Our Program

"Teaching is the profession that teaches all the other professions." ~Author Unknown

The Bachelor of Education (BEd) Program at the University of Calgary recognizes that teaching is one of the most important professions in society. The program promotes a view of the teacher as knowledgeable, thoughtful and deeply caring about the responsibilities of this vocation. To become a teacher requires strong preparation in subject matter knowledge, development of pedagogical skills, and acquiring the ability to make good judgements in practice. Theory and practice are always intertwined, and one of the challenges of learning to teach is to understand both the theory and practice of teaching as they are lived in classrooms and schools. Therefore, the BEd Program stresses ongoing and intensive integration of university and field experiences. That integration is central to learning experiences in the program.

We believe that teaching is a special vocation that carries tremendous responsibilities, both to educate the hearts and minds of the young and to contribute to the betterment of a diverse and rapidly changing society. We also believe that teaching requires a life long commitment to learning through inquiry—to being a student of teaching.

We are committed to providing rich experiences, and a meaningful and high quality learning environment for our students. Classes are structured to promote dialogue and collaborative work. We ask our students to investigate what it means to work with children and young people, to experience what curriculum looks like as practice and to understand who they are in relation to their responsibilities as teachers. We expect our students to engage in rigorous inquiry and independent study to gain a deep understanding of the many dimensions of teaching practice

In our BEd Program, an understanding of the complex qualities of teaching are developed through five “dimensions of engaged inquiry,” that is, learning to become a teacher requires engaged inquiry:

• in learning about learning,
• with/in specializations,
• with contemporary contexts,
• with/in teaching and learning communities, and
• in ethical action.

The BEd is a four-semester, two-year degree program, which is fully recognized as meeting the requirements for certification in Alberta and other jurisdictions in Canada. The degree is offered to Prospective Students through two pathways: a Consecutive (After-Degree) Program and a Concurrent (Direct-Entry) Program.

This is a full-time program; a part-time route is not available.

The program offers preparation in Elementary Education (Grades 1 - 6) and Secondary Education (Grades 7 to 12) with a focus on the following specializations:

The BEd program is organized to allow for integration across program components (courses) and coherent flow across the four semesters of the program based on the following themes: