Professional Development Program

Experience (Recommended) 

• Before applying to the PDP, we recommend that applicants gain experience (volunteer or paid) working with children or youth at the age level they wish to teach
• This may include, but is not limited to, spending time volunteering or observing in B.C. schools and classrooms

SFU Undergraduate Admission Requirement 

• All PDP applicants must be admissible to SFU at the undergraduate level. See SFU Undergraduate Admissions for details.
• Applicants are required to apply for admission to SFU. See SFU Undergraduate Admissions for details.

SFU Literacy Requirement 

• All PDP applicants must meet SFU's English Language requirement. Visit the SFU Undergraduate Admissions English Language requirement website for more information.
• To enroll in EDUC 401W & 402W or to declare the BEd 2nd degree applicants must meet the SFU Literacy (FAL) requirement. Direct enrollment in a W course requires a higher grade than SFU's English Language admission requirement. See options on the SFU Curriculum Initiative website.

SFU Quantitative Requirement

• All applicants to SFU degree programs must meet SFU's Quantitative/Analytical Skills requirement. There are many ways to meet the quantitative requirement. Visit the SFU Undergraduate Admissions Quantitative requirement website for more information.
• To declare the BEd 2nd degree applicants must meet SFU's Foundations of Academic Numeracy (FAN) requirement for direct enrollment in a Quantitative (Q) course. Direct enrollment in a Q course requires a higher grade than SFU's Quantitative/Analytical Skills requirement for admission. See options on the SFU Curriculum Initiative website.
• If PDP applicants do not meet the SFU English Language requirement or Quantitative/Analytical Skills requirement prior to application to the PDP, we strongly suggest they complete an acceptable university or college level W or Q course with a grade of C- or higher

French Language Requirement (French Module Only)

• Applicants who are applying to the French module must submit a French language requirement with their application to SFU.
• Applicants admitted to the PDP without meeting the SFU English Language requirement cannot complete the BEd as a second degree.
  

Teacher Certification Requirement

• To teach K-12 in B.C. schools, student teachers must meet the teacher certification requirements set out by the Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB) of the B.C. Ministry of Education

• In some cases, the PDP's requirements may be higher than the TRB's. This is because the PDP is designed to prepare teachers for the challenges of K-12 schooling in B.C., while the TRB’s must also consider inter-provincial certification.

Criminal Record Check

• Once accepted into the program, applicants must clear a Criminal Records Check with Vulnerable Sector Search
• This must be done directly through the BC Services Card app. Instructions on how to submit the CRC, once you have been admitted to SFU for PDP and your computing ID is active, are outlined on the Student Services website.
  
• If applicants have been convicted of a criminal offence, they should contact the Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB) for clarification of their status before applying to a teacher education program.

Completed before applying to the PDP (January 31):

• GPA 2.5+ (approximately last 60 units of undergraduate coursework)

Elementary applicants must have completed at the time of application (January), a minimum of 90 units of courses acceptable for credit at Simon Fraser University, and it must include the following prerequisite courses either in-progress or complete:

• 2 English or French* courses (minimum 6 units with 3 units of literature)
• 1 Canadian History course
• 1 Canadian Geography course
• 1 Laboratory Science course
• 1 Principles of Mathematics for Teachers course (SFU's MATH 190 or equivalent) with a recommended minimum C- final grade
  

The above prerequisite course requirements must be complete or in-progress at the time of application (January) for the PDP and completed by May 31.

For a list of accepted prerequisite courses offered at SFU and other B.C. post-secondary institutions, refer to the chart of acceptable courses.

Completed before starting the PDP (by August 31):

• Minimum three-year, 90-unit Bachelor's degree (consideration given to applicants in a degree program with 90 units complete)
• SFU literacy requirement
• SFU quantitative requirement
• French language requirement (French module only) result must be submitted prior to an offer of admission being sent

*Applicants may substitute French literature and composition for English courses if applying for the French Module. This may prohibit completion of a BEd as a second degree during the PDP. 

Bachelor's Degree

• Applicants must have a completed Bachelor's degree before starting the PDP. If they are interested in elementary education, a minimum 90-unit degree is required.
• Applicants may submit their PDP application with their degree still in-progress (must be complete by August 31)

Prerequisite Courses

• All prerequisite courses must be completed at least one term before starting the PDP. Applicants must submit their PDP application providing official transcripts by January 31 showing prerequisite courses complete or in-progress (must be complete by May 31). 
• For a list of accepted prerequisite courses offered at SFU and other B.C. post-secondary institutions, refer to the Chart of Acceptable Courses

Experience

• Before applying to the PDP, applicants should have demonstrable experience working with children or youth, or helping others learn
• We strongly recommend that applicants spend time observing or volunteering in B.C. elementary schools

Deadlines

• Submit PDP applications online between October 1 and January 31 at 4:00 pm (PST)
  
• Applications received by November 30 may be considered for early acceptance
• Applicants may start the online application form and work on it over time. However, late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Completed before applying to the PDP (January 31):

• GPA 2.5+ (approximately last 60 units of undergraduate coursework)

Must be in-progress or completed at the time of application (January). If in-progress, courses must be completed by May 31:

• 2 English or French* courses (minimum 6 units with 3 units of literature)

For more information, see the chart of acceptable courses

Completed before starting the PDP (by August 31):

• Bachelor's degree (minimum 120-unit degree)
• 1 or 2 teachable subjects (see list below)
• SFU literacy requirement
• SFU quantitative requirement
• French language requirement (French module only)

*Applicants may substitute French literature and composition for English courses if applying for the French Module. This may prohibit completion of a BEd as a second degree during the PDP. 

Prerequisite Courses

• Prerequisite courses must be completed at least one term before starting the PDP
• Applicants may apply providing official transcripts by January 31 showing their prerequisite courses still in-progress (must be complete by May 31)
• For a list of accepted prerequisite courses offered at SFU and other B.C. post-secondary institutions, refer to the Chart of Acceptable Courses to ensure you meet the English requirement.

Bachelor's Degree 

• Applicants must have a completed Bachelor's degree (minimum 120 units) before starting the PDP.
  
• Applicants may submit their PDP application with their degree still in-progress (must be complete by August 31).

Primary and Secondary Teachable Subjects 

Applicants who plan to teach at the secondary level must fulfil the requirements of a 120-unit bachelor's degree with 30 units in a teachable subject (24 of which must be upper division) or have 30 units each in two teachable subjects (with 15 units of upper division in each subject), prior to starting the PDP.

A second teachable subject is required for: Computer Science, Dance, and Drama. Teachable subjects that require a second teachable must have 30 units with 15 upper division units.

Experience 

• Before applying to the PDP, applicants should have demonstrable experience working with children or youth, or helping others learn
• We strongly recommend that applicants spend time observing or volunteering in B.C. secondary schools in the subject they are applying to teach
  

Deadlines 

• Submit PDP applications online between October 1 and January 31 at 4:00 pm (PST)
  
• Applications received by November 30 may be considered for early acceptance
• Applicants may start the online application form and work on it over time. However, late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Review the Admission Requirements and Deadlines

• Review PDP Admission Requirements
• Review the application timeline and process as shown on the PDP Application Instructions to make sure you will have all your materials together in time
• Review the PDP Application Evaluation Process to understand how your application will be evaluated

Request Academic Transcripts

Submit an official transcript from every college and university that you've attended, including withdrawals, incomplete, failed, repeated studies and attendance as an exchange student.

We cannot review your application if any transcripts are missing.

• SFU students do not need to order their SFU transcripts, as we have access to those records.
• You must include original transcript(s) for College Board - Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) or any transfer credits (e.g. exchange program and college transfer) where applicable, even if that coursework was accepted by another institution.
• Order ALL transcript(s) to be sent directly from the issuing institution to the SFU Undergraduate Admissions office to be received by JANUARY 31.

Reminders:

• You must submit official transcripts from institutions where you are currently taking courses
• If your transcript does not show degree conferral, you must submit a letter from an academic advisor at your institution confirming your degree will be complete prior to the start of PDP (August). The academic advisor must email the degree confirmation letter to pps_admissions@sfu.ca.

TIP: If you are requesting transcripts from institutions outside of B.C., you should start this step as far in advance of the deadline as possible.

Create Your Resume

Your resume should include your contact information, education, work and volunteer experiences, and any honours, awards, special talents, skills, or training. It should:

• Be no longer than two single-sided pages
• Be detailed, but in an outline rather than a narrative form
• List the length of time you were in each position, the number of hours you worked or volunteered in the position, and your duties

We highly recommend that you spend time observing/volunteering in K-12 classroom(s) in British Columbia before applying. Such visits, along with a conversation with the teacher(s) afterwards, can help you decide if teaching is a profession you wish to pursue. It may also help you craft your resume to show how your experiences thus far will help you in the pursuit of a teaching career.

When evaluating resumes, we are looking for evidence of knowledge and experiences that will be useful to you if you were to become a teacher, including evidence of experience:

1. Working with children and/or youth (e.g., babysitting, tutoring, camp counselor, swim instructor, volunteering in a classroom, etc.)
2. Engaging in work or activities related to helping others learn (e.g., tutoring, coaching, Resident Assistant in student housing or an orientation leader for new university students, running workshops for children or adults, summer camp counselor, designing learning materials for children or adults, such as directions, handouts, training activities, etc.)
3. Collaborating and working with others
4. Showing leadership and/or initiative
5. Working independently
6. Demonstrating organization and time management skills
7. Engaging in novel situations and/or with a diverse range of individuals
8. Using skills or knowledge related to the subject you wish to teach

You may not have experience in all the areas listed above, but it will be important to highlight the related experiences you do have.

PDP French Module applicants are encouraged to submit their resume in French and English. Combine the English resume and French resume into one PDF. The online application has only one document upload button for the resume.

Write Your Essay

Choose one or two experiences from your resume and explain:

• What you learned from these experiences that will help you as a future educator
• What they show about your interest in and potential for a career in education
• What questions they raise for you related to teaching and learning
• Why you chose these examples

Your essay should be 500-1000 words and fit on two single-sided pages. Use 12 point font, single spacing and 1” margins on all sides.

If you refer to other people in your essay—especially children or youth with whom you have worked—change their names and describe your experience with them in such a way that you guard their right to privacy.

Proofread your paper carefully. It will be evaluated based on:

• The overall quality of the writing
• The evidence it shows of critical reflection upon your part
• How well you demonstrate your potential for and interest in education

PDP French Module applicants are encouraged to submit their essay in French and English. Combine the English essay and French essay into one PDF. The online application has only one document upload button for the essay.

Prepare letter of intent (ITEM and IPTEM only)

Your letter of intent should be one page long, no more than 500 words long in a 12-point font with 1” margins on all sides. In your letter, explain your interest in and appropriateness for that module.

Find Three Recommenders

When submitting your online PDP application form, you will be asked to submit three email addresses for individuals willing to complete a recommendation for you. The system will then automatically send these individuals an email requesting they fill out an online recommendation form. Recommendations may only be submitted via the online system.

Paper recommendations are not accepted. Download the PPS Recommendation Form Questions to review the questions they will be asked.

Depending on how your recommenders know you (e.g. a former employer, a professor for one of your classes, or someone in whose classroom you volunteered) they may not be able to answer all the questions in the form. That’s okay. But you may want to consider whether between them, the individuals you have asked for letters of recommendation can answer most of the questions. For example, one may know a lot about how well you work with children, while another may know more about your organizational skills.

When considering who to ask, keep in mind that:

• We reserve the right to contact recommenders to verify the information they provide
• Recommendations must be professional in nature
• Recommendations from friends or relatives are not acceptable, even if those friends or relatives are educators
• Inappropriate recommendations will make the application ineligible for consideration

Examples of inappropriate recommenders, include:

• Family members, including in-law, step-family, etc.
• Friends and co-workers

If the individual you ask is willing to complete a recommendation, ask them for an email address you can submit to the application system and explain how the system will send them an email request to complete the form. Inform them of the due date for their recommendation.

Tip: Provide your recommenders with a copy of your resume. They may find it useful for writing the recommendation.

Instructions for Students New to SFU

• New students to SFU must apply online through EducationPlannerBC. The SFU Undergraduate Admissions deadline is January 31.
• Students accepted to the PDP who do not submit an application to SFU Undergraduate Admissions by the deadline will not be able to start the PDP.  Therefore, all applicants MUST submit their application to the SFU Undergraduate Admissions office BEFORE the application deadline. If you do not submit an application to the SFU Undergraduate Admissions office, your PDP application may be cancelled.
• SFU Undergraduate admissions requires a different application with a different set of admission requirements. Review SFU Admissions requirements and make certain you are prepared to meet them.

SFU Undergraduate Admissions Questions

The PPS Admissions office does not handle SFU Undergraduate applications. For more information regarding admission to SFU, contact SFU Student Services:

Phone: 778-782-6930
Email: reginfo@sfu.ca
Website: sfu.ca/students/admission-requirements

Yes, international students can apply to the PDP. The International Services for Students (ISS) can help you with questions regarding study permit and other documents. Contact them at intl_advising@sfu.ca.

Applicants with recognized degrees from outside of Canada can be considered for admission to the PDP. Applicants should carefully review the Application & Tuition page for specific course/content requirements.

If you have specific questions about meeting the academic admission requirements you can send a copy of your transcripts to: pps_admissions@sfu.ca. Ensure you indicate whether you are intending to teach at the elementary or secondary level. If secondary, include the teachable subject(s).

Yes, you can still apply provided your degree will be completed before starting the PDP (by the end of August). As part of your PDP application, you will need to submit a letter from an academic advisor at your institution stating that you will be completing your degree in the summer term. The letter can be emailed to our office at pps_admissions@sfu.ca and should be received by April 1.

The GPA is calculated on your most recent 60 units/credits (minimum) of undergraduate level coursework. We use all courses completed each term (e.g. we do not stop in the middle of a term when you reach 60 units). We use the higher of the two grades if you repeat a course. Percentage grades from other universities are converted to the SFU Standard Grade System for GPA calculation. Applicants are required to have a minimum 2.50 (on the 4.33 scale).

Course prerequisites: A grade of P or CR will be sufficient to meet the course prerequisite mark/grade for admission to our teacher education programs.

Failed courses: Should you fail the course, then it would not meet the requirement.

Yes, we have provided a Chart of Acceptable Courses offered by Simon Fraser University and other B.C. post-secondary level institutions. We also have a specific chart for Secondary - Social Studies Requirements. This chart lists SFU courses only. The equivalent courses can be completed at another institution.

Note: These charts do not include every eligible course at the institutions named. They provide a sampling of appropriate courses from British Columbia. These courses reflect current offerings. Other courses may previously have been acceptable in satisfying the prerequisites.

Email our office at pps_admissions@sfu.ca if you have any questions about the charts.

You should be registered in, or have previously completed, the prerequisite course requirements prior to submitting your application for the PDP. This includes 6 units of English Literature (elementary and secondary), as well as 3 units of Canadian History, Canadian Geography, Mathematics for Teachers (SFU Math 190 or equivalent) and Lab Science (elementary only).

We require official transcripts showing registration in (or completion of) the required courses at the time of application. All prerequisites must be completed by May 31.

No. If you have a declared math major or minor and are applying to teach at the elementary level you do not need to complete the Mathematics for Teachers pre-requisite course.

Note: The math major or minor must show on your transcript.

Yes, you will need to take the Mathematics for Teachers course. The only exception is if you are a declared math major or minor student (see question above for details). We do not accept pre-calculus, calculus, finite math or statistics courses to meet this requirement.

No, French Module applicants have the same May 31 deadline for prerequisites. Due to the competitive nature of the program, we strongly suggest that applicants have the prerequisites in-progress or completed by the time of admission (by January).

Applicants not enrolled in the pre-requisites by January 31 cannot be considered for the PDP.

There is no minimum number of hours that we require. However, we highly recommend that applicants spend time observing, volunteering and/or working in B.C. K–12 classroom(s) before applying.

The program is very competitive and most successful applicants enter the PDP with extensive volunteer experience in a B.C. classroom setting. This experience can help you decide if teaching is a profession you wish to pursue. Applicants to the French Module are encouraged to have experience in BC French classrooms.

The PPS Admissions office does not require transcripts. All post-secondary transcripts (college, university, institutes, exchange programs) at the undergraduate and graduate level must be sent to the SFU Undergraduate Admissions office. SFU also requires College Board, Advanced Placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) transcripts if you have received post-secondary transfer credit for them. 

The SFU Undergraduate Admissions office may ask for secondary (high school) level transcripts if they cannot determine that you meet the SFU Literacy or Quantitative requirement with your post-secondary transcripts.

SFU will need an official transcript in the original language as well as an official English translation. Contact SFU Undergraduate Admissions with questions.

The PDP is a full-time, 16-month program with a single, annual intake each September. There is no part-time or distance education option.  

On average, we receive 900-1100 applications and admit 350-400 student teacher each year. Each teachable subject has a specific number of seats available. 

No, we do not accept kinesiology courses to meet the lab science requirement. Please refer to the Chart of Acceptable Courses for acceptable lab science courses. 

The PPS Admissions office does not require transcripts. All post-secondary transcripts (college, university, institutes, exchange programs) at the undergraduate and graduate level must be sent to the SFU Undergraduate Admissions office. We also require College Board Advanced Placement (AP) transcripts and International Baccalaureate (IB) transcripts if you have received post-secondary transfer credit for them. 

The SFU Undergraduate Admissions office may ask for secondary (high school) level transcripts if they cannot determine that you meet the SFU Literacy or Quantitative requirement with your post-secondary transcripts.

The PPS Admissions office does not require transcripts. All post-secondary transcripts (college, university, institutes, exchange programs) at the undergraduate and graduate level must be sent to the SFU Undergraduate Admissions office. We also require College Board Advanced Placement (AP) transcripts and International Baccalaureate (IB) transcripts if you have received post-secondary transfer credit for them. 

The SFU Undergraduate Admissions office may ask for secondary (high school) level transcripts if they cannot determine that you meet the SFU Literacy or Quantitative requirement with your post-secondary transcripts.

Please see our Post-Application page for more details.

Please see our Post-Application page for more details.