Bachelor of Education

School Years option

Complete your 60 credit hour Bachelor of Education in 10 months after earning a bachelor’s degree.

Hands-on experience throughout your stay at UNB

In the BEd program at UNB you are more than a student, you are also a teacher! 

Both the elementary and secondary streams of the BEd program include a fully integrated 15-week practicum in New Brunswick schools. You can also choose to apply to complete an international experience as part of your practicum. 

Learn from mentors

Our rich academic and professional environment is a space to learn and succeed as a student and a teacher.

We will give you the knowledge, skills and flexibility to reflect on and develop your teaching practice, and by the end of the program, you will be ready to begin a professional career in education or broaden and deepen your expertise through continuing study. 

Admission requirements

Applicants to the BEd at UNB should ensure that they meet the admission requirements for the program stream of their choice.

Elementary/Early Years stream

All applicants must have completed a 4-year undergraduate degree (normally 120 credit hours).

All applicants must have at least:

• 3 credit hours of university-level English
• 3 credit hours of university-level Mathematics.

To be admitted to the BEd Early Years stream, applicants must have a minimum of 30 credit hours of teachable content that spans at least four different categories:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies
• Physical education
• Visual Art
• Health
• Music
• French

Note: Students entering this stream will be placed in an elementary school. Not all teachable subjects fall into the prerequisite categories.

Middle/Young Adult stream

All applicants must have completed a 4-year undergraduate degree (normally 120 credit hours).

All applicants must have at least 3 credit hours of university-level English.

To be admitted to the BEd middle/young adult secondary stream, applicants must complete at least 30 credit hours in one teachable subject and 18 credit hours in another teachable subject. Alternately, students can complete a minimum of 24 credit hours in two separate teachable subjects from the following categories:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or a combination of all three for General Science)
• Social Studies (History and/or Geography)
• Indigenous Studies
• Physical Education
• Visual Art
• Music
• English as a Second Language
• French

Students entering this stream will be placed in a secondary school which could either be a middle school or a high school. 

We do not offer programs in all teachable areas, so applicants should contact the Faculty of Education (educ@unb.ca) before applying if their teachables are not listed above.

Transfer credits from another university

The Faculty of Education does not accept transfer credits for education courses completed at any institution prior to acceptance into the BEd program at UNB.

Students may however obtain substitution credit for education courses which have been taken at this or another institution, where the grade received is "C" or higher and which meet program requirements. In these cases, alternate education courses must be successfully completed to meet program requirements.

Teacher certification

Once you complete the UNB Bachelor of Education School Years Option, you can apply for certification in New Brunswick.

In order to be granted a teacher's license in New Brunswick, you need to be a Canadian citizen or have landed immigrant status or a valid work visa.

Mobility agreement

There is a mobility agreement across Canada between provinces regarding recognition of teacher certification. If you receive a teacher's license in New Brunswick, you can apply for a teacher's license in other Canadian provinces. You will need to pay a fee for each province for which you will be licensed.

Different jurisdictions have different certification requirements. It is important to check with the department of education in the province in which you wish to be licensed prior to applying to the Bachelor of Education degree to ensure you meet their requirements.

Qualifying grade point average for program admission

Your cumulative grade point average should not be below 2.7 (in the B range or 70%). While this is the minimum, admission is highly competitive and therefore minimum levels may not be sufficient to secure a spot.

If your cumulative grade point average is below 2.7, our admissions committee generally will advise you to consider taking further non-education courses to upgrade. The number of courses and the requirements could be determined by contacting the Coordinator of Student Programs in the Faculty of Education.

Average time to complete a BEd as a second degree

It will take you three full-time terms (fall, winter and summer), 10 months, to complete the BEd program.

Practicum availability and preferences

The Faculty of Education, through the field experiences office, places students in school settings at the discretion of the public school system. Although the faculty cannot guarantee a placement in that system, it will make its best effort to find an initial placement for any student eligible for the practicum (subject to approval by the university). Subsequent placements may not be possible.

The Faculty of Education will provide students with the opportunity to identify New Brunswick school district preferences, but the final assignment is determined by the faculty in consultation with the school system, not by the individual student.

Be career-ready with an in-depth teaching placement

We are doing more than teaching future teachers; we are giving you the opportunity to be ready for the job market. Bachelor of Education students practicum experience includes four days observation during K-12 students first week of classes in September, a seven week Intermediate Practicum in November and December, and an eight week Advanced Practicum in March and April.

We also offer the opportunity to complete the advanced practicum block abroad. In the fall term of the BEd program, you can apply to complete an advanced practicum in Colombia, St. Lucia or Brazil! No matter which country you choose, the opportunities provided will be amazing!
Bursaries may be available to support travel expenses and accommodation.

 

Detailed information

See our calendars and timetables for important academic dates, the academic calendar and the course timetable.