Beginning in the 2011-2012 school year, students in the Faculty of Education’s bachelor of education (BEd) Concurrent program will be able to identify that they would like to “specialize,” within their existing program, in international education. Students who are eligible to earn the specialization will be those in the Faculty of Education’s bachelor of education Concurrent program and they may be studying to teach in any subject area and at any grade level.

This option responds to students’ interests in teaching in international locations after they have graduated with a BEd; it may help them to develop the skills and experiences that will prepare them to teach in an international location, yet it will still fulfill all of the Ontario degree and certification requirements. The specialization may also give potential students–particularly those who are interested in teaching internationally–an additional reason to select York University in which to study their BEd degree.

The specialization will be offered within the existing concurrent BEd degree offerings and requirements, but will allow students to “package” their courses and experiences in order to take a specific focus. The specialization will include:

1. Completion of a minimum of two internationally-focused three-credit elective courses including:
   • one or both of: ED/EDUC 2700 3.00, ED/EDUC 2710 3.00; or
   • one of the above courses and one of: ED/EDUC 3700 3.00, ED/EDUC 3710 3.00 or ED/EDUC 3730 3.00; or
   • up to six education elective credits that were earned as a part of an exchange or study abroad program in an internationally-located university or one of ED/EDUC 2700 3.00 or ED/EDUC 2710 3.00 and up to three education elective credits that were earned as a part of an exchange or study abroad program in an internationally-located university (total of six York credits).
2. Participation in at least one Faculty of Education program-based international experience, which includes one or more of the following: study abroad, exchange, summer internship or other internationally-based program offered through the Faculty of Education at York University, which extends for a period of one month or longer.
3. Participation in one or more internationally focused cocurricular activities, which equate to a minimum of 32 hours of work. Experience must be completed during the bachelor of education degree program at York University. (e.g. working as a Language Partner, as a member of the planning committee with the Faculty of Education Student Association’s International Mini-Conference).

The Concurrent bachelor of education specialization in international education will lead to a recommendation for certification with the Ontario College of Teachers.

Participation in the specialization in international education will require students to identify this as an area of specialization prior to graduating with their education degree. When students graduate from the Faculty of Education, they will be confirmed to have met all requirements. Upon confirmation from the International Education office, information will be directed to the undergraduate office in the Faculty of Education and a notation will be added to the students’ transcripts, indicating that a specialization has been completed.