Interdisciplinary Studies in Contemporary Education Certificate and Diploma
Program
Certificate
Diploma
Length
1 year
2 years
Faculty/School
Okanagan School of Education
Why study Education at UBC’s Okanagan campus?
Education is constantly evolving, and a certificate or diploma in Interdisciplinary Studies in Contemporary Education can prepare you to adapt to changes and challenges in the educational landscape.
With it’s flexible design, the certificate or diploma program can be tailored to meet your unique needs and interests. You can build your own individualized program while still meeting the educational needs and requirements for specialization (e.g. learning assistance or resource teachers).
Program Options
The Interdisciplinary Studies in Contemporary Education Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (12 credits) and Diploma (30 credits) provide professional development opportunities for educators, and respond to the needs of schools and districts for education specialists. These are post-degree professional programs designed to complement post-secondary education.
Schedule & Courses
To respond to professional schedules, the courses are offered in multiple formats including Saturday sessions, evenings, online or blended (online and in-person), or through three-week or six-week summer courses.
Courses within the Certificate and Diploma can also be taken as stand-alone courses.
Upcoming Courses
To plan your academic journey, please view the upcoming courses on the Certificate & Diploma Student Resource page.
Examples of Courses
These are examples of courses offered by the School of Education. Please note that not all courses are offered each year.
Inclusive Education courses are designed to prepare individuals to work with children and adolescents with diverse needs. You will learn about establishing inclusive practices in settings such as classrooms and in schools so that all students have equitable access to learning and achievement.
Sample Courses:
- EPSE 421 – Assessment of Learning Difficulties
- EPSE 431 – Programming for Children with Specific Learning Disabilities
- EPSE 433 – Assessment and Positive Behavioural Support in School and Community Settings
For the complete list of courses, visit the Academic Calendar.
Language and Literacy Education courses are designed for educators and educational leaders who wish to deepen and extend their knowledge in areas of Literacy and Language Arts. This includes oral and written communication, reading, children’s and adolescents’ literature, literacy in the content areas, new media literacy, assessment, and literacy for diverse learners.
Sample Courses:
-
- LLED 461 – Assessment of Literacy and Learning
- LLED 465 – Literacy for Diverse Learners in Middle and Secondary Grades
- LLED 468 – Language, Literacy and Numeracy
For the complete list of courses students can take, visit the Academic Calendar.
Early childhood is a critically important period for establishing strong foundations for life-long learning and wellbeing. These courses provide professionals with the philosophy, understanding and skills to create optimal learning environments, assess children appropriately and design learning experiences to support children’s development. These courses may appeal to those who work with young children or are new to teaching kindergarten, pre-kindergarten and primary grades. It will also be of interest to experienced teachers who wish to expand their theoretical understandings in order to enhance learning opportunities for young children.
Sample Courses:
- ECED 445 – Foundations of Early Childhood Education
- ECED 421 – Supporting Young Children through Home, School, and Community Relationships
- ECED 440 – Play and Early Childhood Education
For the complete list of courses students can take, visit the Academic Calendar.
These courses take a multi-disciplinary approach and are designed for individuals who wish to explore and expand their knowledge in leadership, equity and social justice in education.
Sample courses
- EDST 497 – Contemporary Educational Issues
- Seminar that examines special topics and current issues within education
- EDST 498 – Contemporary Educational Practice
- Seminar that explores various approaches, projects, methodologies and teaching applications
- EDST 499 – Studies in Educational Leadership
- Seminar that investigates effective educational programs, leadership and practice
For the complete list of courses students can take, visit the Academic Calendar.
These courses are designed to develop skills in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) or teaching other additional and heritage languages to learners in a wide range of contexts. They prepare both students who are new to teaching as well as offer professional development for current teachers or those with previous experience.
SAMPLE COURSES
- LLED 494 – Introduction to Additional Language Teaching and Learning
- LLED 495 – Curriculum and Materials Design in Additional Language Teaching and Learning
- LLED 496 – Theory and Practice in Additional Language Teaching and Learning
For the complete list of courses students can take, visit the Academic Calendar.
Careers and outcomes
Build a broad foundation and great career potential with the UBCO education certificate or diploma. Program graduates will have the skills to pursue a career in a variety of fields like,
- Child life specialist
- Community educator
- Corporate trainer
- Curriculum developer
- Education coordinator
- Educational technology specialist
- English as a Additional Language teacher (EAL)
- Guidance counselor
- Historic site administrator
- Learning assistant
- Program coordinator
- Resource teacher
- Student affairs
- Youth development worker
Teacher Qualification Service (TQS) Category Upgrade
This certificate and diploma program does not lead to teacher certification. However, if you are a teacher, they can lead to a category upgrade with the Teacher Qualification Service (TQS).
ADMISSION
In addition to meeting UBC’s general admission requirements, admission to the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate/Diploma program requires:
- Bachelor’s degree, teacher’s certification, or permission of the Dean of Education
- Applicants who speak English as a second language and have not previously been enrolled at UBC or another Canadian university must demonstrate English language proficiency to meet UBC’s English Proficiency Requirements
If you wish to enrol in individual courses, but are not in a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate or Diploma program, you will require a minimum of third-year standing. If you are a current UBCO student, you do not need to fill out the student information form to take individual courses.
Tuition & Fees
Students will be assessed tuition and student fees at the prevailing undergraduate rate.
Tuition amounts presented here are estimates only and all fees are subject to change.
| Program | Domestic | International |
| Certificate (12 credits) | $2,654.76 | $12,628.56 |
| Diploma (30 credits) | $6,636.90 | $31,571.40 |
Plus any applicable student fees, textbook, and other associated costs.
* In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
How to Apply
Please complete and submit the Student Information Form to begin the application process.
In the form, you can indicate whether you are interested in:
- taking select courses only,
- the certificate, or
- the diploma.
Once we have reviewed your student information form, if you meet the admission requirements, we will send you the appropriate next steps to completing your application.
Dates and Deadlines
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year, with accepted students able to start their studies in the term following their acceptance into the program:
- Winter Term 1 starts in September
- Winter Term 2 starts in January
- Summer Term 1 starts in May
- Summer Term 2 starts in July
Registration & Course Selection
Once your eligibility to register has been established, you will receive an email from Enrolment Services. Students may then register for each course via Workday Student.
Upcoming courses can be viewed on the Certificate & Diploma Student Resource page.
Questions?
Please email us at postbac.education@ubc.ca
Experiential Learning
Expand your horizons while immersing yourself in hands-on activities, building learning communities or reflecting on your professional practice.
Learn more about our Summer Institute courses, co-curricular making research project or English as an Additional Language Learning Lab.
DISCOVER THE OKANAGAN
A diverse natural region with sandy beaches, beautiful farms, vineyards, orchards and snow-capped mountains, the Okanagan is an inspirational landscape perfect for those seeking leisure or outdoor adventure.
UBC’s Okanagan campus borders the dynamic city of Kelowna, a hub of economic development with a population of more than 150,000 people— the fourth fastest-growing population in Canada.