In accordance with the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP), this report is a summary of the Final Assessment Report (FAR) which provides a synthesis of the external evaluation and internal response and assessments of the Bachelor of Arts Program offered by the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities in Military and Strategic Studies (MSS). The Program Self-Study Report, which contained the degree level expectations for this program, an analytical assessment of the program, course outlines, program-related data, survey data from the Office of Quality Assurance and appendices with sample examinations and curriculum vitae (CVs) of faculty members, were completed in May 2022. For the External Review Committee (ERC), two arm’s-length external reviewers, Prof. Carl Benn, professor, Department of History, Toronto Metropolitan University, and Prof. Kim Richard Nossal, professor emeritus, Centre for International and Defence Policy, Queen’s University, were selected from a list of possible reviewers and approved by the Dean of Social Science and Humanities. An internal reviewer, Prof. Ranwa Al Mallah, assistant professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Royal Military College, was also selected for participation on the ERC. They reviewed the self-study documentation and conducted an on-site visit to RMC from 27 to 28 February 2023. The reviewers submitted their report on 11 April 2023.
In their report, the ERC expresses the opinion that this program conforms to normal expectations for an undergraduate degree, noting, of course, the unusual and unique role and mission of the Royal Military College of Canada in training officers for a career in the Canadian Armed Forces. The ERC identified a number of strengths of the programs under review including that the program is well-regarded judging by the formal responses to surveys, and the feedback that we received from both current students and alumni, and the success rate of students registered in the program is solid. The ERC also identified a number of areas of concern for the History program including the curriculum and how it is decided, Francophone education and relations with CMR Saint-Jean, lack of library and research resources, and administration of the program.
The Program Chair, after consultation with faculty and staff in the programs, submitted a response to the ERC Report on 16 May 2023. The Dean of Social Science and Humanities prepared this Final Assessment Report on 25 May, 2023. The ERC Report provided positive feedback on the outcomes of the undergraduate programs in Military and Strategic Studies and confirmed that the RMC is delivering solid program according to the undergraduate degree expectations. However, the ERC did identify areas that had room for improvement, and RMC is, or has already taken, taking steps to address the issues raised. RMC will continue to work toward program enhancement and improve student success in the History program.