Frequently Asked Questions
Admission
Transferring Credits from Other Institutions
Pre-requisites
Location, frequency of courses
Individual Courses
Teacher Qualification Services
A. How do I register?
To become a SETS student, please submit the following to the Registration Centre:
1. A Completed Admission Form. Applicants must enclose a $100 non-refundable application fee. There is no need to include transcripts at the time of application.
2. Please include a copy of your BCCT Membership card or BC Teaching Certificate with your application;
Admitted students will receive communication from the Registration Centre upon acceptance to the program. Priority registration may apply to any offering.
B. Do I have to register for the Diploma if I only want to take one course?
1. You can take any course offered through this program. However, you must complete all courses successfully in order to receive the Teacher Professional Upgrading Post-Degree Diploma.
II. Transferring Credits from other institutions
A. I'd like to transfer courses from other universities. How do I do this?
1. In order to get credit for work done in other post secondary institutions, you will need to submit the following to Elisabeth Kroeker (elisabeth.kroeker@viu.ca):
- a letter stating your request
- university transcripts
- outlines of each of the courses that you would like to have considered.
Process:
Your request will be reviewed by the program coordinator and/or instructors that teach the course. They will then make a recommendation to the Education Appeals Committee who will be in contact with you regarding their decision.
Eligible Courses:
Only upper level courses that have been taken outside of your undergraduate degree, and have not been counted towards any other diploma or degree will be eligible
B. Can I get credit for courses that are not part of your diploma program?
1. There are 6 credits that are open to a variety of topics of interest. Upper level courses taken at other institutions that deal with the topic of Special Education can be considered for this.
A. What are the pre-requisites in order for me to enter this program?
1. Students must hold an undergraduate degree, be certified by the College of Teachers, and preferably currently work within the school system.
2. Skills and knowledge in current classroom management, literacy and numeracy practices.
There are prerequisites for EDPD 592 Norm and Criterion Referenced Assessment. Please see the Course Description for prerequisite information. Priority registration may be given to SETS students with 12 or more SETS credits.
A. Do I have to take the courses in a specific sequence in order to complete the program?
1. You can take the courses in any order with the exception of courses that require pre-requisites. In order to complete the Teacher Professional Upgrading Post-Degree Diploma, you must complete all six required courses and one elective.
B. How long can I take to complete this program?
1. You have up to 5 years to complete this program
C. How do I know when I'm ready to graduate?
1. Graduation application procedures:
- Review the Graduation Matrix in order to ascertain whether you have the required courses and electives. You must have completed all the courses in white boxes (either new or previous) and have completed at least one course from the grey boxes.
- If you think you meet the requirements, follow this link: http://www.viu.ca/forms/AppDiplomaCertificate.pdf#search='application%20for%20graduation'
- Fill out the top half of the form and fax it to the Faculty of Education at 250-740-6463.
Applications are reviewed by the dean. Successful applicants will receive a diploma via Canada Post within six weeks.
A. Will this count towards my TQS Category Five Plus?
1. This Diploma program will provide you with 21 credits. Please check with TQS directly to verify what you will need in order to qualify for TQS Category Five Plus.
B. Do I need to get this pre-approved with TQS?
1. This Teacher Professional Upgrading Post-Degree Diploma is recognized by TQS, and will cover 21 of the 30 credits required for your TQS Category Five Plus. For more information go to http://www.tqs.bc.ca/
VI. Location, frequency of courses
A. Is this program possible for teachers working full time?
1. Yes, courses usually take place on Friday evenings and/or Saturdays. There are summer intensives, which are offered full-time over two or three weeks.
B. Where are the classes held?
1. Classes are held at a variety of different locations on Vancouver Island. Please refer to Schedule of Upcoming Courses for specific course locations & dates.
A. When are the courses offered?
1. Courses are offered throughout the year on Saturdays, and during the summer months for weekly sessions. See our Schedule of Upcoming Courses & Summer Conferences
B. I only need to take the Level B assessment course, will it be offered again?
1. EDPD 592 Norm & Criterion Referenced Assessment is typically offered once a year. Please see the Course Description for prerequisite information. Priority registration may be given to SETS students with 12 or more SETS credits.
C. I am attending a summer institute and wish to use this towards. credit, can I do this?
1. In order to qualify, please submit information about the summer institute to the program coordinator for approval. Once you have attended the approved institute, you may apply for EDPD 582. You will be assigned a mentor to work with you on designing a project using what you learned in the institute.