The Paper Clip

Two-Year On-Campus Bachelor of Education After-Degree

Why choose this pathway

If you have already completed a Bachelor's degree, have realized a passion for education, and are now interested in pursuing your dream of becoming a teacher, this is the program for you! The After-Degree program is a two-year, full-time degree that leads to a Bachelor of Education, and eligibility for certification through Alberta Education to teach in Kindergarten through Grade 12 classrooms.


Interested in applying for the 2024 intake? Join us for our Future Student webinars!

Important dates and upcoming events

Admission

Admission Resources

Visit Undergraduate Recruitment and Admissions' site for information on submitting your application, dates and deadlines, documents required, and more!

After-Degree Requirements

To gain admission to the After-Degree, all applicants must present:

  • A degree with at least 90 units (30 semester-long courses) from an accredited post-secondary recognized by the University of Calgary
  • The competitive entrance GPA for their desired teachable
  • A course in English or French Literature
  • The course requirements stated for your desired teachable subject area

English or French Literature Requirement

Applicants must present an English or French Literature course for the purposes of admission. Unfortunately, language, technical writing, creative writing, composition, or communications courses do not meet this requirement. To get an idea of acceptable literature courses, visit our page on classes offered at the University of Calgary.

Mount Royal University applicants should be aware that, unfortunately, GNED courses do not meet the Literature requirement.

In Progress Admission Requirements

Courses being taken for the purposes of admission should be apparent when you submit your application, as it will be evaluated 'as is' when received. As such, if you have not registered in a course when you initially submit your transcripts, you may be denied admission on the basis of lacking a requirement.

Outlines and Back-Up Options

Course outlines may be necessary for the application process, particularly if a class’ content is not made clear by the title – for example, a course labelled ‘English’ alone may refer to a course in which you learned the language, gained basic writing skills, or analyzed literature. In order to ensure that the course included sufficient literary content, a course outline must be provided. Said outline must be received by Admissions' document deadline.

We highly advise that you select a first and second choice teachable subject area upon application. If not deemed admissible to your first choice, you will then be evaluated for your second choice. You are able to pick both an elementary and a secondary route area upon application; a first and second choice do not have to be in the same route.

Police Information Check

A current, clear Police Information Check, with a Vulnerable Sector Check, is required of all Bachelor of Education students for the field experience component of the program. Students who are unable to present a current and clear check will not be placed in their field experience courses – a graduating requirement of the degree – and be asked to leave the program.

Check out our Police Information Checks page for more details.

Routes and Teachables

When applying, you will need to select a route and a teachable subject area. Each route and teachable has differing admission requirements: find out what options you have, below, and then check out the associated admission requirements. Elementary route areas focus on grades kindergarten through six, and secondary on grades seven through twelve. Visit our Teachable Subject Areas page for more details!

Note that this pathway only offers a fall term intake.

  1. Elementary route teachable subject areas

    • Early Childhood Education (Note: Emphasis on grades kindergarten through three)
    • English Language Learners
    • English Language Arts
    • Fine Arts
    • French (Note: Applicants must be fully competent in oral and written French, and demonstrate this in an interview which will be administered by program instructors in the Bachelor of Education program at the University of Calgary - substitutions are not accepted)
    • Inclusive Education
    • Mathematics
    • Physical Education
    • Science
    • Second Languages (Note: Education courses in the Second Languages teachable subject area will be taught in English. Applicants will be expected to teach in the target language. Where a Field Experience placement in the target language is unavailable, a placement will be provided in English)
    • Social Studies
    • Social Studies - Revitalization of Indigenous Languages
  2. Secondary route teachable subject areas

    • Fine Arts - Drama
    • Fine Arts - Music
    • Fine Arts - Visual Studies
    • English Language Arts
    • French (Note: Applicants must be fully competent in oral and written French, and demonstrate this in an interview which will be administered by program instructors in the Bachelor of Education program at the University of Calgary - substitutions are not accepted)
    • Mathematics
    • Physical Education
    • Science - Biology
    • Science - Chemistry
    • Science - Physics
    • Second Languages (Note: Education courses in the Second Languages teachable subject area will be taught in English. Applicants will be expected to teach in the target language. Where a Field Experience placement in the target language is unavailable, a placement will be provided in English)
    • Social Studies

French teachable subject area applicants are required to demonstrate language proficiency in an interview. French Proficiency interviews are held majorly via Zoom. As applications are processed, students who meet all other admitting requirements will be emailed with interview details. 

The interview is comprised of two parts: an oral conversational interview, which lasts approximately 20 minutes, and a written assessment. Please note that we do not accept, nor require, any other French language test, program, or fluency attestation in lieu of this requirement. 

2024 intake interview dates are as follows:

March, 2024 Interview Dates

  • March 14th: 1:00 - 4:00pm via Zoom
  • March 21st: 1:00 - 4:00pm via Zoom
  • March 28th: 1:00 - 4:00pm via Zoom

Please note that applicants may not complete the interview prior to application assessment.

The following information is for students applying with education completed outside of North America, regardless of whether the student is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or an offshore applicant.

When students with international credentials apply, their transcripts are first assessed by our central Admissions office to ensure that they present a recognized, accredited degree that is equivalent to the number of units/hours studied in a University of Calgary degree. Please note that this evaluation is not done until a formal application has been submitted, due to the volume of applications and inquiries that Admissions receives.

Assuming the applicant's prior coursework meets the minimum required standard (in this case, the degree must present 90 transferable units, or, 30 semester-long courses), their file would then be assessed for coursework requirements, and competitive admitting grade point average (GPA).

Applicants should thoroughly review the admission requirements detailed in the associated tab, above. Please note that the literature requirement is not the same as meeting English Language Proficiency. All applicants must present the course in literature (English or French); students presenting degrees completed in countries where English is not the primary language must present both the literature requirement, as well as prove English Language Proficiency.

For more information on converting your grades to the University of Calgary’s 4.0 GPA scale, please visit this information hosted by the Faculty of Graduate Studies (although the Bachelor of Education After-Degree is an undergraduate degree, not a graduate degree, the grade conversion information below is useful for applicants to self-gauge their approximate GPA). Applicants to the University's graduate programs must present at least a 3.0 GPA, but students should be aware of the fluctuating competitive GPAs that vary across teachable subject areas. Applicants may also want to chat to Admissions regarding the grade-conversion process.

Question about the application process? Get in touch with Admissions


I can truly say that I have found a home at the Werklund School of Education. My professors have become such an integral part of my life. I can call on them for advice and support when I need it. They celebrate with me, and are always available when I need someone to talk to.

Samantha Sirianni

Former Education Students' Association president


Students on Campus

Inspiration and Collaboration

"I am very fortunate to have met many inspiring lecturers and staff members who have not only been generous with their time and resources, but also their encouragement. I have found a nurturing and collaborative home to explore the world of education."

 - Sue Mylde, Teacher Education Centennial Scholarship recipient


Program sequence

Year 1 - Fall*

EDUC 420 | EDUC 427 | EDUC 430 | EDUC 435 | EDUC 440 (Field I)

*Check out our Experiential Learning opportunities!

Year 1 - Winter

EDUC 445 | EDUC 450 | EDUC 456 | EDUC 460 | EDUC 465 (Field II)

Interested in the Honours pathway? Apply this year!

Year 2 - Fall*

EDUC 521 | EDUC 525 | EDUC 530 | EDUC 535 | EDUC 540 (Field III)

*Opportunity to participate in Teaching Across Borders!

Year 2 - Winter

EDUC 551 | EDUC 556 | EDUC 56X Series | EDUC 560 (Field IV)

Learn more about each class via our course outlines!


Student Life

Understanding your fees

The Cost Estimator is a great tool to understand your tuition, general fees, and living expenses.

Student Studying

Funding and scholarships

The University of Calgary and the Werklund School of Education offer a number of awards and resources to help fund your education.

Fall on Campus

Residence

Interested in living on campus?