Becoming a teacher in BC
To become a teacher in British Columbia’s K-12 education system, you must have a teaching certificate issued through the Teacher Regulation Branch. To be eligible, you must complete an undergraduate program and a professional teacher education program. This takes approximately five years of full-time study.
Teacher education options in BC are available in two areas: Elementary/Middle school (grades K-7), and Secondary school (grades 8-12).
How are programs organized?
Before starting your BEd degree
Through the completion of a four-year Bachelor's degree, you learn about what you will eventually teach. Elementary school teachers are considered "generalists" and will need a broad course background in order to teach subject areas. Meanwhile, secondary school teachers are considered "specialists" and complete a major or minor in one or two teachable areas. Middle school teachers will have a broad curricular background, but can also have a specialization area.
Teacher education portion
UFV hosts a post-degree Bachelor of Education program. Through this applied professional education program, you will take theory and methods courses related to teaching. You will put all of your learning into practice through a series of supervised teaching practicums. UFV’s Bachelor of Education is a full-time professional program with two options: the Elementary/Middle school option or the Secondary school option. We have two streams within the Secondary school option: either the math/science or the humanities stream (English and social studies).
Note: Not every education program can support all teachable subject areas available in B.C.
Develop an educational plan that meets your needs and interests
The structures of teacher education programs vary depending on the institution and the option you choose. At UFV, the Bachelor of Education is a post-baccalaureate professional program. In other words, it is a one-year program after applicants have completed a bachelor's degree. If you have questions about what program options are best for you, attend one of the Teacher Education information sessions.
Interested in becoming an educational assistant?
UFV offers a School and Community Support Worker certificate, which can help you become a special education assistant. You will be working under the supervision of classroom teachers to perform duties such as coaching in basic subjects, preparing specialized teaching materials, and meeting student's special physical needs.
