Master of Arts

Program Description

The Master of Arts in Child Study and Education Program is offered at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study, a centre of professional teacher training and research in childhood and education, which includes a Nursery through Grade 6 Laboratory School.

The philosophy of this program is based on the belief that successful teaching requires an understanding of how children’s capacities, concerns, and behaviour change with age, how individual differences reflect developmental changes, and how social and physical environments influence children’s development.

The program introduces students to educational and developmental theory and research relevant to educational settings, showing how this research can inform classroom practice. Students also learn how to objectively study children, using both practical assessment and formal methods of inquiry. These areas of knowledge combined with knowledge of effective teaching methods (such as an inquiry-based approach) and learning environments result in educational practices that build on children’s current levels of development.

The non-thesis program requires two years of full-time study leading to a Master of Arts degree. Graduates are recommended to the Ontario College of Teachers for a Certificate of Qualification, which qualifies the holder to teach in the primary and junior divisions (junior kindergarten to grade 6) of Ontario schools. Research is embedded throughout the courses and the program.

This program includes a field in Practice-Based Inquiry (PBI) in Psychology and Educational Practice.

Field: Practice-Based Inquiry (PBI) in Psychology and Educational Practice

The Practice-Based Inquiry (PBI) in Psychology and Educational Practice field of study is for those who wish to become classroom teachers and acquire the skills to continuously grow, improve, and lead. The field is based on the use of collaborative inquiry and data-based decision making to enhance teachers’ practice and student learning and success (working cooperatively with colleagues and using data and research findings to meet student needs). This field will provide a foundation in the use of a broad range of information sources to address questions of practice using an inquiry cycle.

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development's additional admission requirements stated below.

• An appropriate bachelor's degree (usually a four-year degree) with the equivalent of a University of Toronto mid-B or better in the final year.

• Applicants are also expected to have experience working with groups of children, preferably in responsible positions.

• Normally, an interview is required prior to admission.

• A satisfactory vulnerable sector screening (VSS) police check is required prior to having direct contact with students. Without proof of a satisfactory VSS, schools will not allow teacher education candidates to participate in practice teaching.

Program Requirements

• Coursework. Students must complete 11.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) including practicum placements and an internship as follows:

  • Year 1 — 7.0 FCEs as follows:

    • APD2200Y Child Study Foundations: Security, Wellbeing, Development, and Equity‬ (1.0 FCE).

    • APD2201Y Education Seminar I: Professional Practice, Critical Pedagogies, and Social Studies (1.0 FCE).

    • APD2210Y Introduction to Curriculum I: Core Areas (1.0 FCE).

    • APD2220Y Teaching Practicum (1.0 FCE).

    • APD2270Y Special Education and Adaptive Instruction (1.0 FCE).

    • APD1226H Foundations in Inquiry and Data-Based Decision Making (0.5 FCE).

    • 1.5 elective FCEs (equivalent to three half courses) chosen from among master's-level courses in the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development and, in some cases, other departments; to be completed during the Spring (May/June) and Summer (July/August) sessions.

    • Students without an undergraduate course in child development must take APD1201H Child and Adolescent Development (0.5 FCE) as an elective.

    • Eligible students registered in the Primary/Junior division who, in addition to an Ontario Teachers’ Certificate of Qualification, wish to pursue the French as a Second Language (FSL) qualification, must successfully complete the following requirements:

      • Pass an OISE French Proficiency Test prior to completing the following two courses.

      • Complete both CTL7200H Curriculum and Teaching in French as a Second Language — Primary/Junior and CTL3204H L’immersion française: enseignement et recherches within the elective space.

      • Complete one practicum placement in a French classroom following successful completion of the French Proficiency Test and both CTL7200H and CTL3204H.

    • Registration in Year 2 of the program is contingent upon successful completion of all Year 1 work.

  • Year 2 — 4.0 FCEs as follows:

    • APD2211H Language and Literacy: Understanding, Assessment, and Instruction (0.5 FCE).

    • APD2212H Mathematics Learning and Instruction (0.5 FCE).

    • APD2214H Arts Curriculum and Critical Pedagogies for Cross-Curricular Teaching (0.5 FCE).

    • APD2221Y Teaching Internship (1.0 FCE).

    • APD2222H Professional Practice: Enacting a Research-Informed Learning Cycle (0.5 FCE), taken during the internship session of Year 2.

    • APD2223H Professional Practice: Developing the Skills of Critical Friendship (0.5 FCE), taken during the academic session of Year 2.

    • APD2202H Education Seminar II: Current Issues in Teaching and Learning (0.5 FCE), taken during the internship session of Year 2.

Program Length

5 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S/F/W)

Time Limit

3 years full-time