Graduate Diploma
Part-time
Asynchronous
Generally completed in 1 year, up to a maximum of 3 years
Online
This program does not include a funding package.
Our fully online, part-time, asynchronous Graduate Diploma in Education (GDE) program is designed for educators and other professionals who want to take their career to the next level.
Consisting of only 5 online courses, the Graduate Diploma in Education allows you to choose a specialization that aligns with your interests and career. The Graduate Diploma in Education is an excellent way to begin your online graduate studies experience and earn a graduate diploma.
Should you decide to continue on after you finish the Graduate Diploma, take an additional 5 courses to earn a Professional Master of Education.
Program Overview
- For educators and professionals: Designed for educators, administrators, and professionals with education or leadership responsibilities across sectors including schools, government, health sciences, business, engineering, social services, and the military.
- Flexible and fully online: Complete your studies part-time and asynchronously, with no scheduled lectures or required login times. Course materials and deadlines are provided at the start of each course so you can plan around work and life. Expect around 5-10 hours per week per course, depending on the course and your background.
- 5 courses, 1–3 years: Complete 5 online courses, including a concentration (3 courses) (ANCHOR LINK).
- Practical, engaging coursework: Connect educational theory and research to professional practice through discussions, presentations, videos, case studies, professional resources, and inquiry projects.
- Build your career: Graduates pursue roles in educational leadership, administration, curriculum, consulting, policy, corporate training, and leadership across a range of sectors.
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The Graduate Diploma in Education and the Professional Master of Education are both about developing professional leadership and applying educational theory to practice. If you are keen to begin your Professional Master of Education, you can apply directly to the program.
If you would like to try a shorter program before committing to the Master of Education, you can begin with the Graduate Diploma of Education (5 courses) and then move onto the Professional Master of Education (an additional 5 courses) right after. The first year of the Professional Master of Education is the same as the Graduate Diploma in Education.
Admissions
All graduate program applications are made through the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs website starting in September for admission the following year.
| Program Start | Application Deadline | Admission Decision |
| September | April 1 | May 31 |
| January | August 1 | October 15 |
| July | February 1 | March 31 |
Application Deadline Notes
Deadlines are firm. Your application is only complete once we’ve received all required documents, including transcripts and references.
- Give yourself a head start. Submit your application at least one week before the deadline to give your referees time to submit their references.
You do not need a Bachelor of Education to apply to the Professional Master of Education.
- 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 obtain a minimum English language requirement of 580 or higher on the paper-based TOEFL exam; 237 Computer-based; 88 on the TOEFL iBT test or IELTS Band 7 or higher
The PME program requires two references. Professional references are preferred, where possible. Applicants may submit two professional references, one academic and one professional reference, or two academic references.
A professional reference should be from an employer or workplace supervisor to whom you report, rather than a colleague. All references should speak to your ability to undertake graduate-level work in the PME program.
References must be current. Photocopied or reused letters, including letters dated more than one year before the application deadline, will not be accepted.
When completing your online application, you will provide the name and email address of each reference. After you submit your application, each reference will receive a secure link to complete an online reference form.
We recommend submitting your application at least one week before the deadline to give your references time to complete their recommendations.
If a reference does not receive the link, ask them to check their junk folder or contact sgsapp@queensu.ca.
If you are a Queen's alumnus, there is no need to provide or upload your Queen's transcripts.
Transcripts can be emailed to sgspa.reception@queensu.ca or mailed to:
School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs
Queen's University
Gordon Hall Room 425
74 Union Street
Kingston, Ontario
Canada K7L 3N6
During the application process, you will be asked which concentration (ANCHOR) you would like to enrol in. The Admissions Committee reviews your requested concentration and rationale as part of the review process.
Program Structure
The Graduate Diploma in Education consists of five courses:
- A concentration which consists of three courses
- Two elective courses
In the Assessment & Evaluation concentration, students explore how various data sources can be used systematically to inform learning and improvement efforts in classrooms, schools, systems, programs, and organizations. Students completing this specialization gain an appreciation of quality assessment and evaluation as the foundation for meaningful evidence-informed decision-making and develop practical skills that can be applied across diverse professional contexts. The courses in this concentration are:
Classroom Specialist
In the Classroom Specialist concentration, students explore and develop innovative curriculum practices intended to support integrated and authentic learning within and beyond the classroom. Students completing this specialization gain a greater appreciation for their role as creators and facilitators of learning experiences as well as the philosophical underpinnings guiding their decision-making practices within the classroom. The courses in this concentration are:
In the Educational Administration concentration, students explore change management in educational organizations and the impacts of funding models, policy, and politics on educational administrators and stakeholders. Students completing this specialization develop an appreciation for evidence-informed administrative decision-making that supports student, institution, and community success and well-being. The courses in this concentration are:
In the Global Education concentration, students take an in-depth look at the community and climate of international education. Students completing this specialization gain a greater appreciation for the many voices and stakeholders at play when education attempts to meet the needs of a global community. The courses in this concentration are:
In the Indigenous Education concentration, students explore Indigenous approaches to education, leadership, and knowledge; the history of Indigenous education policy; models for Indigenous education in Canada; and the diversity of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas. Students completing this specialization gain greater cultural awareness and appreciation, develop an understanding of the need to decolonize pedagogy, adopt policies that build towards education for reconciliation, and acquire Indigenous language teaching methodologies. The courses in this concentration are:
In the Literacy Education concentration, students explore literacy development theories, components of literacy, and research-based literacy interventions. Students completing this specialization develop an in-depth understanding of the roles and responsibilities of instructional leaders in literacy, how literacy interventions can be implemented to meet a diverse range of student needs, and how the success of these interventions is measured. The courses in this concentration are:
Students choose 5 elective courses from the following list:
- Up to 5 courses outside their chosen Concentration
- GDE/PME 800 Self-Regulated Inquiry and Learning
- GDE/PME 801 Cultivating Creativity
- GDE/PME 803 Organizational Leadership (recommended for Educational Administration Concentration)
- GDE/PME 810 Integrated Planning, Instruction, and Assessment
- GDE/PME 811 Innovation in Teaching and Learning
- GDE/PME 813 Knowledge Translation and Mobilization
- GDE/PME 815 Digital Literacy
- GDE/PME 870 AI in Learning Environments
- PME 878 Experiential Practice in Education