Applications/Admissions

OISE cannot undertake to recommend for admission every applicant who meets the minimum admission requirements.

Changes to Fees

At the time of compilation of this Bulletin, the 2024-25 fees schedule has not yet been established; the amounts quoted in the Fees section are from the 2023-24 schedule. The University reserves the right to alter the fees and other charges described in this Bulletin.

Changes in Programs of Study and/or Courses

The programs of study that our Bulletin lists and describes are available for the year(s) to which the Bulletin applies. They may not necessarily be available in later years. If the University or OISE must change the content of programs of study or withdraw them, all reasonable possible advance notice and alternative instruction will be given. The University will not, however, be liable for any loss, damages, or other expenses that such changes might cause.

For each program of study offered by the University through OISE, the courses necessary to complete the minimum requirements of the program will be made available annually. We must, however, reserve the right to change the content of courses, instructors and instructional assignments, enrollment limitations, prerequisites and co-requisites, grading policies, requirements for promotion and timetables without prior notice.

Conditions of Admission

Detailed information about satisfying conditions of admission is included in the Newly Admitted Students (Satisfy Your Conditions of Admissions) website. 

All conditions of admission are stated on the offer letter. Examples are completion of a current program with a specific average and confirmation of degree conferred, presentation of original bachelor’s and/or master’s diplomas, and satisfactory completion of a Qualifying Research Paper (QRP) or submission of a master’s paper/thesis for review.

It is a new student’s responsibility to clear all conditions as soon as possible. Documents to satisfy a condition must be received in the Registrar's Office and Student Experience by August 31, 2024.

All conditions must be satisfied before final registration is permitted. However, students are allowed to enroll in courses and register (pay tuition fees) when conditions of admission are not yet fulfilled. When every condition of admission has been cleared, an "All Conditions Satisfied" e-mail will be sent to the new student.

If all conditions are not fulfilled, course enrolment and registration will be cancelled and the student will not be permitted to continue in the program. Possible future admission is not guaranteed and requires reapplication (of the application fee and any supplementary fees, and submission of supporting documents).).

Most conditions require submission of an official transcript. Two formats are acceptable: 1) a secure electronic record; 2) a paper record received in a sealed envelope, signed/stamped by the issuing institution. For international credentials, an electronic or paper record sent directly by World Education Services (WES) may also be acceptable. Review "Satisfy Your Conditions of Admission" website for specific information.

Continuity of Registration

Regulations concerning the degrees below are detailed in the University of Toronto School of Graduate Studies Calendar (section 6.1.8).

Doctoral Students

All doctoral students must register continuously until all degree requirements have been fulfilled.

EdD students commence their EdD degree full-time and must maintain continuous registration. For SJE EdD only, students may commence their EdD degree part-time and must maintain continuous registration but a minimum of one year of full-time study is required. Once enrolled full- time, SJE EdD students must maintain full-time continuous registration and pay the full-time fee until all degree requirements have been completed.

PhD students must register continuously and pay the full-time fee until all degree requirements have been fulfilled.

NOTE 1: Flexible-time PhD students may request permission to continue as part-time students at the end of the minimum period of 4 years of full- time study.

NOTE 2: Students cannot transfer between the EdD degree and PhD degree.

Master's Students

Full-time master's students undertaking a degree that requires a comprehensive examination/requirement, Major Research Paper, or Thesis, must continue to register on a full-time basis and pay the full-time fee once they have completed the defined Program Length or have begun their last required course (whichever comes first), until all degree requirements have been completed. Program Length establishes the Minimum Degree Fee, which must be paid before graduation. Refer to the Fees section for more information.

If full-time master's students wish to change to part-time status, the change must be requested for the Fall/Winter session before they begin their final session of the defined Program Length or before they begin their last required course, whichever comes first (restrictions may apply). If the last required course is taken in the Summer session, a change to part-time status must have been made for the previous Winter session.  Students will be required to maintain continuous registration and to pay part-time fees until all degree requirements have been completed. A change of status in the Summer does not affect a student’s status in the following Fall/Winter session.

Part-time master’s students register in those sessions in which they are completing course requirements for the degree. Once they have begun their last required course, these students must register annually and pay the part-time fee until all other requirements have been completed. All requirements for the degree must be satisfactorily completed within the published time limit. 

Course Changes and Course Completion

The deadlines for adding and dropping courses for the Fall, Winter and Summer sessions are listed in the Sessional Dates and Deadlines section. Students should pay special attention to these. After these deadlines, no changes can be made. Should a student not continue in the course, the course itself will remain on the record (transcript) and may result in a failure or a Withdrawal (WDR) notation. Should a student continue in the course but not complete the requirements for the course, the course itself will remain on the record (transcript) and will receive the grade that has been earned. If a student has incomplete or failed courses, other courses must be added to fulfill the degree requirements.

The deadlines by which grades must be submitted are also listed in the Sessional Dates and Deadlines section.  These dates are mandatory.

They represent the dates on which the grades are due in the OISE Registrar's Office and Student Experience, Registration Team. Please note that sufficient time must be allowed for the instructor to grade students’ papers in order to comply with these dates. The deadline for submission of papers will therefore be determined by the instructor.

NOTES:

1. A request for an extension beyond the final deadlines will only be considered in extenuating circumstances.
2. Throughout a degree program at OISE, it is the student's responsibility to ensure that the OISE Registrar's Office and Student Experience, Registration Team, is notified by the appropriate dates of any changes in courses and of any other relevant information concerning their program of study.

Course Deadlines, Prerequisites, Limits

Students should note the deadline for course enrollment (see Sessional Dates and Deadlines section). Certain courses have enrollment limits, as well as prerequisites and course enrollment restrictions, with the result that it will not always be possible for students to enroll in their first choice of course.

Course Numbering Explained

Most courses are offered as half-courses, identified by an H following the course number. Full courses are identified by a Y after the course number. At the time of publication, the actual session in which a course is to be offered is not known.

The three-letter course prefixes indicate the OISE department with which they are identified (see below).

• APD:  Applied Psychology and Human Development
• CTL:  Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
• SJE:  Social Justice Education
• LHA:  Leadership, Higher and Adult Education

Prior to 2013-14, OISE Graduate courses were prefixed with AEC, CTL (still in use), HDP, SES and TPS. Between 2013-14 and Winter 2015, courses offered by the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences & Social Justice Education were prefixed HSJ. Prior to the 1998 Summer session, OISE graduate courses were prefixed with EDT.

Joint courses

Indicated by the following three-letter prefix: JOI 

Collaborative Specialization

Indicated by the following prefixes: 

• CIE -  Comparative, International and Developmental Education (CIDE)
• EDP - Educational Policy (EP)
• WPL- Workplace Learning and Social Change (WLSC)
• CRE - Education, Francophonies and Diversity.

Course Number Series

Students should refer to departmental listings for information on master's and doctoral course number series.

Course Selection for Continuing MA, MT, MEd, EdD and PhD Students

Course selection information for the 2024 Summer session was available in mid-March 2024, with course selection beginning March 20, 2024. The 2024 Fall session and the 2024 Winter session course list will be available the first week of July 2024 on the Registrar's Office and Student Experience website, with course selection beginning approximately a week after release of the course timetable.

Students should select courses as early as possible by using the web service on  ACORN.  

NOTES:

1. To request enrollment in courses that require the instructor's approval or are extra to your program of study, submit a completed Course Add/Drop Form to the Registrar's Office and Student Experience, Registration Team.
2. Course selection does not constitute official registration in programs or courses. Your tuition fees must be paid to complete the process.
3. If you are unable to get into the courses of your choice, you might consider attending the first class to speak to the instructor regarding possible enrollment in the course.

Public Health Emergencies

While the OISE Bulletin provides detailed information about our programs, courses, descriptions, policies, fees and financial support, changes may occur with regards to sessional dates and other procedures in response to health and safety emergencies. The University reserves the right to alter the manner in which it delivers its courses, co-curricular opportunities, programs and services in accordance with university policies.

Criminal Record Report

School Board Requirements

Teacher candidates at OISE will have periods of placement in schools that are a required part of their program and certification. Before permitting teacher candidates into a classroom, all schools/school boards require proof of a satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Police Screening (VSS). Vulnerable Sector Screening is not a requirement of the University of Toronto or OISE, but it is a requirement of the schools/school boards, and teacher candidates will not be permitted into a school without it. 

Students should refer to the Registrar's Office and Student Experience website about Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) for procedures. Please note that it can take up to three months to obtain the VSS.

The Ontario College of Teachers Certification

The Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) is responsible for the licensing and regulation of the teaching profession in the public interest.  In order to provide increased protection for elementary and secondary students in Ontario schools and to help to ensure that teachers are worthy of the trust placed in them, by students, parents and colleagues, the College requires that all new teacher education graduates who will be applicants for OCT membership and teacher certification (O.T.C. of Q.), provide original documentation of police record checks and an Applicant’s Declaration about their suitability for registration. Note that the report is valid for six months only. Questions regarding a police record check that might prevent meeting this teacher certification requirement should be directed to:

The Ontario College of Teachers
Telephone: 416-961-8800
Website:  www.oct.ca

Definitions

AQ:  Additional Qualifications for Educators
MRP: Major Research Paper
QRP: Qualifying Research Paper
SGS:  School of Graduate Studies
ROSI: Repository of Student Information (Now called ROSI Alumni Transcripts)
ACORN: University of Toronto's student information service and hub

Flexible-time PhD

OISE offers flexible-time PhD degree programs which differ from the regular full-time PhD degree programs in design, delivery, and funding. Please consult the School of Graduate Studies Calendar, and the departmental program sections in this Bulletin for further details.

Full-Time/Part-Time Course Load

Full-Time

Six half-courses ordinarily constitute a full-time program of study in the Fall and Winter Sessions (typically three in each session). Each half-course normally meets for twelve weeks of three-hour classes per week. A full course normally meets weekly for two academic sessions.

Two half-courses constitute a full-time program of study in the Summer session - May/June and July/August (one half-course in each Summer term). Each half-course normally meets for six hours a week.

Part-Time

Two half-courses ordinarily constitute a part-time program of study in the Fall and Winter sessions (one in each session). Each half-course normally meets for twelve weeks of three-hour classes per week. A full course normally meets weekly for two academic sessions.

One half-course constitutes a part-time program of study in the Summer session (one half-course in either May/June OR July/August). Each half-course normally meets for six hours a week.

NOTE: Students wishing to change their status must submit a written request to the Registrar's Office and Student Experience, Registration Team. Counselling Psychology students in the Counselling and Psychotherapy field and the Guidance and Counselling field must obtain APHD Department permission for status changes. Restrictions may apply.

Grade Reports

Grades will be available on ACORN. Please refer to the Sessional Dates and Deadlines section in this Bulletin for further information.

Individual Reading and Research Courses

Individual Reading and Research Courses can be arranged between a student and a faculty member with expertise in a very specific area of the student's interest not covered in the regular course offerings. When an Individual Reading and Research Course is undertaken for graduate credit, it must be supervised and evaluated by a member of OISE’s graduate faculty. An Individual Reading and Research (IRR) Course form, which includes a course description and a rationale explaining the relevance of the course to the individual degree program, must be completed and approved by the student's home department and then submitted to the Registrar’s Office and Student Experience, Registration team. Links to the form can be found on https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/home/current-students/student-forms.

OISE graduate programs restrict the maximum number of IRR courses that a student can take based on the total required number of courses within their program, as follows:

• 6 or 7 half-courses required: maximum 2 IRR courses (0.5 credit each for a max of 1.0 credit)
• 8 to 11 half-course required: maximum 3 IRR courses (0.5 credit each for a max of 1.5 credits)
• 12 or more half-courses required: maximum 4 IRR courses (0.5 credit each for a max of 2.0 credits)
   

The dates by which completed and approved forms must be received by the Registrar’s Office and Student Experience are listed in the Sessional Dates and Deadlines section.)

Online Education and Delivery Options

Some OISE programs offer online and/or hybrid courses as modes of delivery. For courses with an online component, students must have regular access to a computer with internet. Students should consult their faculty advisor and/or Graduate Liaison Officer regarding available hybrid and/or online course options.

Program requirements are the same for online and in-person courses. Please refer to the departmental program sections in this Bulletin.

Students who have selected online sections of courses by the deadline will receive details about dates and times of classes before the beginning of the course. Ensure that your U of T email is updated on ACORN so that information can be sent. Students are urged to select courses by the deadline. Courses may be cancelled if enrollment is low.

Personal Time Off

Graduate students in programs that are longer than 12 months may take up to 15 personal days off each academic year (September to August) to support their wellbeing and mental and physical health. Personal time off is in addition to statutory holidays and days designated as University’s closures or holidays. However, the OISE mid-Winter break is included towards the 15 days of personal time off.

• MA, PhD, and EdD programs: Timing of personal time off will be scheduled in consultation with your supervisor to ensure that it does not interfere with your coursework or grant/scholarship application deadlines. 
• MEd programs: Timing of personal time off can be flexible, as long as it does not interfere with your coursework and other program requirements.
• MA-CSE and MT programs:  Due to the structured nature of these programs and the practicum schedule, personal time off will be limited to the OISE mid-Winter break.

Please visit the SGS Understanding Personal Time Off page to learn more about the specific details of the SGS Personal Time Off policy.

Repeating Passed Courses

Students may not repeat any course in which they have already obtained credit (a mark of B- or higher/P/CR). Refer to section 7.4 of the School of Graduate Studies Calendar for information regarding the Satisfactory Completion of Graduate Courses.

Research Methodology Courses

OISE has a great deal of expertise in the area of qualitative, quantitative and mixed research methodology. We offer a wide variety of research methodology courses through our various programs that range from introductory to advanced levels. We also offer courses that are specific to a particular topic or discipline. Many programs require students to take one or more methodology courses to complete their program of study. It is the student’s responsibility to understand the requirements for their program. In some cases, it may be possible to take a research methodology course in another program or department to fulfill their program requirements but students should consult with their supervisor or faculty advisor before enrolling in any course outside of their program. Research methodology courses are identified by an [RM] in the courses listed for each program.

Special Topics Courses

Each department also offers Special Topics courses in specific areas not already covered in regular course offerings.

Students Requesting Consideration Due to Illness or Injury

Students who experience illness or injury and are requesting consideration are required to submit the relevant student form to OISE's Registrar’s Office and Student Experience (ROSE). Guidance for completion is included on the form itself. 

OISE students requesting consideration are asked to arrange an appointment with an advisor in the ROSE (email: oise.registration@utoronto.ca).

Study in Summer Session

During each term of the Summer session (May/June and July-August), students eligible to register full-time may take two half-courses.

Part- time students may take a maximum of one half-course in the Summer session, one in either the first term (May/June) OR one in the second term (July/August).

All PhD students, and EdD students who have completed one-year of full-time study, will register for the Fall, Winter and Summer sessions when they register in September. (NOTE: Part-time EdD students are automatically registered for the Summer session if they were registered for both the Fall and Winter sessions.)

Travaux et thèses en français

La plupart des cours offerts à OISE sont en anglais. Cependant, une spécialisation conjointe Éducation, francophonies et diversité, offerte au niveau des études supérieures, offre ses cours en français, sur place et/ou à distance.

De plus, tous les étudiants et étudiantes inscrits à OISE peuvent remettre leurs travaux en français en prenant les dispositions nécessaires auprès des professeures et professeurs dont les noms apparaissent plus bas. Nous recommandons cependant aux étudiantes et étudiants de rencontrer ces professeures et professeurs au préalable pour en discuter, s’ils ou elles souhaitent remettre leurs travaux en français.

Les professeures et professeurs qui peuvent recevoir des travaux en français à OISE sont :

Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning: 
A. Cavalcante, A. Gagné, T. Goldstein, N. Labrie, E. Piccardo, E. Le Pichon-Vorstman, M-P. Lory, K. Rehner, J. Steele
 
Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development
M. Ferrari, J. Pelletier
 
Department of Social Justice Education
L. Bialystok, D. Farmer, A. Madibbo
 
Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education
E. Lavigne

Transcripts

There is a service fee of $18 for each copy of a transcript of record. The service fee is subject to change. Transcripts will not be issued for students with outstanding financial obligations to the University.

Transcripts may be ordered online from ACORN or in-person at the University Registrar’s Office, 172 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5R 0A3.

Exception:

• The Additional Qualification Program for Educators (including the Principals' Qualification Program)
  Requests for AQ Records of Learning (2017 and onwards) should be made to the OISE Continuing and Professional Learning Office.
   
• Requests for AQ Transcripts for studies previous to 2017 should be made to:
  Email: transcripts.oise@utoronto.ca
  OISE Registrar's Office and Student Experience

Withdrawal From an OISE Degree Program

To permanently withdraw from an OISE degree program, students must submit the Program Withdrawal Form, signed by the Department, along with their student card, to the Registration Team of the Registrar's Office and Student Experience.  Permanent withdrawal is a decision taken voluntarily by the student and is not subject to appeal. A rebate of fees, if any, will be determined by the date on which written notification of withdrawal is received by the Registrar's Office and Student Experience. Application for re-admission by a student who has withdrawn will be considered in competition with all other applicants.

Official Correspondence with Students

The University and its divisions may use the postal mail system and/or electronic message services (e.g., e-mail and other computer-based online correspondence systems) as mechanisms for delivering official correspondence to students.

Official correspondence may include, but is not limited to, application for admission result notification, matters related to students’ participation in their academic programs, important information concerning University and program scheduling, fees information, and other matters concerning the administration and governance of the University.

Postal Addresses and Electronic Mail Accounts

Students are responsible for maintaining and advising the University, on ACORN of a current and valid postal address as well as the address for a University-issued e-mail account that meets a standard of service set by the Vice- President and Provost.

Failure to do so may result in a student missing important information and will not be considered an acceptable rationale for failing to receive official correspondence from the University.

University Rights and Responsibilities Regarding Official Correspondence

The University provides centrally-supported technical services and the infrastructure to make electronic mail and/or on-line communications systems available to students. University correspondence delivered by electronic mail is subject to the same public information, privacy and records retention requirements and policies as are other university correspondence and student records. The University’s expectations concerning use of information and communication technology are articulated in the guidelines on Appropriate Use of Information and Communication Technology. 

Students’ Rights and Responsibilities Regarding Retrieval of Official Correspondence

​Students are expected to monitor and retrieve their mail, including e-mail account(s) issued to them by the University, on a frequent and consistent basis. Students have the responsibility to recognize that certain communications may be time-critical. Students have the right to forward their University-issued electronic mail account to another electronic mail service provider address but remain responsible for ensuring that all University electronic message communication sent to the official University-issued account is received and read.