MEd in Educational Practice

Method of delivery:
Online

Applications open:
September 1, 2024

Applications close:
Jan 15, 2025

Next start date:
May 2025

The Master of Education in Educational Practice (MEd EP) is a professional degree that is available to holders of the two-year Graduate Diploma in Education (GDE).

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Admission Requirements
Tuition & Costs
How to Apply
Contact

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

A bachelor’s degree from Simon Fraser University or its equivalent with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0/4.33 (B), or a grade point average of at least 3.33/4.33 (B+) based on the last 60 units of undergraduate/graduate courses*
Successful completion and conferring of a Graduate Diploma in Education (GDE). The MEd EP must be started within five years (maximum) of completing a GDE.
Submitted evidence that you are capable of undertaking advanced studies in your area of interest. This typically includes letters of reference from qualified referees, a self-evaluation, a reflective paper, and a proposal for further study

*Please note, applicants must be living and working in BC to be eligible for this program.

Time permitted between the GDE and MEd EP (effective May 2019)

SFU's policy allows for a maximum of five years between the completion of a Graduate Diploma in Education (GDE) and the start of the MEd EP. As the application process may take a few months to complete, it is recommended you apply for the MEd EP in advance of the five-year deadline. We recommend you apply as early as possible due to the competitive nature of the application process.

It is expected that during the interim period between a GDE and the MEd EP, teachers will continue to engage in professional learning and inquiry into practice.

Information regarding the MEd EP and TQS category upgrades for BC teachers*

British Columbia-certified teachers who have completed and conferred a Graduate Diploma in Education (GDE)** can apply to the Master of Education in Educational Practice (MEd EP) program within five (5) years of completing a GDE.

TQS category upgrades are based on the structure of the MEd EP, which is a 37-unit program consisting of 15 units of course work, a 7-unit comprehensive examination, and 15 units of advance credits from a conferred GDE.

Upon completion of an MEd EP, the process for achieving a TQS category upgrade depends on the category achieved after completing the GDE, as follows:

If you hold a TQS category 5+ designation after completing a GDE, you will qualify for a TQS category 6 upgrade after completing the MEd EP and category upgrade application to the TQS.
If you hold a TQS category 5 designation after completing a GDE and wish to upgrade to a category 6 upon completion of the MEd EP, you must complete an additional fifteen units of senior-level (300-level and above) coursework over-and-above the MEd EP program requirements. This additional coursework can be completed at any post-secondary institute recognized by the TQS. Please note that an undergraduate degree is required in this situation.

If you have any questions, please contact the MEd EP Program Assistant at medep_admin@sfu.ca.

BC teachers who complete the MEd EP and do not wish to complete the additional 15 units of upper-level coursework to achieve a TQS category 6 will remain at a TQS category 5.

*updates to this section were made on February 16^th, 2021 to clarify TQS upgrading information. No changes were made that would affect program applications

**effective May 2019, the GDE will be a conferred diploma

TUITION & COSTS

Tuition (2024/25)

$3,343.70 (per term)

*Subject to estimated 2% fee increase each September.

SFU Ancillary Fees

Simon Fraser University assesses the Student Services fee, the graduate student activity fee, the U-Pass BC fee and the mandatory supplementary course fee to all eligible students in each term of enrollment.

More Information

Financial Resources

Note: Specific programs may be ineligible for Government student loans and grants. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that the student and the program meets the eligibility requirements. Contact Financial Aid Services at fiassist@sfu.ca with any questions.

Information for International Applicants

International students are not eligible for this program. Please visit Resources for International Students for information on eligible programs.

HOW TO APPLY

Before Applying

Review the following to ensure you meet SFU’s admission requirements, the academic requirements by country, and have all required documents ready before starting the application process.

Check That You Meet all the Admission Requirements for SFU and Your Program

University admission to a Master's Program
Program prerequisites
Time permitted between a GDE and the MEd EP

Have a Valid Credit Card to Pay the Application Fee (Visa or Mastercard)

If you do not have either of these credit cards, email the program assistant for the program before starting your online application.

Collect the Contact Information for One Reference, Including Their Email Address

Reference letters must be specific to this application and is from an individual who has witnessed the impact your inquiry has had on your practice, yourself and/or others (e.g., at the classroom-level, school-level, district-level or in other educational contexts), such as a colleague or administrator.

Gather the Required Supporting Documents, Including Transcripts

After you submit the online application and pay the application fee you will be required to upload the following PDF documents:

Transcripts for each post-secondary institution attended
Academic Writing Sample
Letter of Intent
CV/Resume

Step 1: Apply Online

Complete the Online Application for Graduate Studies at SFU

Apply Here

Important notes about the online application system/process:

You do not have to wait until you have all your supporting documents ready before applying. Graduate programs can be competitive, therefore is it recommended that you begin your application early to complete the online sections and being preparing and collecting the required documents.
The Online Application System is only available while applications are being accepted for each program.
The Faculty of Education Advanced Professional Studies Office will be notified of your application after it has been submitted.

More detailed information about the Online Application for Graduate Studies at SFU

Step 2: Pay application fee

Once you complete and submit your application information:

Your referees will be automatically emailed and sent instructions for providing their reference online.
You will need to pay the non-refundable application fee of $90 CAN (students with Canadian transcripts only) or $125 CAN (students with one or more international transcripts) by credit card (Mastercard or Visa). If you do not receive an e-mail requesting payment of this fee within three (3) working days after submitting your application, please contact the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) office at gradstdy@sfu.ca to check the status of your application.

Step 3: Upload Supporting Documents

You will only be able to upload the required documents to complete your application after your application fee has been paid and processed.

Please upload the following required documents before the application deadline:

Transcripts

You must upload a transcript (scanned, saved, etc.) for each post-secondary institution you have attended when you are uploading documents to your application (Step 3, in your Application Portal). Ensure all pages are uploaded, including the grading scale (typically located on the back of the page or a separate sheet). Official transcripts will only be required if you receive an offer of admission.

More info about transcripts

Academic Writing Sample (PDF)

Upload a recent example of academic writing (within five years) in PDF format. If applicants do not have a recent paper they are advised to write one on any topic that is of interest or relevance to them.

The writing sample:

must include a title page with author’s name and date paper was written. If the sample was originally written for a different context (e.g. submitted for course credit, developed as a work product), then identify the original context and clarify whether the document has been edited or otherwise updated since the original submission;
must be sole-authored (no co-authored samples);
must be 10-20 pages, double spaced, including references;
should be a strong example of your academic writing. It should introduce the topic, sustain an argument and develop a logical conclusion expressing ideas in clear and appropriate language with proper citations; must demonstrate your ability to write an academic paper – it may be a literature review but should NOT be a written finance report or curriculum guide;
must adhere to principles of academic integrity.

Curriculum Vitae/Resume (PDF)

Upload a current copy of your curriculum vitae/resume (3 pages maximum). Please indicate the year and theme of GDE program you completed.

Letter of Intent (PDF)

This proposal outlines your research passions and frames a possible direction for inquiry (please note that you may change the nature of your inquiry once accepted into the program). It must be 600 words (maximum); approximately 2 pages double-spaced.

Consider the following questions:

What tension, problem or question about your practice (e.g., teaching, administration, counselling, etc.) do you foresee will be the focus of your inquiry?
Why is this issue personally/professionally relevant?
What ‘thinkers’ (theorists, researchers, practitioners) inform this inquiry? How do their ideas inform your work?
How is this inquiry informed by, or related to, your previous GDE field studies?

Applicants With an Undergraduate GPA Below 3.0

In accordance with university policy, applicants to a master’s program must provide the CGPA acquired in their most recent graded academic program. As the GDE is ungraded, your undergraduate GPA will be considered and must be a minimum of 3.0. In exceptional circumstances, students may be admitted to the MEd EP with an undergraduate CGPA below 3.0, with Graduate Studies' approval. If your CGPA is below 3.0, please provide a brief statement in your Letter of Intent that helps us interpret your overall learning journey and that highlights professional development, further studies and formal qualifications since your undergraduate degree (which, for you, would include the GDE). The information you provide can be brief and does not need to go into detailed personal information.

Applicants who may Exceed the Five-year Completion Limit

In exceptional circumstances, it may be possible to secure an extension to the five-year completion limit. In such cases, you will be required to provide a letter explaining your delayed application. Specific requirements will be provided to applicants on contacting our MEd program assistant at medep_admin@sfu.ca or 778-782-5356.

Document Retention

The documents which students supply to support admission applications will be retained for three terms following the term to which application is made. Then, application forms, transcripts and other materials related to applications will be destroyed. Irreplaceable documents will be returned to the applicant if requested at the time of application.

QUESTIONS?

Gina Romeo Program Assistant
Advanced Professional Studies 778-782-3628 aps_general_admin@sfu.ca EDB 8533

Faculty of Education

Master of Education