Majoring in Education in Canada

What knowledge and skills do students learn in the Canadian education major?

With the learning and practical experience obtained in this major, an education degree can provide you with a set of subject-specific skills. These skills also help you gain a complete knowledge system for the field of education, including:

• A certain amount of teaching experience
• Awareness of current social issues;
• Understanding of current educational theoretical research;
• Understanding of Canadian school culture and the education industry;
• Knowledge of the professional responsibilities of teachers;
• Ownership of various effective communication skills;
• Understanding of the process and dynamics of course development;
• Awareness of different learning styles;

This major usually requires internship/co-op experience as a necessary condition for graduation. Most employers also consider work experience or internship experience as one of the most important considerations hiring.
We have repeatedly emphasized the importance of internship experience in other articles, because during the internship, you can:

• Observe and personally participate in daily teaching in a school environment;
• Interact with students of different ages;
• Have the opportunity to test your understanding of the principles;
• Promote and participate in the research on current and local issues in education;
• Have a perceptual understanding of how to become a teacher;
• Gain ideas on how you are connected with the social, cultural and political environment of education in your community;

Employment prospects of Canadian graduates in the education major

》Education industry in Canada

Most graduates in education become teachers or enter education-related industries.

》The education industry outside of Canada

At present, many private schools in China have a huge demand for foreign English teachers (or graduates who have experience studying abroad), because these schools and students need more than to learn the English language; they are also eager to learn about foreign cultures. If you studied abroad in North America and received a degree in education, and you have a certain amount of teaching experience, then there are many well-paid jobs waiting for you in China.
Another option, which can be a good side job, is tutoring. No matter what the subject is (especially English), there are always students who need additional tutoring. One-on-one tutoring can fill the voids of the current public education system, and at the same time create a considerable income for yourself.
Tutoring is also a form of online education.iResearch, a research firm specializing in the Internet industry in China, expects the online English tutoring market in China to reach a profit of $8 billion by next year.

》Surrounding industries outside of the education sector

Whether in Canada or China, the interesting thing about the education industry is that there is an entire peripheral industrial chain around schools, colleges, and universities. When applying for a job in Canada, one area worth considering is the admissions office of each school. Obviously, a person who has spent some time in high school/university has learned how to communicate with students; but with a degree in education, there is higher potential to becoming a successful admissions officer. In addition, some government programs with direct relations to education are also good places to find jobs in the field.
These industries include:

• International student recruitment agencies
• Textbook publishing houses
• Student media companies
• Media companies for teachers

Job description of a teacher

As most graduates of education majors become teachers, let’s have a look at the job duties of high school teachers

• Prepare lessons and teach according to approved courses;
• Use lectures, discussions, audiovisual and media presentations, laboratory research and field research to teach middle school students;
• Assign, review and grade homework;
• Assess student progress and discuss results with school officials and parents;
• Determine the individual needs of students where applicable;
• Participate in staff meetings, education meetings and teacher training workshops;
• May require participation in the supervision of student teachers;
• Ensuring that students’ behavior conforms to the school’s code of conduct

Salary of education graduates: The decisive factors & annual income

As an education graduate, the salary may vary greatly, usually depending on the following factors:

• Education level (Bachelor, Graduate, etc.)
• Whether you end up in the education industry
• Whether you have a professional title
• Amount of work experience accumulated
• The size and type of company
• Employment location
• Soft skills (such as English proficiency)
• Your establishment of a social network
• Certificates (for example: if you want to be engaged in the Special Education, you need to have relevant certificates)

According to PayScale, the average annual salary of an entry-level education coordinator in Canada is $61,772 CAD, and the lower-end salary is at $39,601.

According to PayScale's data, the average annual salary of an entry-level education coordinator in Canada is $44,394 CAD, and the lower-end salary is at $29,951.

The best schools for the education major in Canada

According tohere is are the 2017 rankings of the most popular university programs in Canada:，排名前10的学校有：
1、 University of Toronto（Education major at the University of Toronto): The studies in education department is indeed well-known, and far surpasses other education departments, whether comparing its educational research, curriculum setting, academic level of tutors and students, or financial strength, this department very strong. Undergraduate admission requirements: average mark above 80%, your high school graduation examination, college entrance examination results (if you cannot provide college entrance examination results; submit a letter stating the reasons, a copy of your three-year high school award certificate, class ranking, the university acceptance rate of your school’s graduates); TOEFL 100, no less than 22 in writing; IELTS 6.5, no less than 6.0 in each section.
2、UBC（University of British Columbia Education Major ）：
3、 University of Alberta（Education major): The University of Alberta is located in Edmonton, the capital city of Alberta, Canada. The school’s is famous for its elementary education major. After completing the program, you can get a bachelor’s degree in education and will be recommended to obtain teacher certification in Alberta.
4、McGill University（Education Major ): McGill University, regarded as Canada's "Tsinghua-Peking," is located in Montreal, Canada's second largest city.
5、 Queen’s University（Education Major): This is the second oldest university in Ontario, famous for its humanities, arts, education, law and other majors.
6、 University of Ottawa（Education Major): They offer a two-year program. There is an abundant variation of learning tasks during the period of study -- not only in academic aspects, but also in personal, social and professional aspects. At the end of program, you will know how to innovate teaching and become a true education professional. After graduation, graduates can assume teaching and researching roles in schools, hold positions in various departments of a school, become school representatives, work in language schools in Canada (such as CultureWorks, CLLC, etc.) or language centres of universities.
7、 Simon Fraser University（Education Major): SFU's Department of Education a global leader in research, academic and advanced knowledge and concepts, focusing on teaching practice and learning experience. Simon Fraser University offers a Master of Education -- Educational Leadership program that combines the true needs of students with the needs of a society, a country and the world for the type of educational talent needed. Every student learns in a multicultural environment. While studying in teaching theory courses, they integrate into the Canadian education systems and participate in its practice. In addition, this program also provides academic, English language learning, and support for international students.
8、 University of Victoria（Education major): Its education program emphasizes on the guidance and support of students, which will help them to pursue leadership positions in the education field sooner. This program will also help students to pursue a solid research career. Students who complete this program will be eligible to be accredited by the Education Students' Association.
9、 University of Calgary（Education Major)
10、 Université de Montréal (Education Major): University of Montreal is the largest French school in the world.