The following college-level policies are subject to University Council Regulations. In the absence of information, or in the case of discrepancies between university and college regulations, university regulations will prevail. Please note that students will graduate according to the regulations effective for the year in which they are approved to graduate. In all other cases, the most current rules will apply, unless otherwise stated.
Requirements for all programs offered by the College of Education must be completed within eight years from the date that a student enrolls in the program.
Degree Programs
The College of Education offers a number of different program routes in teacher education.
Students are permitted to register in a maximum of 18 credit units per term, including during the extended practicum and the Spring and Summer Session (with no more than 9 credit units in either the Spring Term or Summer Term). Students wishing to exceed this credit unit limit must receive approval from the Student Affairs and Academic Standards Committee.
The B.Ed. degree program is highly structured; therefore, courses must be completed in a specific order.
Note: Provincial and First Nations schools require all persons working with children to obtain a Criminal Record Check (CRC) with a Vulnerable Sector (VS) Check. Therefore, students in the College of Education will be required to submit an updated CRC and VS check for field experiences and other courses that require work with PreK-12 students.
Teacher candidates have eight years to complete program requirements. After eight years, a student will be required to appeal to the Student Affairs and Academic Standards Committee (SAASC) to continue studies in the College of Education and/or retain credit for Education course work. This rule applies to all programs offered by the College of Education.
Requests made by a teacher candidate for modification of course and program requirements are ruled on by the Student Affairs and Academic Standards Committee (SAASC). Teacher candidates are encouraged to meet with an academic advisor before submitting a request form. Teacher candidates are notified in writing of Committee decisions and appeal procedures. The Student Affairs and Academic Standards Committee Request/Referral Form is available online.
The College of Education offers several program routes to the B.Ed. program. Please visit admissions.usask.ca for all admission requirements.
Direct-entry programs include Early/Middle Years, Secondary, Indian Teacher Education Program (ITEP), Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program (SUNTEP), Language Teacher Education Program (LTEP), Technical Vocational, and Bachelor of Science Kinesiology/Bachelor of Education Combined Program.
Students may be admitted to the Bachelor of Education program with two deficiencies in pre-requisite subjects. Both deficiencies are expected to be cleared within the first 30 credit units of coursework while in the College of Education. If students complete a university-level course in the same area as the deficiency, the deficiency will be satisfied. A deficiency waiver may be requested if students do not require the pre-requisite subject for their Teaching Areas, the required external classes or do not have elective space. Students with deficiencies should speak with an academic advisor in the College of Education.
The following programs represent sequential and combined program routes:
Students interested in teaching music must contact the College of Arts and Science for information on the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education. Upon completion of the B.Mus.(Mus.Ed.) program, students may apply to complete the Bachelor of Education degree. The College of Education will accept students who have successfully completed the B.Mus.(Mus.Ed.) program into their two-year after degree program.
Please refer to admissions.usask.ca for admissions requirements for the Bachelor of Education – Sequential Music Program.
For detailed information about the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education, please see the Music Education section of the Course and Program Catalogue.
The College of Education, in conjunction with the College of Kinesiology, offers a five-year (165 credit unit) integrated Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology/Bachelor of Education Combined Program. This Combined Program is designed for teacher candidates who intend to teach Physical Education at the Secondary level. Students in the Combined Program will receive the benefits of being in both the Colleges of Education and Kinesiology for all five years of the program. Please refer to admissions.usask.ca for admission requirements for the B.Sc.(Kin.)/B.Ed. Combined Program.
Certificate Programs
The College of Education offers the following certificate programs:
- Aboriginal Teacher Associate Certificate Program
- Certificate in Indigenous Languages (ILC)
- Certificate in Leadership in Post-Secondary Education
- Certificate in Practical and Applied Arts
- Certificate in Secondary Technical Vocational Education (C.S.T.V.E.)
- Early Childhood Education (ECE) Certificate
- Internationally Educated Teachers Certificate (IETC)
- Post-Degree Certificate in Career and Guidance Studies
- Post-Degree Certificate in Education: Special Education
- Post-Degree Certificate in English as an Additional Language (PDCEAL)
Please refer to admissions.usask.ca for specific admission requirements.
Teacher Certification
The Bachelor of Education degree is designed to meet the requirements of the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board (SPTRB) for a Professional A Teaching Certificate. Prospective teachers must apply directly to SPTRB for this certificate. Application forms are available from the SPTRB website.
An official transcript will be forwarded to the SPTRB on behalf of all graduating students after convocation. The exception to this policy is when students who have a previous degree and have completed 48 credit units of education course work (in accordance with specific SPTRB requirements) are applying for a Saskatchewan teacher’s certificate to substitute teach in Winter Term of their final year (after the extended practicum), but have not yet finished all Bachelor of Education degree requirements. In this case, students must request that an official transcript be forwarded to the SPTRB directly from the University of Saskatchewan.
SPTRB regulations require all teaching certificate applicants to indicate whether or not they have been convicted of or charged with any criminal offence of a sexual nature or involving a minor and to authorize a criminal record search. Applicants must also indicate whether or not a teaching certificate has been suspended or cancelled.
Graduate Programs
The College of Education offers graduate programs through the Department of Curriculum Studies, Educational Administration, Educational Foundations, and Educational Psychology and Special Education. For information on specific graduate programs consult the College of Graduate Studies and Research section.
Program Route Changes
Teacher candidates in the College of Education who wish to transfer programs within the college must make such a request in writing to the Admissions Committee. Teacher candidates are encouraged to meet with an academic advisor before submitting a request. The Admissions Committee request form is available online.
Transfer Credit Evaluation
Generally, courses taken at other institutions are accepted by the College of Education if they are appropriate to a B.Ed. degree program option, and if they are approved for transfer credit. Students will be notified of their transferable courses once official transcripts have been received and evaluated. Courses credited towards the B.Ed. degree are included in the calculation of overall, External, and Education averages for graduation purposes.
Students wishing to earn a B.Ed. from the University of Saskatchewan must complete at least 48 credit units from this university, 36 of which must be from the College of Education. At least 30 of the last 60 credit units credited towards the B.Ed. degree must be taken at the University of Saskatchewan, and 24 of these 30 credit units must be Education courses. In accordance with the regulations of the University of Saskatchewan, credit will be given for only 9 credit units taken at any one spring or summer session at another university.
Please see the admissions website for more information about transfer credit.
Promotion Standards
The minimum requirements for continuing as a full-time student in the College of Education are based on the Sessional Weighted Average (S.W.A). The Sessional Weighted Average is calculated from classes taken in the Fall and Winter Terms. Spring and Summer Term grades are not included.
Extended Practicum
There are certain requirements that must be completed by June 30, prior to enrolling in the extended practicum in the final year of the program, including: all required external and Teaching Area I and II coursework; the required Education courses with a minimum 60% ED.W.A.; teacher candidate teaching component/field experience component of the program; and, the external component of the program with a minimum 60% EX.W.A.
By June 30, prior to the extended practicum in the final year of the program, teacher candidates in the Secondary option must complete all external courses in Teaching Areas I and II with a minimum average of 60% and teacher candidates in the Early/Middle Years option must complete all external courses in Teaching Areas I and II and courses in the Required Areas of Study.
Please contact the College of Education for further information.
Dean's Honour Roll
Teacher candidates with averages in the top 5% of each program type and year of program will be included on the Dean's Honour Roll. Only those students enrolled in a full course load during the last Fall and Winter Terms (i.e., September to April inclusive) and who have attained an average of at least 80% will be considered eligible for the Dean’s Honour Roll. No application is required.
Faculty Actions
These provisions apply to all students who at any time during the September to April period are registered in 18 or more credit units (discounting field experiences). Students not meeting the averages necessary for promotion will be placed on Probation or Required to Discontinue. The sessional weighted average is the average used for determining promotion, Probation, or the Requirement to Discontinue.
Students should be aware that meeting these standards does not ensure graduation; rather, these are the minimum standards required to continue studies on a full-time basis.
0-30 Credit Units (while enrolled in the College of Education)
60% - Promotion
55-59.9% - Probation
<55% Required to Discontinue
31+ Credit Units (while enrolled in the College of Education)
60% - Promotion
57-59.9% - Probation
<57% - Required to Discontinue
Probation: Students on Probation will receive a warning letter. Probationary action cannot be formally appealed.
Required to Discontinue: Students who are Required to Discontinue from the College of Education are not eligible to register in the college for a period of one academic year. Students Required to Discontinue for the first time may reapply to the College of Education. Students Required to Discontinue more than once could be permanently discontinued and must receive approval from the Student Affairs and Academic Standards Committee of the College of Education before being considered for readmission.
College of Education policies may require teacher candidates to discontinue their studies, at any point in the program, on academic or other grounds if such action is considered to be in the best interest of the teacher candidate, the college and/or the profession.
Students have the right to appeal faculty actions; however, appeals will only be accepted if extenuating circumstances can be shown to account for poor academic performance. Appeals are ruled on by the Student Affairs and Academic Standards Committee. Teacher candidates are notified in writing of Committee decisions and appeal procedures.
Appeals
Appeals of evaluation, grading, and academic standing are governed by university-wide council regulations.
Graduation
Students must apply to graduate to receive a degree or certificate. The Application to Graduate must be submitted by August 31 for Fall Convocation or by March 31 for Spring Convocation. Students who miss the deadline or are ineligible to graduate must subsequently submit another application to graduate. For assistance with a subsequent application, you may contact the Convocation Office at convocation@usask.ca.
Graduation Standards
1. C.W.A. of at least 60%
2. EX.W.A. of at least 60%
3. ED.W.A. of at least 60%
4. Teacher candidates in the Secondary program route must have a minimum average of 60% in each of Teaching Areas I and II.
Teacher candidates may take up to 18 additional credit units to raise one or more of these averages to the required 60%. Courses taken for this purpose must be approved in advance by an academic advisor. Such courses may not be used for a further degree or certificate and may not be used to release a course previously used for credit as meeting the requirements for a degree.
Distinction and Great Distinction calculations are made and are in effect for the academic calendar year in which the student is approved to graduate. The Bachelor of Education degree with Distinction is awarded to teacher candidates who earn a C.W.A. of 80-84.99%, and the Bachelor of Education with Great Distinction is awarded to teacher candidates who earn a C.W.A. of 85-100%. To be eligible for Distinction or Great Distinction, a teacher candidate must complete at least 48 credit units from the University of Saskatchewan including at least 36 credit units in Education, exclusive of the Practicum.
- The overall Cumulative Weighted Average (C.W.A.) based on all courses accepted for credit towards the B.Ed. degree program.
- The External Weighted Average (EX.W.A.) based on the courses credited on the External component of the B.Ed. degree program. These courses are taken in the College of Arts and Science, College of Kinesiology, College of Agriculture and Bioresources (Diploma program), Edwards School of Business, College of Engineering, College of Nursing, and other colleges on campus. A limited number of courses in the College of Education, such as Home Economics, Industrial Arts, Technical Education and Health, also fall into this category.
- The Education Weighted Average (ED.W.A.) based on the courses credited on the Education component of the B.Ed. degree program.
For details on the weighted average calculation, see the weighted averages heading in the Academic Courses Policy.
- The following policy refers to all courses other than the extended practicum, which is governed by a separate set of policies.
- Teacher candidates who have not yet been admitted to the College of Education are bound by the regulations of the college in which they are registered, even though they intend to enter the College of Education. When calculating admission averages, the College of Education will respect the regulations of the college which offered the course.
- A teacher candidate in the College of Education may retake courses according to the policy of the college offering the course. Teacher candidates who receive a grade of 50-59% in an Education course will be allowed to repeat the course once. The repeated course grade will be used in calculating the teacher candidates ED.W.A.
- Normally, courses to be counted in the External Weighted Average (EX.W.A.) comprise those that best satisfy the requirements specified for the program and that allow the teacher candidates the highest EX.W.A.
- The calculation of the C.W.A. shall include failed grades in required courses which have not been cleared and failed grades in elective courses which have not been replaced with acceptable courses that have been passed.
- The calculation of the C.W.A. shall include both credit units and grades when a teacher candidate attempts all or some of the 18 extra credit units allowed to increase the ED.W.A., EX.W.A., and/or C.W.A. for graduation purposes. The policies on retaking and substituting courses credited to the B.Ed. degree shall apply to these courses also.
- Numerical grades are mandatory for all courses other than Pass/Fail courses and the extended practicum. In cases where course requirements are not completed or the teacher candidate withdraws from the course the grade that the teacher candidate has accumulated will be assigned as per the University Council Regulations on Examinations. These grades will be recorded on the transcript as awarded and will be used in the calculation of averages if the failing grades have not been cleared according to (4). Classes that are dropped before the add/drop deadline will not appear on a student’s transcript; classes that are dropped after the add/drop deadline, but before the withdrawal deadline will appear on transcripts as a W (withdrawal). The W grade alternative has no academic standing and does not impact a student’s average. Failure of a class due to incomplete class work will result in a calculated percentage grade. In the event that this results in a passing grade, the student will be issued a 49% INF (Incomplete Failure).
Supplemental and Deferred Examinations
Supplemental and deferred examination procedures and policies are subject to the university-wide regulations on supplemental and deferred examinations outlined in the Academic Courses Policy. For the regular supplemental and deferred examination schedule, students should refer to the Academic Calendar.
Study Abroad Information
Students wishing to participate in a Study Abroad option must receive a Letter of Permission from the Undergraduate Programs Office, College of Education prior to participating. To ensure transfer credit is received, any changes to approved classes while a student is abroad must be approved in writing. For details, please see an academic advisor in the College of Education.
For information on Study Abroad opportunities at the University of Saskatchewan, visit the Study Abroad website.
Information on Courses
External (Pre-professional) Courses
These are courses offered by other colleges (or in some instances by the College of Education faculty) for teacher candidates pursuing a B.Ed. degree. External courses cannot be used to fulfill an Education requirement of the B.Ed. program.
Art Education
Costs in addition to tuition may be charged for Art Education (EART) courses.
Curriculum Studies
The following courses have been incorporated into the Department of Curriculum Studies, and have prefixes signifying their distinctive content:
- Educational Technology and Design (ETAD)
- Indian and Northern Education (EIND)
Educational Foundations
The Department of Educational Foundations includes courses in Educational Foundations (EFDT) and Indian and Northern Education (EIND). The subject code for Continuing Education courses is ECNT.
Continuing Education
The Department of Continuing Education has been incorporated into the Department of Educational Foundations. The subject code for Continuing Education courses is ECNT.
Indian and Northern Education
The Program has been incorporated into the Department of Educational Foundations. The EIND subject code signifies the distinctive content of these courses. Any EIND courses dealing with curriculum are listed as Curriculum Studies offerings.
Bachelor of Music in Music Education/Bachelor of Education
The Department of Music and the College of Education offer a sequential degree program. Candidates first complete four years of study to earn a Bachelor of Music (Music Education) degree, followed by two years of study to earn a Bachelor of Education degree. For detailed information about the Bachelor of Music (Music Education) please contact the Department of Music.
Educational Psychology and Special Education
The elective courses offered by the Department are open to any student who meets the stated prerequisites. Where prerequisites are listed, the intention is that the student should be able to demonstrate mastery of the content of such prerequisites to the satisfaction of the instructor and Department Head.
A student registered in another college may register in a senior elective course in Educational Psychology and Special Education with the permission of the Department Head, but only after College of Education students have been accommodated. Please visit the class search website to view whether there are any seats available. If there are available spaces, you may contact the department support (Education, Room 3104) in September or January to determine if space is available.
Teacher candidates planning to do graduate work in Educational Psychology are advised to select undergraduate EPSE electives appropriate to the graduate program they wish to pursue.
For teachers, the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education offers an online Post-Degree Certificate in Education: Special Education. The objective of this program is to provide teachers who have completed a Bachelor of Education and have one year of teaching experience, the advanced academic competencies to work in special education.
For information concerning meeting requirements for Special Education certification, visit http://www.sptrb.ca.