Teacher Education

ufv.ca/teacher-education

Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Mentorship degree

The Teacher Education department offers a Master of Education (MEd) in Educational and Leadership Mentorship degree for students who have met all of the criteria for teacher certification in the province of British Columbia. This includes an undergraduate degree from a recognized post-secondary institution and professional certification from a recognized teacher certification program.

UFV's MEd follows a cohort model that is designed for certified educators employed in K–12 classrooms, schools, and district-level positions. This program enables students to develop the skills, knowledge, and dispositions necessary to engage in innovative and sustainable leadership and mentorship within their schools and districts.

The MEd consists of six courses for a total of 30 credits. Courses are designed for working professionals and are scheduled over a two-year period. Beginning in the Summer semester, courses are offered on a part-time basis (evenings, weekends, and through two summer institutes) at the Abbotsford campus. Cohort intake is every two years. In the final semester, students complete a capstone project in which they integrate the knowledge and skills they have gained in course and field work.

This program is intended to assist certified teachers in attaining a category upgrade with the Teacher Qualification Service (TQS) of British Columbia. Upon successful completion, students will receive a Master of Education from UFV.

Entrance requirements

1. Undergraduate degree (BSc, BA, BEd, BIS, or equivalent).
2. Successful completion of a teacher certification program recognized by the British Columbia Ministry of Education.
3. Current teaching certificate issued by the British Columbia Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB).
4. Minimum of two years’ experience in the K–12 education system.

When to apply

The Master of Education is offered every two years. To be considered for entrance, completed applications must be received by January 31 (see Note) of the year in which the program begins. Applications received later will be considered as space permits.

Note: Information on the next expected intake is available here.

How to apply

1. Apply online at ufv.ca/admissions/apply.
2. Submit additional documents, available at ufv.ca/teacher-education/how-to-apply.

   Additional documents required for a complete application:

   • Official transcripts (or interim transcripts) from all post-secondary institutions attended (excluding UFV) showing grade/course achievement as per entrance requirements. To be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to UFV from the originating institution; see Official Transcript Guidelines for details.
   • Résumé outlining education and professional experience (teaching and leadership experience including supervision of student teachers and mentoring of new career colleagues).
   • Written statement: please select from one of five prompts which can be found at ufv.ca/teacher-education/how-to-apply/ under the Additional Documents section for the MEd.
   • Three letters of reference from the referees. (These letters should describe professional strengths and leadership potential. Ideally, one letter should be from an administrator who has supervised the applicant's work.) Reference form: ufv.ca/media/assets/teacher-education/tep-forms/MEd-Admission-Reference-form.pdf
   • Evidence of B.C. Teacher Certification (scanned copy of TRB certificate).
3. Applicants will be advised of an admission decision and, if accepted, will be provided with registration information. A deposit is required prior to registration (see the Fees and Other Costs section) and will be applied toward tuition fees.

Basis for admission decision

Applicants will be ranked by academic performance and suitability (as identified through their statement of interest, résumé, and reference letters). 10% of the seats in the MEd are held for Indigenous applicants who meet the program's admission requirements.

Fees and additional costs

See the Fees and Other Costs section. There will be additional costs for textbooks.

Program duration

The Master of Education degree is a seven-semester, 30-credit, part-time cohort program.

Location

The program is located at the Abbotsford campus.

Program outline

Course	Title	Credits
EDUC 700	Leadership Theory and Practice	5
EDUC 701	Focus on Mentoring	5
EDUC 702	Leading and Mentoring in Professional Learning Communities	5
EDUC 703	Policy, Identity, and Context	5
EDUC 704	Research Methods and Fieldwork	7
EDUC 705	Capstone Project	3

Program requirements and continuance in program

To maintain status as a MEd student and to continue in the program, students must maintain an overall minimum program grade point average (PGPA) of 3.00. Students will be reviewed at the end of each semester, and those below a PGPA of 3.00 will be withdrawn from the program.

Credit towards the degree will not be available for any course where the final grade is less than a B minus (B-).

Course repetition

There is no opportunity to repeat courses within the expected two-year completion. However, students have a maximum of five years to complete all degree requirements.

Readmission

Readmission into the program is not permitted, except for extenuating personal circumstances to be approved by the Teacher Education department head.

Residency

It is generally expected that students in the UFV MEd, as members of a cohort, will complete all 30 credits at UFV. However, as UFV is part of the Western Deans Agreement, applicants may apply to the MEd Chair for transfer credits. If transfer credits are assessed as applicable, a recommendation will be made to the Dean/AVP in order to grant transfer credit of up to 25% for courses taken elsewhere. This credit agreement is based on the General Regulations of Graduate Studies, which requires that 75% of a graduate-level program be taken at UFV.

Graduation requirements

To be eligible to graduate, students must achieve a minimum grade of B- in each of the six courses.

Candidates who qualify to receive a UFV graduate degree must be approved by the the Senate. Students must apply for graduation in the first month of their final semester. Visit the Graduation webpage for more information. The final deadline for students who wish to attend the June Convocation ceremony is April 1 of each year, with all program requirements completed by April 30.

Maximum length of time to complete program

Students must complete the program requirements within seven consecutive semesters, except for extenuating personal circumstances to be approved by the Teacher Education department head.

Note: Students should also be familiar with the General Regulations for Graduate Studies.

Course listings

For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.