Integrated Learning Programs (ILPs) for University-College Collaborative Degrees in Ontario

Authors
Carleton University
P. Ricketts
Abstract
Today’s employers need students with practical skills, excellent education and the ability to think creatively, innovate, and solve complex problems. The aim of this project was to create a new program model to integrate university degree and college diploma curricula into a single, four-year degree/diploma program. Based upon the successful partnership between Carleton University and Algonquin College in the delivery of their Bachelor of Information Technology programs, the Integrated Learning Program (ILP) model is designed to maximize institutional strengths, integrate university and college learning outcomes, reduce duplication and redundancies, and decrease the time to get highly qualified and trained graduates into employment. The ILP project was a collaborative initiative between two universities (Carleton and OCAD U) and two colleges (George Brown and Algonquin). The aim of the project was to develop a generic ILP model that could be used by any partnering university and college in Ontario to develop an ILP degree based upon an existing college diploma. The generic template was developed using three program developments between the four partnering institutions: a business administration degree in Finance between Carleton and George Brown College, which will integrate George Brown’s Advanced Diploma in Finance with Carleton’s Bachelor of Commerce degree for a Bachelor in Financial Services; a degree in Fashion Concept Design between GBC and OCAD U that will integrate GBC’s Fashion Techniques and Design Diploma program and OCAD U’s Material Art & Design program; and a new Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) program in Information Resource Management (IRM) between Carleton and Algonquin based upon Algonquin’s two-year Library and Information Technician diploma program.