Master of Education (MEd)

Working with our outstanding researchers and experts in education, you will develop innovative research, writing, teaching, and leadership skills. Our MEd program gives you the flexibility to choose your research focus. We offer a diverse range of courses and, as a researcher in our community, you will have opportunities to engage in outreach initiatives in the community and in local, national, and international partnerships. 

Research with us!

Research Expertise

Our faculty brings together diverse perspectives on education and fosters multidisciplinary expertise in the following areas:

  • Arts Education
  • Assessment and Evaluation
  • Curriculum Studies
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Exceptionalities
  • History and Philosophy of Education
  • Indigenous Education and Land-Based Learning 
  • International Education
  • Language and Literacy
  • Leadership and Policy Studies
  • Math, Science, and Technology in Education
  • Outdoor Education
  • Social Justice and Inclusion

Overview

  • Flexible degree pathways: Choose a research-based thesis (6 courses + thesis) or practice-driven project (8 courses + project).
  • Timetable that fits your life: Choose between full-time study (funding available) or part-time study. 
  • Course structure: Our courses are seminar style and consist of 36 instructional hours.
  • Courses that interest you: Psychology of Exceptionalities, Indigenous Languages Revitalization, Gender & Sexuality in Education, Decolonizing and Indigenous Research, Creativity in Educational Research, Teaching in the Anthropocene, Improving the Art of Teaching, Development of Language and Literacy, Culture, Power, and Knowledge: Looking to Possibility, Social Inequity in Education: A Global Perspective. You can find course descriptions on the School of Graduate Studies calendar.
  • Support and guidance: You will be provided with an academic advisor and supervisor to support your progress and success in the program. Many academic, writing, career, and collaborative workshops are offered. 
  • Engage with new communities: Check out our optional internship opportunity that helps you gain experience with new communities of practice and enhance your skills through field application.
  • Gain teaching and research experience: Graduate students have the opportunity to teach in our Bachelor of Education programs or research with our faculty. As a teaching assistant or research assistant you can gain experience and funding.
  • Join an active research community: As part of your MEd, you will be immersed in an active research community with opportunities to work in research groups and attend academic conferences.

How to Apply

Applications to all graduate programs are made through the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affair website starting in September for admission the following year. 

Admission Requirements

  • Professional experience, a BEd degree or its equivalent, and a minimum of a B- (70-72.9%) average in a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent, or
  • Two years professional or industrial experience, and a minimum of a B- average in a Bachelor's Honours degree or its equivalent, or
  • BEd degree, and a minimum of a mid-B (73-76.9%) average in a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent

Application Information

Completed applications (including submission of transcripts and references) are due by January 15. Students are considered for September admission. We strongly encourage applicants to reach out to potential supervisors

Late applications will be accepted from domestic applicants until April 15, including the submission of all supporting documentation, if there is space remaining in the program. This extension does not apply to international applicants.

To be competitive for admission to the MEd program, applicants who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada must provide evidence of:

  • Successful completion of a four-year undergraduate degree program related to the field of education with no less than a grade point average of “A” or 85%.
  • Two or more years of full-time professional experience in the field of education.
  • Have research interests in an area that matches the core faculty research interests at the Faculty of Education. Please clearly indicate in your online application why you consider the Faculty to be a good fit to pursue your proposed research.
  • At Queen's University English is the language of instruction and communication. Proficiency in English is, therefore, a prerequisite for admission. Applicants whose first language is not English or who have not recently studied for at least one complete year at a post-secondary institution where English is the official language of instruction, will be required to obtain satisfactory results in an English language proficiency test, as part of the application process, and before their application will be considered complete.

Language Testing Requirements

Please note that only the School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs (SGSPA) at Queen’s University can grant an exemption to the English language proficiency requirements. Please direct these requests to the Director of Admissions, School of Graduate Studies. 

For details and English language proficiency requirements, please refer to the SGSPA website.

Helpful links for international students

Tuition & student fees

If you are interested in taking a graduate course without registering for a program, you can apply for Special Student Admission. To receive permission to take a graduate course as a Special Student, application must be made to and reviewed by the Faculty of Education and then approved by the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. Please contact the Graduate Studies & Research Office to request an application form.

Application Deadlines for Special Student Admission

Term Application Deadline
September  July 31
January October 31
July May 15

If the application deadline falls on a weekend, the deadline will be the following Monday. These deadlines are firm and include the submission of all supporting documentation. 

For additional information, see: Graduate Studies Calendar: Special Student Admission.

English is the language of instruction at Queen’s University and applicants who are non-native speakers of English must have achieved the required level of proficiency on one of the tests of English language listed below.

  1. The Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based. Required test scores: 580 (paper-based) / 237 (computer-based) / 92 Internet-based). To be competitive applicants should also achieve a minimum of 4.5 on the Test of Written English (TWE).
  2. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Required test scores: a minimum of Band 7.

Additional information on language proficiency tests is available on the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Applicants are responsible for all arrangements and costs associated with completing the English Facility test.

Our Faculty brings together diverse perspectives on education, fostering multidisciplinary expertise with an active collaborative research community. Our research leads to new knowledge and understandings of teaching and learning, and progressive changes in educational policies and practices.

Financing Your Studies

Funding Packages

Funding packages are awarded to students based on academic merit and they may consist of a combination of the following: scholarships, fellowships, external awards the student may bring with them, internal awards, research assistantships or teaching assistantships.

There is no minimum guarantee for MEd students; however, funding packages may range from $7,000 - $10,000 per year (first five terms).

Normally, if students apply for and successfully obtain a teaching or research assistantship the average funding for eligible MEd students is approximately $10,000 per year.

Minimum funding offers are communicated to applicants when they receive an offer of admission.

Tuition, Fees and Costs

Information on tuition, fees and costs as well as the financial support offered to graduate students from the University and external agencies is provided by the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs:

Awards

There are a number of internal awards available to our MEd students including travel fellowships and awards. 

Teaching Assistant

Graduate students who want to be considered for a teaching assistant position as part of their funding package are required to apply for one or more of the postings listed under Work at Queen's.