Earn the academic qualifications you need to become a professionally certified teacher. Offered regionally in Terrace & Quesnel, UNBC’s Bachelor of Education (BEd) is a 5-semester, post-baccalaureate professional degree that provides you with the fundamental knowledge, skills, and introductory work experience to pursue your career as an educator.
Graduating candidates earn a BEd with the academic qualifications to apply for professional certification from the BC Teachers’ Council.
Degree: Bachelor of Education (BEd) - Grades K-7
Length of program: 20 months. Five consecutive semesters.
Campus: UNBC Northwest (Terrace), UNBC South-Central (Quesnel) and Prince Rupert
Experiential learning: Practicum sessions in Semesters 1, 2, 5 and 6
Credits: 60 total
Application deadline: January 15, 2025
Start date: September 2025
Program details
UNBC’s Teacher Education Program is guided by its signature pedagogy of “People, Place, and Land” and focuses on place-based, experiential in situ (on-site) learning. You will learn to apply your undergraduate degree to classrooms in B.C. schools. You will also focus on First Peoples Principles of Learning, Indigenous education, inclusive practices, assessment, and evaluation. As well as study topics such as Applied Design and Skills and Technology, and curriculum and instruction in different disciplinary areas or subject specialty.
BEd degree Elementary Years (Grades K-7) stream
The BEd program in Quesnel and Terrace offers the Elementary Years stream, which prepares teacher candidates to work with the unique learning needs of children who are beginning their school years. Successful applicants to the Elementary Years stream join a cohort of teacher candidates that normally begin and finish their program together.
Admission requirements
Students must complete prior post-secondary studies before they are eligible to apply to the Bachelor of Education program.
Elementary Years (Grades K-7) stream
- Three- or four-year degree OR 90 credit hours of university transferable coursework, including a minimum 60 credit hours in Arts, Sciences, or B.C. Schools' teachable fields, and a suite of specific requirements to meet the BC Teachers' Council Certification standards
- 2.33 GPA (C+ average) from most-recent 60 credits of transferable coursework
- Applicants must provide references and additional supplemental admission documents
- Those with a UNBC Education Diploma in a First Nations language and culture are also eligible to apply