Executive Summary of the 2015 IQAP Review of the Graduate Programmes, MASc , MEng and PhD in Mechanical Engineering
In accordance with the Royal Military College (RMC) Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP), the Department Head for Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering submitted a self-study report in July 2015 to the Director of the Office of Quality Assurance. For the programmes under review, the MASc, MEng and PhD in Mechanical Engineering, it contained the degree level expectations for these programmes, an analytical assessment of the programmes, course outlines, programme-related data, survey data from the Office of Quality Assurance and appendices with sample examinations and CVs of faculty members.
Two arm’s-length external reviewers (Dr. Ronald M. Barron, University of Waterloo, and Dr. Hakim A. Bouzid, École de Technologie Supérieure) were selected from a list of possible reviewers and approved by the Deans of Engineering and Graduate Studies. An internal reviewer, Ms. Margaret B.K. Shepherd of RMC’s Department of Management and Economics, was also selected for participation on the ERC. They reviewed the self-study documentation and conducted a site visit to RMC on 23, 24 February, 2016. During the site visit, the ERC met with the Vice-Principal, Academic, Dr. Phil Bates, the Vice-Principal, Research, Dr. Pat Heffernan, the Acting Dean of Engineering, Dr. Billy Allan, the Acting Head of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Dr. Manish Jugroot, the Chief Librarian, Ms. Sarah Toomey, as well as several members of the Mechanical Engineering faculty. The ERC also had the opportunity to meet with several students currently enrolled in the programme. The ERC subsequently produced a Report based on the Self-Study and site visit. The report was circulated to department members and discussed at a departmental meeting.
The reviewers submitted their report in April, 2016. In their report, they found that the Mechanical Engineering Programme requirements were clear, and that the outcomes were clearly identified. The ERC identified strengths/exceptional achievements as well as areas that presented opportunity to enhance the program. Issues with online journal access as well as times to completion were noted by some students and relayed by the ERC as ongoing concerns. Overall, the ERC report confirmed that Mechanical Engineering Department is delivering an academically rigorous programme to its students and that its standards meet those of similar programmes in Ontario.
The Programme Chair, after consultation with faculty and staff in the programmes, submitted a response to the Reviewers’ Report in June, 2016. The Dean of Graduate Studies, in consultation with the Dean of Engineering, prepared a Final Assessment Report in July, 2018. The FAR was approved by the Senate of the College on June 23rd, 2021. The programmes are scheduled for their next review in 2023-24.