Master of Education in Curriculum & Pedagogy

The Curriculum & Pedagogy program is designed for flexibility. Choose courses that best meet your needs. The program details are as follows:

• A C&P MEd degree requires ten completed courses. There is no thesis or MRP option.
• All students must complete CTL1000H - Foundations of Curriculum.
• At least five of the ten courses must be Curriculum & Pedagogy courses. C&P courses are identified with CTL1000-level course codes (i.e CTL1000H to CTL1999H) and Special Topics courses in C&P are identified as CTL5000H to CTL5299H (Masters Level) and CTL6000H to CTL6299H (Doctoral Level).
• Non-C&P courses (if you choose to take them) can include Masters-level courses from the Languages and Literacies Education program or from any other OISE departments: Social Justice Education, Applied Psychology & Human Development, and Leadership, Higher, and Adult Education.
• This degree is delivered in person. While the program may offer some courses online, a student will take less than one-third of their courses online.

The C&P Program offers a wide variety of courses that explore different aspects of teaching and learning. We offer courses in aboriginal education, equity and diversity issues, arts in education, educational technology, curriculum, environmental education, well-being, and more. Think critically about both the possibilities and challenges surrounding issues that matter in education

• The C&P MEd can be taken on a full-time or part-time basis.
  • Full-time students are required to take at least two courses (or a maximum of three) in the fall session and at least two courses (or a maximum of three) in the winter session.
  • Part-time students may take a maximum of one course per session
• A typical course involves 12 classes. During the fall and winter sessions, a class will typically meet once each week. 
• The summer courses are optional and not mandatory
• Classes are normally scheduled for the early evening (e.g., 5 pm to 8 pm) or the early afternoon (e.g., 1 pm to 4 pm), Monday through Thursday. 
• Our classes typically consist of 15 to 25 students.
• This degree is delivered in person. While the program may offer some courses online, a student will take less than one-third of their courses online.

Given the diverse academic and research interests of our faculty, the program is organized into seven constituent but optional program Emphases.

The Curriculum & Pedagogy program (C&P) offers the following six program Emphases:

• Arts in Education
• Critical Studies in Curriculum and Pedagogy
• Digital Technologies in Education
• Indigenous Education and Decolonization
• Science, Mathematics and Technology in Education
• Wellbeing

Students in the C&P program interested in a C&P Emphasis are required to take 3 courses from a list of courses affiliated with the Emphasis. Students who successfully complete Emphasis coursework as part of their C&P degree requirements may contact a department administrator, prior to graduation, to request a notation of the Emphasis on their transcript.

Interested in interdisciplinary study?

The University of Toronto offers collaborative specializations which involve the cooperation of two or more graduate units (i.e. departments, programs, or centres). Students admitted to C&P have the opportunity to deepen their interdisciplinary learning through the following collaborative specializations:

• Comparative, International & Development Education
• Education, Francophonies and Diversity
• Engineering Education
• Knowledge Media Design
• Sexual Diversity Studies
• Women and Gender Studies

We welcome applications from outside Canada. For more on international student admissions please review International Applicants on the OISE Registrar's office website. The University of Toronto School of Graduate Studies has provided an assessment tool that allows International Applicants to determine the equivalency of their academic credentials.

International students will be required to purchase a University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) for the duration of their academic study. Please note that UHIP does not cover all the costs in an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). Contact the UHIP office for more information about the plan's coverage and fees.

As an International Student, available funding is limited. International students will not be able to apply for OSAP but can apply for bursaries and emergency funding. Please contact Student Experience on the 8th floor of the OISE building.

Centre for International Experience - The Centre is located at 33 St. George Street. The Centre provides guidance for International Students studying abroad in Toronto including visas, health insurance, financial aid, and housing. The centre is also used by both International and domestic students for many events including social and cultural.

Is there a part-time option for this program?
Yes, students can choose part-time or full-time registration status. Registration status will determine your required course load for each term of study. See OISE Registrar's Office & Student Experience (ROSE) for course load information.

Can I complete this degree remotely or fully online? 
This degree is delivered in person. While the program may offer some courses online, a student will take less than one-third of their courses online.

How do students gain supervisors?
The C&P MEd degree is a course-based program; there is no thesis or MRP option. Therefore, supervisors are not assigned.

What should I include in my resumé?
Your resumé should describe your education history (both academic and professional), research experience, employment history (including names of employers, job titles, position responsibilities, dates employed, whether full- or part-time), awards, business and professional achievements, community activities, as well as any special skills.

If unable to provide an academic reference, would two professional ones work instead? 
While a minimum of two letters of reference – one academic and one professional – should be included in your application, sometimes applicants experience difficulty obtaining a particular letter of reference. You're strongly encouraged to obtain one academic and one professional letter of reference; however, if that is not possible, those who submit an alternative combination, such as two reference letters from a professional source, will still be considered. Tip: for two professional letters, direct the most suitable referee to include comments pertaining to your intellectual abilities and potential. 

Can you switch to PT or FT half-way through the program?
Yes, you can request to change your registration status from PT to FT or FT to PT. You must contact your Registration Specialist in the OISE Registrar's Office & Student Experience (ROSE) and make the request to change your registration status. Please keep in mind that changing your registration status will affect your registration fees; contact your Registration Specialist of details: oise.registration@utoronto.ca.

Does this program lead to PhD since it is course-based without a thesis?
The typical trajectory to a PhD is a research-based, MA degree. MEd graduates may be successful PhD applicants, so long as there is sufficient evidence of research experience and capacity. This would require one to be intentional with seeking additional opportunities during your time in the MEd program.  For instance, engage with research groups, research centres, and faculty research projects where possible, and potentially, expand a course project into a major research paper if there is an opportunity to do so. What we're looking for at the PhD level is whether you're ready to complete a research doctorate. So, it's trying to find that experience in addition to your coursework, but people have done that and continue to, and we have admitted MEd students into our doctoral program.

What are collaborative specializations?
Collaborative Specializations are created by various graduate units across the University of Toronto to encourage interdisciplinary learning and development. If you review our website and those of affiliated collaborative specializations, you’ll see LLE participates in numerous collaborative specializations that are optional pathways towards more specialized learning for students in the program. 

I have a question about language proficiency. I’ve been working as an occasional teacher for four years in  Canada, but completed my education outside Canada. Do I still need to prove language proficiency?
As English is the primary language of instruction and communication at the University of Toronto, applicants must demonstrate an adequate level of proficiency in English, regardless of their citizenship status or country of origin. Applicants must follow the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) policies on English Language Proficiency (ELP) testing requirements and take one of the required tests for admission to a graduate program. Applicants from universities outside Canada where English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of application.

The admissions division of the OISE Registrar's Office & Student Experience (ROSE) will officially determine whether an English language proficiency test is required, but only after the application has been submitted.  Visit the SGS webpage on English language proficiency for more information.

What is the difference between the Master of Teaching and the Master of Education degrees?
The Master of Teaching program offers a master's degree and Ontario Teaching Certification for teaching in Ontario K-12 classrooms. MEd degrees provide specialized learning surrounding the field of education, but do not provide certification to teach in Ontario K-12 classrooms.  

Common career pathways for MEd graduates?
Graduates of the C&P MEd degree have pursued careers in the following areas and beyond: Advocacy, Community development, Curriculum analyst, Curriculum developer/instructional designer, Early childhood development, Education administration, Education NGOs, Education/learning consultant, Educational technology, Government positions (Ministry of Education, MP, MPP, etc…), Indigenous Education, International Comparative Education, Librarian (need additional qualifications: Library and Information Services degree), Museum educator, Program evaluation, Public outreach, Researcher, School boards (trustee), Study abroad programs, Teacher (need teaching certification; TEFL or for the province/state you want to teach in), Teacher training programs, Textbook writer/proofreader (e.g. Harper Collins), Urban education.

What happens after I submit my applications?
Once you've completed your application, understand what happens next by visiting After Submitting Your Application. 

I was offered admission, what are my next steps?
Applicants who receive an official "Offer of Admission" result letter can view the Newly Admitted Students webpage for information on next steps.