step 2: Initial Review
PCAC reviews the submitted program concept and makes a recommendation to the Provost.
Step 3: Provost Decision
If supported, the program concept moves forward to market research.
Step 4: Market Research
The Office of Institutional Planning and Analysis (OIPA) conducts market research and shares findings with the Faculty.
Step 5: Financial Review and Planning
Preliminary financial projections and market research findings are submitted to PCAC for review and recommendation to the Provost.
Step 6: Decision to Proceed
If approved, the program concept advances from the PCAC review process to Notice of Intent (NOI) development, following the new program development process outlined in the York University Quality Assurance Procedures (YUQAP).
Program Concept Assessment Form
The Program Concept Assessment Form is used to submit proposed new academic programs for early-stage review. The form is completed by the Faculty Dean and submitted to PCAC for consideration.
The form requests information to support early assessment of proposed programs, including:
- Rationale for the proposed program
- Alignment with institutional priorities
- Relationship to existing programs
- Comparable programs at other institutions
- Proposed timeline for implementation
The completed form should be submitted by the Faculty Dean for review by PCAC.
Submission Deadlines and Review Cycles
Program Concept Assessment Forms are accepted three times per year in alignment with PCAC meeting cycles.
| PCAC Meeting Cycle | Last date for Program Concept Submission | Provost Decision Date for Market Research | Provost Decision Date for NOI development |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | February 1 | March 1 | July 1 |
| June | June 1 | July 1 | November 1 |
| October | October 1 | November 1 | March 1 |
Submissions are to be directed to the Office of the Vice-Provost Academic at vprovost@yorku.ca.
Terms of Reference
The Terms of Reference for PCAC outline the Committee’s purpose, mandate, membership, and decision-making processes. Faculties are encouraged to review the Terms of Reference prior to submitting a Program Concept Assessment Form.
For questions about the Program Concept Assessment process, Faculties may contact the Office of the Vice-Provost Academic: vprovost@yorku.ca.