Start with a Graduate Certificate - finish with a Professional Master of Education
Looking at additional qualifications or already have one and wondering what is next? Our laddered system gives you the opportunity to explore online education opportunities and work towards three different credentials.
What is Laddering?
Laddering allows you to progress through successive credentials while carrying forward course credits. Students can receive three different credentials - a Post-Graduate Certificate, a Graduate Diploma in Education, and a Professional Master of Education. If you follow the laddering system, you can earn all three credentials with three fewer classes overall.
The three laddered components can include:
Three GDE Courses - $1253.70 per course (domestic) or $2918.70 per course (international)
Four PME Courses - $1253.70 per course (domestic) or $2918.70 per course (international)
All fees listed are in Canadian Dollars and are subject to change. Please see the Office of the University Registrar website for the most up to date information.
Note: The application for admission is used for all graduate programs at Queen’s University so you will notice that reference is often made to your research interests. Since you are applying for admission to a professional program, please relate your comments in these areas to your professional aspirations rather than to research.
Two Professional letters of recommendation (e.g. letters from an employer or workplace supervisor) can be submitted in support of applications to professional graduate programs. For applicants who apply to a professional graduate program, a Professional reference form will be generated for their referees through the online application system. Academic references are also acceptable.
Referees are notified that you want them to provide a reference for you by email after you have submitted your online application, so please submit your application at least one week before the application deadline and be sure to include the correct email address. Applications will not be deemed complete and will not be reviewed by the admissions committee until all listed references are received.
In addition to the online application and application fee, applicants are required to submit an official transcript (envelopes from the institution cannot be opened) from all universities you have attended except for Queen's. Transcripts sent from the issuing university should be sent to:
School of Graduate Studies
Queen's University
Gordon Hall Room 425
74 Union Street
Kingston, Ontario
Canada K7L 3N6
If you have questions, please contact edonline@queensu.ca.
- September start - Application deadline: APRIL 1
- January start - Application deadline: AUGUST 1
- July start - Application deadline: FEBRUARY 1
These deadlines are firm and include the submission of all supporting documentation (transcripts and references).
- A baccalaureate degree from a recognized university
- Graduation with a B- graduating average or higher (70% graduating average or a ranking in the top third of the graduating class where number grades are not available)
- Under exceptional circumstances, consideration will be given to highly motivated individuals with relevant field experience who do not meet the B- requirement
- Applicants whose native languages do not include English must have achieved the required level of proficiency on one of the language proficiency tests listed on the School of Graduate Studies website.
For additional information on language requirements and how to apply, please see queensu.ca/sgs/prospective-students/how-apply.
Once you receive your admission email in the program, you will find information about how to apply for advanced standing using your Continuing Teacher Education Post-Graduate Certificate.
For BC Applicants
It is important for those taking the PME program with advanced standing and who are from BC to consult with their teacher qualifications service to be sure that being exempt from courses in the master's program still qualifies them for category upgrades. Students who are approved for advanced standing are only required to complete 8 out of the 10 courses but in some instances, your qualification service will not allow 8 courses but require 10 for a master's program. Please make sure you check with TQS and/or are aware of regulation 5.04, "where the content of one part of a program overlaps the content of a second program, the common portion shall not be counted twice in assigning a teacher's category. The TQS cannot split the credit used from a course between two programs". We do not deal directly with qualification services so we urge potential applicants or current students to do the research about what is required in terms of courses and degrees that would qualify them for potential category upgrades. Please contact TQS if you have any questions regarding this.
Graduates from our Professional Master of Education program normally receive higher teaching certification levels and increased salaries. Please check with your Board/Employer for details.