Western’s two year, four-term Bachelor of Education program offers a unique combination of course work, specializations, practical, and alternative field placements to prepare new teachers for enriching careers in the field of education. We seek to cultivate the habits of mind, hand, and heart—the knowledge, skills, and attitudes—that enable teachers to exercise wise judgment in the interests of their students; and we seek to encourage leadership potential. If you want to make a difference—in the lives of children and youth, in the field of education, in local, national, or international settings—we have the program for you.

Career possibilities:

Your BEd degree from Western’s Faculty of Education qualifies you for an Ontario Teaching Certificate, which is recognized instantly across Canada. International employers also recognize the knowledge, competence, and skills that Western Education graduates have to offer and eagerly attend our job fairs. With the BEd, many of our alumni have gone on to work in diverse fields such as these—and more:

teaching in public, private, and independent schools
teaching in adult education centres, colleges, and other post-secondary institutions
developing and writing curriculum for museums, art galleries, prisons
teaching and administration in international settings
corporate training
youth and social services
Provincial and Federal Government services
business or legal training

Program streams:

Western’s Bachelor of Education program consists of three streams leading to certification by the Ontario College of Teachers. You can elect to take the Primary-Junior, Junior-Intermediate, or Intermediate-Senior stream to develop expertise in teaching students in grades JK-6, 4-10, and 7-12, respectively. As well as selecting a program stream, you are given the choice of a specialty area consistent with your interests and goals.

Primary-Junior

Prepare to teach all subjects, Kindergarten to grade 6. Primary-Junior French: Prepare to teach core and immersion French, K-6.

Junior-Intermediate

Prepare to teach grades 4 to 10. You must choose French, Music or Religious Education for Catholic Schools as a teaching option.

Intermediate-Senior

Prepare to teach grades 7 to 12. You must choose two teaching options from a list of teachable subjects.

The Time Commitment and Delivery:

The Bachelor of Education program is a full-time, four-term program. It may not be completed, in whole or in part, on a part-time basis. Some courses are offered fully on-site in face-to-face formats; other courses include on-line components, and a very few courses are fully on-line.