Program Requirements for the MA in Child Study and Education

The two year MA offers a unique, research-based teacher education program. Eligible graduates are recommended to the Ontario College of Teachers for a Certificate of Qualification, which qualifies the holder to teach in the primary and junior divisions of Ontario schools.

Courses

Courses that our M.A. Students are required to take, as well as some electives, are outlined on the Course List. If a student comes into the program without a course in child development, one must be taken as an elective before graduation. Students must also be able to demonstrate knowledge of the acts and regulations with respect to education in Ontario. Registration in the second year is contingent upon successful completion of all first year work.

Practicum and Internship Placements

Practice teaching experience in the Jackman ICS program is broad and deep. This experience is a crucial part of acquiring the knowledge and skills to guide children and a classroom, and it is the 'laboratory' for applying ideas and scholarship to practice.

In the first year of the program, students have daily teaching placements in four different blocks. The six-week blocks provide the opportunity to work across a variety of settings: different grade levels, special needs settings, research classrooms, and early years programs.

In the second year of the program, students have a full semester, full-time teaching internship in one setting. The internship allows students to develop the range of skills and experiences necessary to lead a classroom.

Depending on their career goals, students may wish to select courses and placements that focus on particular areas:

Special Education

Student planning a career in special education may include a six-week placement in a special education setting during their first year of study. In their first or second year of study, they may elect HDP2280H Introduction to Special Education and Adaptive Instruction. In their second year, they may elect HDP2292H Assessment for Instruction or another special education course. [More information on Special Education]

Early Childhood

Students interested in kindergarten and early childhood programs may take their internship in an early years setting in their second year, in addition to the required six-week early years placement during the first year. They may also take electives during the first and/or second year in early childhood from among: HDP1211 Psychological Foundations of Early Development and Education; HDP1241 Outcomes of Early Education and Child Care; and HDP1272 Play and Education. [More information on Early Childhood]

Qualifying Research Paper

Students planning further graduate study in the near future are advised to undertake a Qualifying Research Paper (QRP). To do this, they may elect HDP1209H Research Methods and Thesis Preparation in Human Development and Applied Psychology in their first year, usually during the second term. The QRP proposal should be complete by the end of the second term and an Ethics form submitted. In the second year, students working on a QRP may elect HDP2252H Individual Reading and Research. Students who have not studied statistics as undergraduates are expected to take CTL2004H Elements of Statistics. [More information on the QRP]
 

Obtaining a Criminal Record Check:

Students participating in practicum placements in Ontario schools are required to complete a Criminal Record Check prior to having direct contact with the students; without this in place you will not be allowed to participate in practicum placements. 

Specific instructions on how to obtain your Criminal Record Check will be communicated to all successful applicants.