Five key aspects of VIU's Faculty of Education make VIU an outstanding choice for your initial teacher education program:
- program options
- personalized student attention
- commitment to student success
- high quality practical programs tailored to British Columbia standards
- exceptional faculty with real experience in K-12 classrooms
The VIU Difference: Why Students Choose VIU's Initial Teacher Education Programs
All program options reflect VIU's commitment to providing initial teacher education programs that are current, relevant, and meet practical needs expressed by the field. Central to these programs is the personal attention and commitment to student success for which VIU's Faculty of Education is well known.
Our programs offer top-notch academically passionate faculty with expertise and experience in their educational fields. Unlike other universities, the knowledge and experience of VIU's professors is not strictly academic. VIU's Faculty of Education has a commitment to hiring professors who have real-world K-12 experience. Our faculty have been in the field-as school counselors, teachers, and administrators-and can speak as both academics and K-12 practitioners. This gives our programs a distinct edge over others.
Our Faculty of Education also strives to provide out students with opportunities for international practica in a variety of countries beyond Canada. More information on Learn more about International Opportunities.
Access Initiative
Vancouver Island University is committed to the recruitment, retention and graduation of Aboriginal students. The University also recognizes that Aboriginal applicants have traditionally been under represented in teacher education, as articulated in the Accord on Indigenous Education (2010). The Faculty of Education's Access Initiative is designed to give access to individuals who self-identify as Indigenous. If you self-identify as Indigenous, we strongly encourage you to apply under the Access Initiative housed within the Applicant Profile portion of the application process.
If you have further questions about this initiative, please contact Education Advising at 250.740.6223 or toll-free at 1.888.920.2221 Ext. 6223.
Education Outcomes
The Bachelor of Education programs prepare pre-service teachers to meet the Professional Standards for BC Educators (Professional Standards), have a thoroughly articulated grounding in Principles of Teaching and Learning, First Peoples Principles of Learning, and contain both embedded and extended practica. Both programs are aligned with BC's redesigned curriculum and are informed by personalized learning allowing for flexible learning environments well versed in ecological and environmental learning, and First Nations perspectives and knowledge. Pedagogy is based in current educational research. The development of reflexive practice is emphasized through recursive self-examination of pre-service teacher philosophies of teaching and learning.
Graduates of our BEd programs are granted a Bachelor of Education degree and are recommended to the Teacher Certification Branch for a professional Certificate of Qualification.