Education
The Faculty of Education at Lakehead University offers a Master of Education program designed to meet your professional and academic goals and interests.
Our Master of Education (MEd) program provides you with a unique learning opportunity, which addresses the current landscape of both education and research. Our program consists of two distinct fields of study, Educational Studies and Education for Change.
Or Education for Change field provides an innovative learning experience that allows you to complete your Master's of Education with one of the following specializations:
- Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE)
- Indigenous Education (IE)
- Social Justice Education (SJE)
One of these may also be combined with the Gender and Women's Studies specialization.
Our Educational Studies field offers you the opportunity to earn your Master's of Education while studying educational research, theory, and practice in a variety of educational contexts, as well as the chance to specialize in Gerontology or Gender and Women's Studies.
Our MEd program is both flexible and responsive to the needs of education professionals. You can pursue either field of study via a Thesis, Portfolio, or Course route. Both fields of study accommodate a wide range of interests and are available for full-time or flex-time studies.
All class sizes are small, giving you the opportunity to interact with classmates, instructors, and other faculty members. Our Faculty members have expertise in a wide variety of areas; for more information about our faculty and their research areas, please see the Faculty and Staff page.
We are also the home of two Canada Research Chairs (in Environmental Education, Arts Integrated Research), the Centre for Place and Sustainability Studies, the Multi-Data Convergence Laboratory, and the Canadian Journal of Environmental Education.
Distance and On-Campus Courses
During the academic year, we offer courses both on campus and online. Fall and winter on campus courses are typically offered once per week for 12 weeks, although occasionally courses are offered with alternative scheduling such as a series of intensive Saturdays. Spring courses typically run for six weeks beginning the first week of May and summer courses typically run either on campus for the first three weeks of July or online for six weeks beginning in the first week of July.
MEd: Educational Studies
The Educational Studies field refers to a wide range of educational research, theory, and practice within formal, non-formal, and informal contexts. This is a dynamic field of study in areas such as educational sociology, philosophy, psychology, law, policy, leadership, measurement, assessment, and curriculum content areas such as mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies, to name a few.
MEd: Specializations
MEd: Education for Change: Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE)
ESE focuses on theory, research, and practices that analyze the cultural and ecological politics of sustainability and foster mutually flourishing relationships between humanity and the natural world. It includes approaches such as climate change pedagogy, ecopedagogy, environmental justice education, food education, humane education, outdoor education, and place-based education.
MEd: Education for Change: Indigenous Education (IE)
IE is grounded in Indigenous historical, philosophical, sociocultural, and political foundations and Indigenous research, protocols, and practices that focus on educational aspects of the politics of colonization and decolonization, honouring Indigenous knowledges and relationships to land, exploring Indigenous approaches to well-being, and revitalizing traditional worldviews and languages.
MEd: Education for Change: Social Justice Education (SJE)
SJE focuses on theory, research, and practices that analyse and address social forces both in and out of schools that perpetuate injustice and oppression, and includes approaches with diverse emphases such as anti-racist education, anti-classist education, fat pedagogy, feminist pedagogy, humane education, Indigenous education, inclusive education, and queer pedagogy.
MEd: Gerontology Specialization - Fall Intake Only
The Gerontology Program actively collaborates with the Faculty of Education to provide you with an innovative, interdisciplinary learning perspective. You have the opportunity to access multifaceted resources and work together with complementary disciplines.
Research and theory in Gerontology is reviewed, and the thesis or portfolio, where applicable, is taken in the collaborating academic unit and must have a gerontological focus.
For additional information on the Interdisciplinary Graduate Specialization in Gerontology, please visit the Gerontology page.
The Gerontology Specialization can be taken in the Educational Studies field.
MEd: Gender and Women's Studies Specialization - Fall Intake Only
The Department of Gender and Women's Studies at Lakehead University is dedicated to furthering an understanding of the importance of gender as a category of analysis in scholarly inquiry. Through interdisciplinary instruction, you will critically assess the relevance of existing models of knowledge in reflecting gendered experience and scholarship.
The aim of the program is to encourage the development and integration of gendered teaching, learning, and research within the university community and the community at large. This Collaborative Master's program allows students to combine advanced disciplinary research with gendered scholarship from the interdisciplinary field of Gender and Women's Studies.
Upon completion of the program, the degree awarded specifies the discipline of the participating academic unit and notes the Specialization in Gender and Women's Studies.
The Gender and Women's Studies specialization may be taken in the Educational Studies field or with a specialization in the Education for Change field.
For additional information on the Interdisciplinary Graduate Specialization in Gender and Women's Studies, please visit the Gender and Women's Studies page.
NOTE: Students completing the program as a full-time student must complete all requirements within six terms (2 years) of continuous registration. Students completing the program as a flex-time student must complete all requirements within twelve terms (4 years) of continuous registration as follows: six terms (2 years) of continuous full-time registration followed by up to six additional terms (2 years) of continuous registration, during which no fees are required.
Admission Requirements for Masters
Applicants for admission must be graduates of a recognized university, college, or institute as well as show evidence of scholarly achievement. Except where otherwise stated in the Admission Requirements of a particular program, degree students must have a four year bachelor's degree or its equivalent with at least second class standing (B) based on their last 20 half courses or equivalent.
For applicants from countries that follow a British-patterned grading system, please note:
- Overall standings are normally reported in lieu of an average. The CGPA can be determined on the basis of annual or overall standings as reported on the transcript or degree certificate.
- A minimum grade of B, or Second Class, Upper Division, is required.
- The National Diploma and Higher National Diploma are not recognized for admission to a graduate-level program.
- Be sure to include a copy of your institution grading scale when uploading your transcripts.
- An applicant holding a degree other than one in the discipline area to which admission is sought will be considered on the basis of courses taken and academic standing.
Meeting the minimum requirements does not necessarily guarantee admission. No candidate will be admitted unless the academic unit recommends admission. All applicants will be advised by the Office of Graduate Studies in writing of their admission status.
Program Specific Requirements
In addition to the general admission requirements for Master programs, the following minimum requirements also apply:
- An acceptable three year or four year Bachelor's degree and Bachelor of Education or equivalent, each with at least a second class standing (B) OR Two years professional experience and a minimum "B" average in a four-year Bachelor's degree or equivalent
- As an exception to the Faculty of Graduate Studies Master's Regulations regarding Proficiency in the English Language, the admission to the MEd program requires a higher standard. English is the primary language of communication and instruction in the program. Applicants from other countries who have not completed a degree at a university where the primary language of instruction is English must pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum internet-based score of 100, or minimum 250 computer-based score, or minimum 600 paper-based score, or an equivalent demonstration of proficiency.
- Academic References are now optional for our MEd program
- Applicants with an average between 70% and 75%, if accepted, are initially admitted to the course route. Once admitted, a student may request a transfer to the portfolio or thesis route. Requests must include a written confirmation from a full-time faculty member who is prepared to act as the student's thesis supervisor.
NOTE: Although the above requirements should be considered as normal minimum requirements for admission, equivalent qualifications may be considered. The University retains the right to select candidates and to limit enrolment in accordance with available resources
Academic Fees and Important Payment Information
Graduate Funding
At Lakehead University, we realize the importance of financial support for graduate students.
Therefore, financial assistance opportunities are available in several forms and are generally awarded to students by individual programs on the basis of academic promise and financial need.
The different funding options available include:
For your convenience, a searchable database of graduate scholarships, bursaries, and awards is provided below. Award eligibility, criteria, and application procedures for graduate funding is indicated for each award. Please use the general search tool to find available funding by program. Alternatively, you may also click the advanced search link to specify available funding by program level, award category and/or award amount.
Although financial support cannot be guaranteed to all graduate students in all programs, we encourage you to inquire about financial assistance with your Graduate Coordinator in your program of study. You may also contact the Graduate Funding Officer in the Faculty of Graduate Studies to learn more about your graduate funding options.
Conditions of Graduate Awards
Graduate scholarships are based on academic merit. Graduate bursaries are based on financial need, although there may be a merit component to the bursary. Where the award designates that an application is required, only those students who have submitted the specified application by the deadline will be considered for those awards. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered. Only successful applicants will be notified.
Recipients of scholarships, awards and bursaries must be registered in order to receive funding. Graduate awards are applied to any outstanding balance on the student's account. Students are entitled to their awards only after their fees are paid in full. Only students with credit account balances will be refunded the balance of the overpayment. Overpayment refunds of these awards will be issued at the end of September, January and May each year.
The University reserves the right to make changes without prior notice to the terms, conditions and award values listed in this section and in the University Calendar.
The most up-to-date internal awards and applications are on our new award system MyAwards
Graduate Studies Funding Database
Required Application Documents
Applicants for admission must be graduates of an accredited university, college, or institute as well as show evidence of scholarly achievement. Except where otherwise stated in the admission requirements of a particular program, domestic degree students must have a four year bachelor's degree or its equivalent with at least (B) based on their last 20 half courses or equivalent. We recommend that International applicants have an overall standing of Second Class - Upper Division or higher.
Meeting the minimum application requirements does not guarantee admission. The Faculty of Graduate Studies will advise all applicants in writing of admission decisions once they are received from the program. Applicants are encouraged to regularly monitor their Lakehead University email and application portal for the most current information.
The first step in the application process is to complete the online graduate studies application form.
After you have submitted the online form along with the required $125 CAD application fee, you will be provided with an online account where you can complete the remaining steps of the application process which include uploading the required supporting documents and monitoring the status of your application.
Click here to Apply to Graduate Studies
After you have applied
After you have submitted the online application form, you can access your account here. Any change in your application status will be reflected in this portal.
- References are optional for the MEd program; however, you will be able to upload reference letters in support of your application.
- For a list of program specific documents, please see this program's Additional Application Information section (if required, see above)
- For information about English test results, please see our Academic Calendar
Additional Application Information
- Students applying with two years of professional experience must submit a Resume
- To specialize in Gender and Women's Studies, you must complete the Gender and Women's Studies Collaborative Application Form (PDF Format) and submit it with your application