Please note:
To view the Spring 2024 Academic Calendar, go to www.sfu.ca/students/calendar/2024/spring.html.
Education Individual Program
The master of education (MEd) is a professional degree signifying advanced knowledge about and advanced training in educational practice. In exceptional cases, when no other regular master’s program can accommodate special interests, an applicant may propose an individual program.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must satisfy the University admission requirements as stated in Graduate General Regulations 1.3 in the SFU Calendar. In exceptional circumstances, applicants who do not meet these requirements may be considered if superior scholarly or professional achievement is demonstrated.
Admission is granted to a specific degree and to a particular program or specialization. Application information is available from the Faculty of Education.
Applicants will submit a proposal detailing the following
- the inquiry to be pursued for the master's thesis
- courses proposed and their sequence (called the plan of study and research)
- a rationale for how the proposed courses contribute to the master's thesis
- the program may contain a combination of up to 10 units of course work in Directed Readings and/or EDUC 811 or 812 Fieldwork
- an explanation of how the applicant's interests are not met by a regularly offered master's program
In addition to other criteria considered for admission, the director of graduate programs or designate will adjudicate the plan of study and research regarding availability of resources to support it and whether it can be completed in reasonable time.
Program Requirements
This program consists of 30 units of course work and a project for a minimum of 36 units.
The project is a study that may take a variety of different forms including a survey, case study, extended essay, curriculum development project inter alia; central to its character is a concern with the application of relevant academic knowledge to professional practice. The project should normally be completed and approved in two terms. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Students with credit for EDUC 889 cannot take this course for further credit.
The individual program's plan must be developed with, and approved by, a faculty sponsor who automatically becomes the supervisor of the master's project A second person suitably qualified in relation to the project joins the supervisory committee normally before the completion of the fourth course.
The project materially and substantially relates theory to practice, or systematically examines a significant problem in education.
Program Length
Students are expected to complete the program requirements within nine terms.
Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations
All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the Graduate General Regulations, as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled.