Indigenous Teacher Education Program

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The Indigenous Teacher Education Program (ITEP) provides an opportunity for teacher candidates to specialize in Indigenous education and qualifies graduates for Ontario College of Teachers certification.

We have an on-campus and a community-based (blended) option for this program - find out more about the differences

Application Process

Selection of Consecutive Education teacher candidates is based on the application requirements in TEAS Requirements for  Queen's as well as the supplemental documents submitted to Student Services. Applicants must meet the requirements for Primary-Junior and/or Intermediate-Senior.

Selection of Concurrent Education teacher candidates is based on their application made in December of year 4.

How to Apply

ITEP Logo Overview

  • Offered to Concurrent Education students in their final year as well as Consecutive Education teacher candidates.
  • Especially suited to both Indigenous (Status, non-Status, or Métis) and non-Indigenous students with a university degree who are interested in Indigenous education. Non-Indigenous students are also invited to apply, but priority is given to Indigenous applicants.
  • 4 successive terms, starting in May and ending in August the following year. Queen's graduates are out into the job market early.
  • For both Primary-Junior (JK-Grade 6) and Intermediate-Senior (Grades 7-12).
  • Courses include Indigenous perspectives, balancing Indigenous-specific and student-centred learning with knowledge of the teaching/learning process, and research on Indigenous education.
  • Learning opportunities include: Indigenous-specific programming, application of Indigenous perspectives and world view to theory and practice, problem solving with peers, review of Indigenous and other curriculum resources, and supervised teaching in a First Nations or provincial schools.
  • Indigenous students have access to our Elder-in-Residence and ITEP office for additional support.

Courses and Practicum

In addition to the required curriculum courses of the regular program, all PJ and IS ITEP teacher candidates are required to take specific courses in Indigenous Teacher Education. See the Academic Calendar for degree requirements and course descriptions.

Regular Practicum placements mean that you will work alongside other education professionals in classrooms for 21 weeks: one component in the first summer (3 weeks); two components in the fall (3 weeks and 4 weeks); one component in the winter term (4 weeks) followed by an alternative practicum (3 weeks); and one component in the second summer (4 weeks). Candidates in the ITEP program normally complete the winter term (4 week) practicum in a First Nations School or school that has a large Indigenous population. The winter term practicum must be completed with Queen’s designated catchment area, or an approved setting outside the catchment area.

The practicum blocks take place in schools within the designated catchment area, which includes 26 boards spanning from Burlington to Cornwall. You will complete a practicum registration where you select four different potential school boards for placement.

The three-week Alternative Practicum offers an opportunity to gain experience in a concentration and placements are typically completed outside the public school system. The alternative practicum may be completed in the candidate's home community area where possible. You can do the Alternative Practicum anywhere in the world as long as it is related to your program. There are travel fellowships available that can help you get there.

ITEP Campus-based Events

Throughout the academic year the Indigenous Teacher Education Program hosts and/or partners with Indigenous organizations to bring events that support and educate about Indigenous education. Examples of these events are provided below.

  • Indigenous Education Resource Fair
  • Indigenous Speakers Series

Finance Your Studies

Queen's Student Awards provides charts with guidelines for costs that Teacher Candidates may incur, including education and basic living expenses. The amount it costs to attend Queen's will depend somewhat on the choices you make, which will affect your budget (such as where your extended practicum and/or alternative practicum is located).

For information on financial assistance please contact Queen's Student Awards. The Indigenous Teacher Education Program Office also has information on their webpage funding and fee payment for Indigenous students. 

For most entrance awards, all eligible candidates will be considered automatically. Most of these awards are based on academics. Visit the Student Awards Website to learn more.

Award Title Description
J. Bolton and Kathleen Slack Scholarship Awarded on the basis of academic excellence to students entering the consecutive Bachelor of Education program in the Faculty of Education.
Milton Frederick Pummell Scholarships Two entrance scholarships are to be awarded on the basis of excellent teaching-related experience and academic standing to teacher candidates entering the consecutive Bachelor of Education program in the Primary-Junior option.
Paul Park Scholarship Established to encourage students entering the Faculty of Education to teach in the fields of Mathematics, Science and Technological Education. Up to 10 scholarships are to be awarded on the basis of academic excellence.
Senator Frank Carrel Upper Year Scholarships Up to ten scholarships are to be awarded on the basis of general proficiency to candidates who for at least one year at the time of their application have been and remain domiciled in the Province of Quebec.
John R. McCarthy Scholarship
(Application Required)
Awarded to a student who has graduated with at least second-class standing from either a three-year or four-year degree program in the Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen's University who is normally domiciled in Ontario and will be enrolling in the Faculty of Education at Queen's University in the fall session immediately following graduation.

Students who are currently registered at Queen's University in the Faculty of Education can apply/nominate for the following awards.

Award Title Description
Indigenous Teacher Education Practicum Award Awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need and academic achievement to part-time or full-time students in the Diploma or Bachelor of Education programs in the Faculty of Education wishing to broaden their studies through a practicum placement within a First Nations school or provincial school.
Bamji International Practicum Placement Award Awarded on the basis of financial need and academic achievement to support a final year full-time Concurrent Education student in the Faculty of Education, wishing to broaden their studies in the international environment through and alternative placement.
Charles Martyn Elliott and Kathleen Mead Elliott Award for Travel Fellowships in Education Elliott Travel Fellowships for study outside Canada in the field of teacher education, pedagogy, or a related field are awarded to students enrolled in the Faculty of Education. In order to be eligible for this award, applicants must demonstrate financial need.
The Hajee Family Travel Fellowships in Education Awarded on the basis of financial need and academic achievement to full-time students in teacher education or graduate programs in the Faculty of Education wishing to broaden their studies through an alternative practicum placement or research project in Africa.
Rose A. Freeman Memorial Award It is given to a graduate student Teaching Assistant in the Faculty of Education who directly contributes to the learning experience of Bachelor of Education (ConEd, BEd, DipEd) students through exhibiting outstanding commitment to the value of learning, availability to students, good organizational skills, and motivation.
Upitis International Study Award Awarded annually to full-time students in teacher education and graduate programs enrolled in any Faculty of Education program wishing to broaden their studies in the international environment through an alternative placement.

Students who are currently registered at Queen's University in the Faculty of Education can apply for the following external awards.

Award Title Description
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO/FEEO) Faculty of Education Award
(Application Required)
Awarded by ETFO/FEEO to a student at a publicly-funded university/institution in Ontario, during the final year of their teacher training. The deadline to submit your application to ETFO/FEEO is April 30.
F.D. Sawyer Memorial Award, Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO)
(Application Required)
The FD Sawyer Memorial Award was established in the memory of Frank D Sawyer, who was a member of the Provincial Executive during some of its most stirring years from 1952 to 1959 and President of OSSTF in 1954. At the time of his death in 1960 he was principal of Petrolia District High School. Frank Sawyer's great contribution to Federation lay in his ability to discover the basic issues in the many difficulties which arose in teacher-board relationships during his term of office and in his having a sense of humour in periods of crisis. The OSSTF/FEESO Faculty of Education Award, valued at $1,000 annually, shall be awarded to a graduating Intermediate/Senior or Technological Studies teacher candidate.
Margaret Craig Education Award
(Application Required)

This award is be presented annually by the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Nu Chapter, on the basis of merit and need, to a female student who:

  • is enrolled for full time attendance in the final year* of an approved education program leading to a degree, or diploma (*final-year Concurrent or Consecutive Education teacher candidates);
  • demonstrates outstanding ability as a potential educator.

The deadline to submit your application to the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, Nu Chapter, Scholarship and Awards Committee is December 1. You can find more information and the application on OnQ under BEd >> Awards >> Margaret Craig Education Award

OMLTA Helen G. Mitchell Award

This award is granted annually by the Ontario Modern Language Teachers Association (OMLTA) to honour students graduating from a pre-service Modern Language program in Ontario Faculties of Education. The candidate must exemplify the attributes of a potentially outstanding Classical/FSL/International Language teacher. Nominations must only be submitted by the language instructor at the Faculty of Education; no applications are required from teacher candidates.

Phyliss M. Beatty Memorial Award
(Application Required)
This award will be granted annually by the Ontario Alpha Delta Kappa Lambda Chapter to a female teacher candidate who is graduating from the Faculty of Education at Queen's University, and is a graduate of a high school in the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board. The deadline to submit your application August 31.

Students currently registered at Queen's University in the Faculty of Education may be nominated for the following graduation awards.

Award Title Description
A. Lorne Cassidy Award Awarded to the graduating student who best displays outstanding talents and interests in the education of exceptional children during their program of study at the Faculty of Education.
Chiltern Way Academy Scholarship The Chiltern Way Academy Scholarship in Exceptional Education is awarded to the graduating student on the basis of academic excellence in Exceptional Education.
L.W. Copp Award Awarded to the student graduating from the Primary-Junior stream with high overall achievement and who demonstrates the qualities of an exemplary primary educator.
Frank J. Fowler Award Awarded to the student graduating from the Primary-Junior stream who best demonstrates the qualities of an exemplary primary educator.
D. E. Loney Prize Awarded to the graduating Technological Education student who has shown the most outstanding qualities of character and scholarship and demonstrated potential as a teacher.
Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) Scholarships Awarded to the graduating student who has demonstrated academic excellence in one or more of the courses preparing candidates to teach in Ontario Roman Catholic Schools: EDST 456, A Study of the Religious Education Program in the Roman Catholic Schools of Ontario; FOUN 416, Catholic Education.
John Deakin Buckley Walton Excellence in Student Teaching Award Awarded to the student graduating in the Intermediate-Secondary stream or Technological Education who has demonstrated excellence in student teaching.
John Watson Award Awarded to the graduating student in the Primary-Junior stream who has demonstrated excellence in student teaching.

Contact Us

For more information regarding admission, please contact Student Services.

For information regarding the program, please contact the Indigenous Teacher Education Program Office 1-800-862-6701

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