Options for Becoming a Teacher
For Those Considering a Teaching Career
For a complete list of Teaching Options, please see the Teaching Option Brochure.
Graduates of the BEd degree program are in demand as teachers throughout Ontario, the rest of Canada and internationally.
Nipissing undergraduate students interested is pursuing our Bachelor of Education have three options.
The first option is to apply to the BEd degree program upon completion of their undergraduate degree.
Any student with an accredited undergraduate degree is eligible to apply for a place in the Nipissing BEd degree program.
Refer to the Education Admissions for admissions information.
The second option is to qualify for guaranteed admission to Nipissing's BEd degree program as a Nipissing Degree with OTT graduate.
The third option is to apply directly from secondary school for Nipissing University’s Concurrent BA/BEd BSc/BEd degree programs.
Nipissing's Consecutive Bachelor of Education
Nipissing’s one-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) program is a consecutive, professional degree program available to university graduates seeking their Certificate of Qualification from the Ontario College of Teachers.
Concurrent BA/BEd and BSc/BEd
Nipissing also offers a Concurrent BA/BEd and BSc/BEd program for applicants attending Nipissing University directly from secondary school.
Concurrent BA/BEd and BSc/BEd
Students who plan to apply to Nipissing’s Faculty of Education to obtain a Certificate of Qualification and a Bachelor of Education degree should make careful selection of courses in their undergraduate degree to better prepare themselves for the program and to ensure that teaching subject requirements (if required) are met.
Teachers in the elementary schools are generally required to teach all subjects in the curriculum. It is most prudent for students who plan to teach at this level to take a wide range of undergraduate courses. Particularly important, but not required for admission to the BEd degree program - particularly the primary/junior and junior/intermediate divisions, are courses in English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Art, and Music. In addition to these traditional disciplines, courses in Educational Psychology and Introductory Sociology are important foundations for a teacher education program.
Those interested in the Second Language Teaching: French option should take several courses in French as well as providing for themselves a wide variety of experiences in the language in order to prepare for teaching this specialty. Oral and Written French proficiency will be tested.
Students interested in the Intermediate Division (Grades 7-10) must complete at least eighteen undergraduate credits in one particular subject area to meet the prerequisites for the teaching subject. The teaching subject disciplines offered at Nipissing are outlined in the BEd-junior/intermediate division section of the Academic Calendar.
Students interested in teaching in the Senior Division (Grades 11-12) must be qualified to teach in two secondary school subject areas. A minimum of thirty undergraduate credits must be completed in the first teaching subject and at least eighteen undergraduate credits are required in the second teaching subject. Refer to the BEd-intermediate/senior division section of the Academic Calendar for a listing of teaching subject disciplines offered at Nipissing.
A Nipissing Degree with Orientation to Teaching (OTT)
Orientation to Teaching (OTT) is not a degree program in itself. It is simply a route into Nipissing’s one-year BEd program. Applying to a degree with Orientation to Teaching is offered to Nipissing students as an alternative to our Concurrent Education programs.
The OTT process includes a set of courses and a non-credit practical experience that, when taken as part of an undergraduate degree, provides preparation for the Bachelor of Education program. OTT allows Nipissing University students the opportunity to assess their suitability for the Faculty of Education before their undergraduate degrees are complete.
In OTT, specific undergraduate courses are identified which are considered useful in preparing students for careers in teaching. These courses will be included in a student’s undergraduate degree program. One of these courses is EDUC 0106 Introduction to Teaching. Introduction to Teaching is a non-credit course consisting of a thirty-hour practicum in a school setting and six seminars on issues relevant to an understanding of the school system and the teachers’ role, plus assigned readings and critiques.
Students should meet with an Academic Advisor prior to registering for courses each year to ensure that degree requirements including the specific set of OTT courses are being met. In addition, students who will need to satisfy teaching subject requirements for admission to Nipissing's BEd degree program should make sure that the appropriate number of undergraduate credits required to meet teaching subject requirements are completed.
Students who are admitted to a degree program with OTT, and who complete their Nipissing undergraduate degree programs including the OTT specific courses, with a minimum overall average of 75% on all university courses, are guaranteed admission to the Bachelor of Education degree program. This average will be calculated using all university courses passed whether or not the courses are/were required for the degree. This offer is for the academic year immediately following graduation. All courses required for the degree and/or teachable subjects requirements must be completed by May 1 of the year for which the BEd application is being made.
Orientation to Teaching has two streams to which students may apply: Elementary and Secondary. Applicants will indicate a choice of elementary stream or secondary stream on the appropriate supplemental application form.
A Nipissing Degree with Orientation to Teaching – Elementary Stream
Upon completing a Nipissing degree with OTT – Elementary, students may apply to either the Primary/Junior (Grades K-6) or Junior/Intermediate (Grades 4-10) Divisions of the BEd degree program. Candidates must ensure that they meet all minimum requirements for BEd admission including teaching subjects as applicable. Students must comply with the requirements for their degree program and include the following OTT set of courses:
MATH 1070 Fundamentals of Arithmetic for Teachers, or six credits in Mathematics courses having 4U,OAC, or equivalent prerequisites, and
SOCI 2091 Sociology for Educators I: Social Theory and Education; and
SOCI 2092 Sociology for Educators II: Social Issues in Education; and
EDUC 0106 Introduction to Teaching, and
PSYC 2020 Developmental Psychology of Educators or both of PSYC 2006 Childhood Development and PSYC 2007 Adult Development
A Nipissing Degree with Orientation to Teaching – Secondary Stream
Upon completing a Nipissing degree with OTT – Secondary, students may apply to Intermediate/Senior (Grades 7-12) Division of the BEd degree program. Candidates must ensure that they meet all minimum requirements for BEd admission including two teaching subjects as outlined in BEd admission requirements. Students must comply with the requirements for their degree programs and include the following OTT set of courses:
SOCI 2091 Sociology for Educators I: Social Theory and Education; and
SOCI 2092 Sociology for Educators II: Social Issues in Education; and
EDUC 0106 Introduction to Teaching, and
PSYC 2020 Developmental Psychology of Educators or both of PSYC 2006 Childhood Development and PSYC 2007 Adult Development
A Nipissing Degree with Orientation to Teaching for BPHE – Elementary Stream
Upon completing a Nipissing BPHE degree with OTT for BPHE – Secondary, students may apply to either the Primary/Junior (Grades K-6) or Junior/Intermediate (Grades 4 – 10) Divisions of the BEd degree program. Candidates must ensure that they meet all minimum requirements for BEd admission including teaching subjects as applicable. Students must comply with the requirements for their degree program and include the following OTT set of courses:
MATH 1070 Fundamentals of Arithmetic for Teachers, or six credits in Mathematics courses having 4U,OAC, or equivalent prerequisites, and
PHED 2017 Inquiry; and
One of
PHED 2106 Community Leadership Placement I, or PHED 2107 Community Leadership Placement II, or PHED 3107 Community Leadership Placement III successfully completed in an educational setting working with young children
A Nipissing Degree with Orientation to Teaching for BPHE – Secondary Stream
Upon completing Nipissing BPHE degree program with OTT for BPHE – Secondary, students may apply to the Intermediate/Senior (Grades 7-12) division of the BEd degree program. Candidates must ensure that they meet all minimum requirements for BEd admission including teaching subjects as applicable. Students must comply with the requirements for their degree program and include the following OTT set of courses:
PHED 2017 Inquiry; and
One of
PHED 2106 Community Leadership Placement I, or PHED 2107 Community Leadership Placement II, or PHED 3107 Community Leadership Placement III successfully completed in an educational setting working with young children
Admission to a Degree with OTT
