Degrees Offered
The Department offers three graduate degrees in each of our fields of specialization. The MA degree requires a minimum of 30 credits including 24 credits at the 500-level or above. The MEd degree consists of 30 credits, 3 of which may be a graduating project (LLED 590) (e.g., to fulfill the “Capstone Experience” for Teacher Qualification Service (for BC teachers)). The PhD in Language & Literacy Education may be completed in any of our program specializations. It normally consists of a one-year residency in the Department, together with a dissertation. Admissions to the MA, MEd and PhD programs in MLED and TESL are limited and highly competitive.
In addition to graduate degrees, the Department offers courses toward Diploma programs in Literacy Education, in Teaching English as a Second Language and in Teacher-librarianship, all designed for professionals with a first degree and at least a year’s teaching experience and Certificate programs in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) and in Teacher-librarianship (LIBE).
Admissions for Diplomas and Certificate programs are handled by the Professional Development and Community Engagement office. See the PDCE website for application procedures. For program advice and other questions, please consult with the admissions office.
Programs Offered
Literacy Education: The diploma and graduate programs in Literacy Education engage aspiring professionals in the study of rich language and literacy practices from early childhood through adolescence and adulthood. Work in this field draws on many disciplines that inform the study of language and literacy education, including sociological, linguistic, anthropological, literary, and post-structural perspectives.
Teaching English as a Second Language: Integrating research and practice, the graduate programs in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) offer professional development to teachers of ESL and prepare researchers and leaders in applied linguistics. TESL graduate students gain experience and understanding in such areas as: current issues in TESL theory and practice; second language acquisition, second language reading and writing, language socialization, language and identity, second language assessment, discourse analysis, and research methods.
Modern Languages Education: We offer specialized, individualized and interdisciplinary graduate programs in French immersion, French as a Second or Foreign Language [FSL, FFL], Asia-Pacific and the other modern languages education. These programs involve study in second language curriculum, assessment, second language acquisition, bilingualism and intercultural education.
Expanded opportunities for studies in children’s literature, and information, media and digital literacies are offered through application to the Literacy graduate programs. Students in this LITR specialization of teacher librarianship take courses in the above following areas and two courses in the School of Library and Archival Information Studies: LIBR 500 Foundations of Information Technology and LIBR 503 Foundations of Information Sources and Services.