For specific program admission requirements and further information, please refer to mcgill.ca/dise/grad.

Graduate Certificates, M.A., and Ph.D. Programs

1. Applicants to the Certificate and M.A. programs must hold a bachelor's degree from a recognized university. A minimum standing equivalent to a CGPA of 3.0/4.0, or 3.2/4.0 for the last two full-time academic years, is required. A concentration of courses related to the area chosen for graduate work is usually required (see #5 below).

   Applicants to the Ph.D. program must hold an M.A. in Education or a recognized equivalent degree from a recognized university. The applicant's record should indicate high academic standing (a minimum CGPA of 3.0/4.0) and evidence of research competence in the proposed area of doctoral research.

2. Applicants to the Certificate and M.A. programs must submit:
   • a current curriculum vitae;
   • a letter of intent specifying academic and professional experience and interests (specifically, research interests for the Thesis option or project interests for the Non-Thesis Project option).

   Applicants to the Ph.D. in Educational Studies program must submit:

   • a current curriculum vitae;
   • a letter of intent identifying the applicant's proposed research topic, potential supervisor, and expected professional direction. Please note that it is the Ph.D. applicant's responsibility to secure a supervisor as part of the admission process;
   • a four- to five-page summary of the proposed research topic identifying the applicant's main research questions, the research trends that have led to the questions, ways in which the research could be conducted, and relevant references.
3. Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from a university-level instructor; the other may be from an administrator in an educationally relevant context.
4. Applicants to graduate studies whose mother tongue is not English, and who have not completed an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized foreign institution where English is the language of instruction or from a recognized Canadian institution (anglophone or francophone), must meet one of the following English proficiency criteria:
   • IELTS with a minimum overall band of 7.0 with a minimum writing score of 7.0; or
   • TOEFL iBT (Internet-based test) – minimum overall band of 92 with a minimum score of 22 each for the Writing and Speaking sections and a minimum of 20 each for the Reading and Listening sections.
   For applicants to the Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning (MATL) (Non-Thesis):

   • IELTS with minimum overall band of 7.0 with a minimum of 7.0 each for the Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Reading sections; or
   • TOEFL iBT (Internet-based test) – minimum overall band of 92 with a minimum score of 22 each for the Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Reading sections.

   The Department reserves the right to evaluate the applicant's language proficiency before initial registration.

5. Further requirements applicable to specific options:

   Graduate Certificates in Educational Leadership 1 and 2 – Normally, applicants are required to have at least two years of relevant educational experience (in leadership roles or related professional experience).

   Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language – Applicants are required to provide proof of English language proficiency (detailed on the admission website) or pass a written and oral English language proficiency test approved by the Department.

   Master of Arts in Second Language Education – Normally, applicants are required to have a minimum of 36 credits including a combination of relevant courses in education and language studies. Applicants are required to have at least two years of relevant professional experience in education.

   Master of Arts in Educational Leadership – Normally, applicants are required to have at least two years of relevant leadership experience (teaching or related professional experience).

   Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning (MATL) (Non-Thesis) – Please see the Departmental website for additional admission requirements. Applicants to the MATL TESL option are required to pass a written and oral English language proficiency test with a French component set by the Department. Applicants are required to have experience in educational settings (formal or informal).

   Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning (MATL) (Non-Thesis) TESL – Applicants are required to provide proof of English language proficiency (detailed on the admission website) or pass a written and oral English language proficiency test approved by the Department. Functional proficiency in French is also required.

   Certificat d’études supérieures en pédagogie de l’immersion française – Applicants are required to provide proof of French language proficiency (detailed on the admission website) or pass a written and oral French language proficiency test approved by the Department.

McGill’s online application form for graduate program candidates is available at mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/apply.

See University Regulations & Resources > Graduate > Graduate Admissions and Application Procedures > Application Procedures for detailed application procedures.

Application opening dates are set by Enrolment Services in consultation with Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS), while application deadlines are set by the Department of Integrated Studies in Education and may be revised at any time. Applicants must verify all deadlines and documentation requirements well in advance on the appropriate McGill departmental website; please consult the list at mcgill.ca/gps/contact/graduate-program or mcgill.ca/dise/grad.

Information on application deadlines is available at mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/how-apply/application-steps/application-deadlines.

Admission to graduate studies is competitive; accordingly, late and/or incomplete applications are considered only as time and space permit.

MATL Internships:

• are required courses compliant with Ministry's requirements and in accordance with the University–School Board agreements;
• are organized and evaluated by the Faculty of Education's Internships & Student Affairs Office (ISA); student teachers are not permitted to contact potential host schools to obtain a placement (unless on paid contract; see below); however, student teachers are permitted to submit preferences and requests to ISA, which are taken into account and subject to ISA policies and host school availability;
• are completed with an eligible Cooperating Teacher(s) as mentor(s), unless a student teacher has received ISA approval to use a paid teaching contract at an eligible host school to satisfy the internship requirements (see Placement Options below);
• must be completed at the Secondary level within a public or private English school in the greater Montreal region, with the exception of the Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) program, in which student teachers are placed in French public or private schools and will typically complete one internship at the Elementary level and one at the Secondary level. Student teachers may only be placed in a private school setting for one of the two required internships;
• may exceptionally be completed in an adult education setting (Internship 2 only) or in a French school setting, with ISA’s authorization; excluding students in the TESL program;
• require that students follow registration and placement request procedures as stipulated by the ISA. Students who do not follow procedures may not be assigned to a host school in a given term;
• may begin or end before or after the first/last day of lectures, and may continue during regularly scheduled University breaks;
• are not remunerated for student teachers placed with a Cooperating Teacher(s);
• require that student teachers be present in the host school on a full-time basis for the specified duration of the internship (refer to dates on the mcgill.ca/isa/teaching/contacts-dates); start and/or end dates may vary for students on a paid contract;
• require that student teachers budget time and money for travel to and from their assigned host school;
• may not be completed in a host school where a student teacher has a family member working or attending;
• have a corequisite Professional Seminar component (see Minerva for dates and times).

Students:

• normally take Internship 1 in the first Winter term of the program; students who do not plan on taking Internship 1 in the first Winter term of the program must meet with the MATL Program Coordinator to develop an amended program trajectory as soon as possible;
• must be in Satisfactory Standing and have met all prerequisite and corequisite course requirements;
• registered for the internship course will receive permission to access the online Student Teaching Placement Form at their official @mail.mcgill.ca email address; the Placement Form must be completed by the date indicated in the email for preferences to be registered;
• should consult their MATL Program Coordinator or ISA Placement Coordinator for further assistance, if required.

Cooperating Teacher

Student teachers without an approved paid teaching contract will be placed by an ISA Placement Coordinator in the classroom of an eligible Cooperating Teacher(s) and must follow the host school's schedule on a full-time basis. Student teachers in this situation must not contact potential host schools nor coopertaing teachers for placements.

Contract

Student teachers who have secured a paid teaching contract in the appropriate internship term may request to have this contract reviewed by the ISA to see if it will fulfill the internship requirements relative to number of hours, context, subject area, etc.

Please note, student teachers who have already been placed with a Cooperating Teacher for their internship and subsequently wish to accept a contract either before or during the internship must register a request with the ISA; approval is at the discretion of the ISA Director.

Students who wish to have a contract evaluated must:

• get approval from the ISA Office;
• have the Administrator of their school sign ISA's "Letter of Agreement Pertaining to Paid Contracts for Internships Taken as Part of McGill University’s Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning (MATL)" prior to the start of their contract/internship, and confirm that they will assign/provide a qualified internal employee to serve as an evaluator and follow ISA's proposed evaluation schedule;
• consult the MATL guidelines to determine if the contract may be eligible to meet internship requirements;
• ensure that the contract meets the teaching hours requirements for the internship in questions;
• ensure that the teaching hours must be in the appropriate teachable subject area; mcgill.ca/isa/teaching/placements/matl-contract#valid;
• complete the full number of required hours—per internship guidelines—which may necessitate an extension of the internship dates;
• submit a copy of the contract. If an official contract is only issued after a certain probationary period, a detailed letter from the School Administrator/HR may be accepted until such time as the student receives their formal contract confirming the teaching schedule and conditions to the ISA; any further modification of an approved contract must be approved by the ISA.

Detailed internship guidelines and copies of evaluation forms for each internship are posted on the ISA website. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the internship objectives, evaluation criteria, and forms prior to the start of each internship.

Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the policies and rules governing all aspects of internship, including pedagogical and professional behaviour (available at mcgill.ca/isa) prior to the start of the internship.

Students are strongly discouraged from engaging in any type of employment during the course of the internship (with the exception of a teaching contract used to fulfill the internship requirements) nor register for any additional/non-required course(s) which may interfere with the successful outcome of the internship; accommodations will not be granted for students with employment responsibilities.

ISA relies on the goodwill of Cooperating Teachers and School Administrators to arrange placements. To that end, the ISA strives to maintain professional relationships established over time with partner schools. Student teachers in the MATL program are advised to be aware of the commitment, including time commitment with the internship and co-requisite courses, they are making to their chosen career when beginning the internship. All decisions and actions should reflect the ethics of the teaching profession and the highest standards of professionalism.

Attendance and Absences

Punctual attendance is required at the host school for the duration of the internship (per the host school’s full-day schedule and not that of the Cooperating Teacher’s). Unexcused absences from the internship and/or corequisite courses, including Professional Seminar, may result in exclusion from the corequisite course or removal from/failure in the internship.

Excused absences include:

• Illness: Student teachers may be absent for up to two days without supporting medical documentation; after two days, a student teacher must obtain a supporting medical note and the outcome of the internship may be evaluated by the ISA Director, as necessary;
• McGill Exam: Student teachers with a scheduled McGill exam may be absent from the host school on the appointed day; this provision does not cover non-McGill exams;
• Religious Observation: Student teachers are permitted to be absent for religious holy days, as outlined in McGill’s Policy on holy days;
• McGill Varsity Sporting Event(s): Student teachers are permitted to participate in a sporting event as a member of a McGill varsity team; student teachers must provide the ISA with supporting documentation from McGill Athletics & Recreation.

Days missed due to excused absence must be made up, generally, at the end of the internship.

In the case of a foreseeable absence (e.g., religious observation, varsity sporting event, etc.), student teachers must advise the below noted parties before the start of the internship or, if the internship has already commenced, at least two weeks in advance. In the case of an unforeseeable absence (e.g., illness), student teachers must advise the below noted parties as soon as possible:

• Host School Administrative Office
• Co-operating Teacher(s)
• McGill Field Supervisor
• McGill ISA Placement Coordinator

Absences for any other reason, including but not limited to marriage, family events, vacation, extracurricular activities, employment, or conflicting courses are exceptionally permitted by the ISA Director on a case-by-case basis. Any request for absence must be sent to your ISA Placement Coordinator a minimum of two weeks before the proposed absence. Students who may need to defer the internship or rearrange their course schedule should contact the MATL Program Coordinator.

For student teachers on a paid contract, in case of a conflict between the University’s attendance policies and that of the host school, please contact the ISA.

Judicial Record Verification

Quebec’s Education Act, section 261.0.2, grants school boards the right to verify the judicial record of any person regularly in contact with minor students, and this includes student teachers. Each school board or private school may have its own administrative procedures for verification. Students are responsible for complying with any request for judicial record verification. Any student unable to obtain the required security clearance will not be permitted to undertake their internship(s) and, consequently, will be withdrawn from the MATL program as the internships are a mandatory requirement. Additional information about the judicial record verification process can be found on the mcgill.ca/isa/teaching/placements.

Work Permit for International Students

In order to be in compliance with government regulations, international students (students who are not Permanent Residents or citizens of Canada) should hold a valid Internship/Co-op Work Permit issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to complete their internships. This permit is independent from the paid off-campus work permit which is included as part of the study permit and requires a separate application. For detailed instructions and assistance with the application, students should contact mcgill.ca/internationalstudents.

Internships are graded according to the graduate grading scale (Grading and Grade Point Averages (GPA)).

• EDIN courses will be shown on students' transcripts as a Pass or Fail (P or F) grade mode. Students receive a final grade for the internship course based on the recommendations of the CT(s) and Field Supervisor provided on the Summative Assessment;
• Students must pass both the Internship 1 (EDIN 610) and the Professional Seminar 1 course (EDPS 610) in order to proceed to Internship 2 (EDIN 620) and the Professional Seminar 2 course (EDPS 620).

The Failure Policy applies. Where a student is experiencing serious pedagogical or professional difficulties in an internship, the ISA Director will review the case, including formal evaluations as well as written reports from the field, to render one of the following decisions:

• If the student has demonstrated potential to successfully reach the required standards of the internship, a grade of "F" may be assigned for the EDIN course with permission to repeat an internship during the next term in which it is offered. Per the Graduate Studies policy, a subsequent Failure (F, J, KF, WF) in an internship or any other course, or an unsatisfactory Progress Tracking Report, will require withdrawal from the MATL program (NB: if the student has already obtained one "F", the standard failure policy applies);
• Assign a grade of "F" for the EDIN course and submit a request to Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies, asking that the student be withdrawn from the MATL program immediately (with relevant supporting documentation).

An MATL student may appeal any final outcome of an internship course (EDIN) within 30 days of the posted grade by making a written application to the Faculty of Education – Student Affairs Committee (SAC) (isa.education [at] mcgill.ca). If the outcome of the SAC, once concluded, is not accepted by the student, a formal application may be made to the Associate Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for Education.

Withdrawal from Internship

• A request for withdrawal (with refund) from the internship course (EDIN) for any reason must be done at least two weeks before the start of the internship; the student teacher is responsible for registering this request with the ISA in writing by this deadline;
• Students wishing to withdraw for any other reason, including illness, personal reasons, etc., from an internship course (EDIN) less than two weeks before its start or after it is underway must register their request in writing to the ISA; based on the circumstances surrounding the request, the ISA Director will determine the final outcome of the internship. Students then can submit their request to Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies to determine their eligibility for withdrawal and refund.

Early Dismissal from an Internship

At any time, student teachers may be removed from their internship placement at the request of the host school Administrator and/or Cooperating Teacher, or at the request of the ISA Director. If you are removed from an internship placement, you will be informed of the reason for the early dismissal. The ISA Office will compile the relevant documentation and information pertaining to the early dismissal before the ISA Director determines the outcome of the internship.

Circumstances that could lead to early dismissal include, but are not limited to:

• Prerequisite courses not successfully completed;
• Exceeding the number of permissible unexcused absences for corequisite courses (consult the syllabus for each course);
• Failure to pass a judicial record check, if required by the school or school board where the student is placed;
• Unprofessional behaviour or behaviour that contravenes the McGill Principles of Practice, Behaviour and Ethical Conduct for Teacher Candidates;
• Failure to make the improvements outlined on a Competency Improvement Plan (CIP) by the date indicated.

In these cases, the final outcome for of the internship course (EDIN) will be determined by the ISA Director.

Possible outcomes include:

• Reassignment during the same term, subject to availability of placements;
• W – Withdrawal (with or without refund, at the discretion of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies);
• F – At the discretion of the ISA Director, the student may be permitted to register for the internship again during the next regularly scheduled term;
• F – At the discretion of the ISA Director, with a request to Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies, asking for immediate removal (with relevant supporting documentation).

Introduction

• The mission of McGill University’s Bachelor of Education Program within the Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE) and the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) as well as the Master of Teaching and Learning (MATL) Program within DISE in cooperation with the Faculty of Education’s Internship and Student Affairs Office (ISA) is to prepare teachers who are knowledgeable, skillful, flexible, creative, and compassionate members of the profession guided by a sense of social and ethical responsibility in relation to their students and the wider society. In keeping with the professional culture of teaching and learning, McGill’s teacher education community believes that teaching and learning spaces should model such professional environments. McGill’s teacher education community is committed to creating authentic opportunities where an understanding of teaching and learning is co-constructed between instructors and teacher candidates, teachers, and learners, as well as peer-to-peer and beyond. In order for us to create these learning environments, we are expected to demonstrate awareness of, respect for, and commitment to, the behaviours and actions of professionals. We expect members of McGill’s teacher education community, including teacher candidates, teaching assistants, lecturers, professors and community partners to be accountable to themselves and others, and to be engaged, collegial, and accessible. By doing so, McGill’s teacher education community is more fully able to share together in the types of critical dialogue, creative thinking, and reflective practice expected of professionals. McGill’s teacher education community is committed to nurturing a space where teacher candidates, teaching assistants, lecturers, professors, and community partners can all engage in the exchange of ideas and dialogue, without fear of being made to feel unwelcome or unsafe on account of biological sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race/ethnicity, religion, linguistic and cultural background, age, physical or mental ability, or any other aspect integral to one's personhood. We therefore recognise that it is our individual and collective responsibility, to strive to establish and maintain an environment wherein all interactions are based on empathy and mutual respect for the person, acknowledging differences of perspectives, free from judgment, censure, and/or stigma. Finally, McGill’s teacher education community is charged with ensuring that all graduates of its programs have the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of the teaching profession and can meet standards of the Québec Professional Teacher Competencies to be eligible for professional certification as educators in the Province of Québec.

• Goals and Rationale

  The role of the teacher and the contexts of teaching have changed. Thus, new resources (knowledge, skills, attitudes) are required to practice the profession and meet the challenges of teaching and learning in whatever contexts teacher candidates may find themselves, and to engage in professional development individually and with others. Teachers enjoy, and should continue to enjoy, important freedoms and privileges. However, with certain freedoms come responsibilities and ethical challenges. Building on the past work of two Standing Committees of the Faculty of Education intent on promoting appropriate ethical and professional conduct, the following revision, renamed as the McGill Principles of Practice, Behaviour and Ethical Conduct for Teacher Candidates seeks to respond to, and address, the following needs:

  1. Address the interdependent duties, rights and responsibilities of teacher candidates, teaching assistants, lecturers, professors, field supervisors and community partners.
  2. Articulate and make explicit ethical principles that transcend disciplinary boundaries. These principles reflect the fundamental values that are expressed in the duties, rights and responsibilities of all involved in Teacher Education.
  3. Support the reasonable implementation of common principles. It is designed to help those involved in Teacher Education, as a matter of sound ethical reasoning, to understand and respect the contexts in which they work and accommodate the needs of others.
  4. Encourage continued reflection and thoughtful response to ethical issues. It does not seek definitive answers to all ethical questions or situations. Rather, in an effort towards transparency, collaboration and capacity building, it seeks to outline the guiding principles to ethical conduct and the expectation associated with those principles.
• Please refer to the full document at this link mcgill.ca/isa/student/principles.
• Student teaching policies can be found at mcgill.ca/isa/teaching/ehandbook/policy.

The M.A. in Teaching and Learning program is designed such that the program may be completed in five or six consecutive terms. In all cases, the program begins with mandatory courses in the Summer term. It is important to note the following:

• Internship semesters have 12 credits, including required corequisite courses.
• Internship placements are completed full-time in an elementary or secondary (depending on the program) school in Quebec. See Graduate Student Teaching / M.A. in Teaching and Learning Internship.
• Summer terms are mandatory in the MATL program. Consult the program overview by term on the Department website.

Students should consult a Program Coordinator and program overviews for details. Full-time/part-time status may also affect financial aid arrangements; contact the Scholarships and Student (Financial) Aid Office for more information. See Categories of Students for information about full-time and part-time study.

The Quebec Ministry of Education requires that all students in teacher education programs demonstrate their proficiency in the language of instruction. To fulfil this obligation, M.A. in Teaching and Learning students are required to write the English Examination for Teacher Certification (EETC) in May of the first Summer term of the program. Students must pass the examination in the first Summer term and prior to Internship 1. Students who do not pass the EETC exam must meet with the Program Coordinator to determine an individual program trajectory. Note, failure of the EETC exam may compromise a student's ability to maintain full-time status.

The examination is coordinated by an independent body, the Centre for the English Exam for Teacher Certification. Information is available on the CEETC website. McGill assists with the administration and scheduling of the examination. To write this examination, students must first register on Minerva for a section of EDTL 515 in the Summer term, then register with the Centre at www.ceetc.ca and pay a fee before writing the test.

Students who do not pass both sections of the examination the first time are expected to meet with their Program Coordinator to plan a course of action for English language proficiency improvement. Students are required to take the EETC again, and must successfully complete the section that was not passed. A fee is charged each time the examination is written. Students who have not completed both sections of the examination on their fourth attempt are required to withdraw from the program, and must consult with a Program Coordinator about readmission procedures.

The CRP is a research project whereby MATL students, as they complete their courses and Internships, identify an area of professional interest either in the broad landscape of teaching and learning or directly related to their subject specialty. The CRP is supported and developed throughout the MATL program in designated courses. The CRP is due and presented in the final Professional Seminar of the program. Guidelines are posted on the Department's website and the Internships & Student Affairs website.

All students in the M.A. Teaching and Learning program are expected to complete a professional e-portfolio upon completion of their program. Support for e-portfolio development is provided in the professional seminars that are corequisite to each Internship. Guidelines and resources for e-portfolios are posted at mcgill.ca/dise/grad.

Students in the M.A. Teaching and Learning program will engage in graduate progress tracking using the reporting forms and timelines established by the department specific to the MATL program.