Teaching English and Additional Languages (TEAL) Post-Baccalaureate Certificate

The Teaching English and Additional Languages (TEAL) Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (12-credits) is for students interested in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), teaching English as a second language (TESL), teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), or teaching other additional and heritage languages to learners in a wide range of contexts.

It is designed to prepare students who are new to teaching as well as offer professional development for current teachers or those who have previous experience working with additional language learners in Canada or abroad. The certificate is open to applicants with a degree or current undergraduate students with a minimum of third-year standing.

Students completing this certificate may wish to teach English as an additional language (EAL) in another country after their undergraduate degree, work in adult or post-secondary contexts teaching EAL or other languages in Canada, develop their instructional skills for teaching in heritage language schools, or hone their current EAL teaching practice in K-12 classrooms. EAL is also sometimes known as EFL, ESL, or ELL, depending on the context.

The TEAL Post-Baccalaureate Certificate offers experience and understanding in lesson planning, teaching methods, instructional strategies, language awareness, reflective practice, classroom leadership, curriculum and materials development, evaluation and assessment, educational technology, additional language learning theory and research, intercultural understanding, motivational design, socio-cultural and developmental factors, community building, and teacher development.

Please note that this certificate does not lead to teacher certification to teach in public K-12 schools in British Columbia. In B.C., a Bachelor of Education is required to teach in public K-12 schools.

TEAL Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Courses

The TEAL Post-Baccalaureate Certificate consists of four three-credit courses, representing a minimum of 144 hours of instruction and including a supervised practicum with 10 hours of observation and 10 hours of teaching.

Courses take place online and on-campus.  The TEAL Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (12 credits) is awarded after successful completion of LLED 494, LLED 495, LLED 496, and LLED 497.  These courses may be taken in any order or sequence. Generally, one course is offered in each term (W1, W2, S1, S2), with students able to complete all four courses in a 12-month period.

Admission Requirements

• Students who wish to enroll in the certificate program must have obtained their first degree or a minimum of third-year standing.
• 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.
• Current UBC students are welcome to enrol in individual TEAL courses.  Students who are not in a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate or Diploma program require a minimum of third-year standing.

How to Apply

Please complete and submit the Student Information Form to begin the application process. 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.

Applications to the TEAL post-baccalaureate certificate program 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 and Winter Term 2 generally start in September and January, respectively.  Summer Term 1 and Summer Term 2 generally start in May and July, respectively.

If you are a current UBC student who wishes to enrol in just one or two courses, and not complete the post-baccalaureate certificate, you do not need to complete and submit the student information form.

For more information please contact postbac.education@ubc.ca.

MORE INFORMATION

Visit the UBC Okanagan Academic Calendar* for full admission and program requirements; the calendar is a comprehensive guide to all programs, courses, services and academic policies at the University of British Columbia.

* In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.

Registration & Course Selection

Once your eligibility to register has been established, you will receive an email from Access Studies. Students may then register for each course online via the Student Services Centre (SSC).

Upcoming courses can be viewed on the Certificate & Diploma Student Resource page.

Tuition & Fees

Students will be assessed tuition and student fees at the prevailing undergraduate rate.

In 2024/2025, tuition fees for domestic students were estimated at $660 per three-credit course,* approximately $2,640 to complete the 12-credit TEAL Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, 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.

Details and the most up-to-date information are available in the Academic Calendar.

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