Child Study and Education

Program Overview

Child Study and Education has two programs (MA [Teaching] and EdD) offered by the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development (APHD) at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Students who complete the MA in Child Study and Education are recommended to the Ontario College of Teachers for a Certificate of Qualification, which qualifies the holder to teach in the primary and junior divisions (junior kindergarten to grade 6) of Ontario schools.

Jackman ICS is a centre of professional teacher training and research in childhood and education, which includes an award-winning nursery-through-Grade-6 Laboratory School. Emphasis on the child and development, special education, wellbeing, and the early years frame the Child Study and Education program. Our aim is to provide knowledge, practical skills, and awareness to meet the needs of diverse learners, schools, and systems.

Globally renowned Jackman ICS faculty teach the majority of program courses. Laboratory School teachers supervise MA practicum placements and internships in their classrooms, making direct links between research and practice. Other APHD faculty teach elective courses; students in the CSE programs thus profit from participating in a research-oriented department.


Quick Facts

Domestic International
Application deadline MA:

Fall 2024 entry

15-Nov-2023

EdD:

Not accepting applications for Fall 2023 entry

Next intake will be for Fall 2024 entry

MA:

Fall 2024 entry

15-Nov-2023

EdD:

Not accepting applications for Fall 2023 entry

Next intake will be for Fall 2024 entry

Minimum admission average MA:

Mid-B

EdD:

B+ in final year of bachelor’s; A-minus average in Master’s

MA:

Mid-B

EdD:

B+ in final year of bachelor’s; A-minus average in Master’s

Is a supervisor identified before or after admission? EdD:

Before

EdD:

Before

Is a supervisor assigned by the graduate unit or secured by the applicant? EdD:

Graduate unit

EdD:

Graduate unit


Master of Arts

Program Description

The Master of Arts in Child Study and Education Program is offered at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study, a centre of professional teacher training and research in childhood and education, which includes a Nursery through Grade 6 Laboratory School.

The philosophy of this program is based on the belief that successful teaching requires an understanding of how children’s capacities, concerns, and behaviour change with age, how individual differences reflect developmental changes, and how social and physical environments influence children’s development.

The program introduces students to educational and developmental theory and research relevant to educational settings, showing how this research can inform classroom practice. Students also learn how to objectively study children, using both practical assessment and formal methods of inquiry. These areas of knowledge combined with knowledge of effective teaching methods (such as an inquiry-based approach) and learning environments result in educational practices that build on children’s current levels of development.

The non-thesis program requires two years of full-time study leading to a Master of Arts degree. Graduates are recommended to the Ontario College of Teachers for a Certificate of Qualification, which qualifies the holder to teach in the primary and junior divisions (junior kindergarten to grade 6) of Ontario schools. Research is embedded throughout the courses and the program.

This program includes a field in Practice-Based Inquiry (PBI) in Psychology and Educational Practice.

Field: Practice-Based Inquiry (PBI) in Psychology and Educational Practice

The Practice-Based Inquiry (PBI) in Psychology and Educational Practice field of study is for those who wish to become classroom teachers and acquire the skills to continuously grow, improve, and lead. The field is based on the use of collaborative inquiry and data-based decision making to enhance teachers’ practice and student learning and success (working cooperatively with colleagues and using data and research findings to meet student needs). This field will provide a foundation in the use of a broad range of information sources to address questions of practice using an inquiry cycle.

Minimum Admission Requirements

  • Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development's additional admission requirements stated below.

  • An appropriate bachelor's degree (usually a four-year degree) with the equivalent of a University of Toronto mid-B or better in the final year.

  • Applicants are also expected to have experience working with groups of children, preferably in responsible positions.

  • Normally, an interview is required prior to admission.

  • A satisfactory vulnerable sector screening (VSS) police check is required prior to having direct contact with students. Without proof of a satisfactory VSS, schools will not allow teacher education candidates to participate in practice teaching.

Program Requirements

  • Coursework. Students must complete 11.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) including practicum placements and an internship as follows:

    • Year 1 — 7.0 FCEs as follows:

      • APD2200Y Child Study Foundations: Security, Wellbeing, Development, and Equity‬ (1.0 FCE).

      • APD2201Y Education Seminar I: Professional Practice, Critical Pedagogies, and Social Studies (1.0 FCE).

      • APD2210Y Introduction to Curriculum I: Core Areas (1.0 FCE).

      • APD2220Y Teaching Practicum (1.0 FCE).

      • APD2270Y Special Education and Adaptive Instruction (1.0 FCE).

      • APD1226H Foundations in Inquiry and Data-Based Decision Making (0.5 FCE).

      • 1.5 elective FCEs (equivalent to three half courses) chosen from among master's-level courses in the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development and, in some cases, other departments; to be completed during the Spring (May/June) and Summer (July/August) sessions.

      • Students without an undergraduate course in child development must take APD1201H Child and Adolescent Development (0.5 FCE) as an elective.

      • Eligible students registered in the Primary/Junior division who, in addition to an Ontario Teachers’ Certificate of Qualification, wish to pursue the French as a Second Language (FSL) qualification, must successfully complete the following requirements:

        • Pass an OISE French Proficiency Test prior to completing the following two courses.

        • Complete both CTL7200H Curriculum and Teaching in French as a Second Language — Primary/Junior and CTL3204H L’immersion française: enseignement et recherches within the elective space.

        • Complete one practicum placement in a French classroom following successful completion of the French Proficiency Test and both CTL7200H and CTL3204H.

      • Registration in Year 2 of the program is contingent upon successful completion of all Year 1 work.

    • Year 2 — 4.0 FCEs as follows:

      • APD2211H Language and Literacy: Understanding, Assessment, and Instruction (0.5 FCE).

      • APD2212H Mathematics Learning and Instruction (0.5 FCE).

      • APD2214H Arts Curriculum and Critical Pedagogies for Cross-Curricular Teaching (0.5 FCE).

      • APD2221Y Teaching Internship (1.0 FCE).

      • APD2222H Professional Practice: Enacting a Research-Informed Learning Cycle (0.5 FCE), taken during the internship session of Year 2.

      • APD2223H Professional Practice: Developing the Skills of Critical Friendship (0.5 FCE), taken during the academic session of Year 2.

      • APD2202H Education Seminar II: Current Issues in Teaching and Learning (0.5 FCE), taken during the internship session of Year 2.

Program Length

5 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S/F/W)

Time Limit

3 years full-time

Doctor of Education

Admissions have been administratively suspended. (See amendment made on September 19, 2023.) The next intake for this program will be Fall 2025. Applications for the EdD in Child Study and Education for the 2025-26 admissions cycle are set to open in early October 2024.

Program Description

This professional doctorate is designed to prepare professionals working in the field of education (or a highly related area) to extend their professional knowledge and practice to further develop their ability to be scholar-practitioners within child study. This program aims to provide practitioners with an advanced degree to enable them to engage in innovation, advanced professional practice, and understand how the field of child study can inform decision making in multiple contexts including the classroom.

This degree is designed for practitioners who are working within contexts in which children are served or supported and/or with individuals who support or guide those who work with children (for example, parents, families, and teachers).

The Doctor of Education (EdD) program is only available on a full-time basis.

Delivery options: Although not all elective courses are offered in each modality, students may be able to complete the EdD degree program through one of two delivery modes:

  • in-person (students will mainly complete their coursework and other program requirements in-person, with up to one-third of their coursework online); and
  • hybrid (students will experience a mix of modes of engagement, with some of their coursework and other program requirements in-person and between one-third and two-thirds of their coursework online) depending on their choice of emphases and elective courses.

Note: students should consult with their faculty advisor and/or graduate liaison officer regarding available options.

Minimum Admission Requirements

  • Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the additional admission requirements of the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development stated below. Please note that applicants will be accepted into this degree program every other year.
  • A master’s degree: an MA or MEd degree in Education (for example, Master of Arts in Child Study and Education, Master of Education degree, Master of Teaching degree) with high academic standing (equivalent to a B+ or better) from a recognized university. Applicants with master’s degrees in other disciplines may be eligible to apply for admission, but may have to complete additional courses in developmental psychology and/or child study.
  • Letter of Intent: applicants must submit a well-written letter of intent in which they highlight their research interests, provide some insight into the problem of practice they are currently wishing to address, and describe their professional experiences and how these relate to their research interests and proposed problem of practice.
  • Normally applicants will have in-depth work experience (i.e., normally a minimum of 3 years of current or recent work experience) in an education-related field within a school or community setting. They should be able to identify how their work environment would be able to support and facilitate their research related to their problem of practice, which is a major outcome of this degree.
  • A letter from an employer supporting the potential candidate’s goals and ability to conduct their applied research within the school or community setting is required.
  • Applicants who hold an MEd or other non-thesis master’s degree must submit evidence of their ability to identify a research question or problem, to design and conduct a research study or project, and to report the findings or results, all in a rigorous manner. This constitutes a Qualifying Research Paper (QRP) or Major Research Paper (MRP). Applicants who do not have a QRP or MRP must provide a writing sample that highlights their ability to write clearly and analytically about issues in education and/or child study. Examples include a single authored master’s-level course paper, a policy document, or a professional publication.
  • An interview may be required prior to admission.

Program Requirements

  • Coursework. Students must complete a minimum of 4.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:
    • APD3301H Issues in Child Study and Education: Research, Policy, and Problems of Practice (RM) (0.5 FCE).
    • APD3302H Advanced Study of Critical Issues in Special Education, Mental Health, and Child Security (0.5 FCE).
    • APD3303H Advanced Study of Tools and Research Methods for Investigating Problems of Practice: Data-Driven Research for Decision-Making (0.5 FCE).
    • APD3304H Research Proposal Development (RM) (0.5 FCE).
    • Two half courses (1.0 FCE) from one of the three emphases: 1) Early Learning and Early Years; 2) Mental Health and Wellbeing; or 3) Special Education. See details on each emphasis below.
    • Research Methods course (select from the list of available research methods courses) (0.5 FCE).
    • APD3305H Systems and Organizational Change (0.5 FCE).
  • Students will have successfully reached candidacy once their thesis committee is formed and formal approval of the thesis proposal has been given by the committee.
  • The thesis (Dissertation in Practice) is the culminating component of the Doctor of Education degree in Child Study and Education that shall include an identification and investigation of a problem of practice, the application of theory and research to problems of practice and/or policy and a design for implementation of ideas arising. Specifically, the thesis (Dissertation in Practice) consists of original research in the form of a written proposal or plan for innovative and impactful educational policy, guideline, advocacy, development project, or activism within an education-related field, aimed at improving practice at local, regional, national, or international levels.
  • Students are full-time and must maintain continuous, full-time registration and pay full-time fees until all degree requirements, including the thesis (Dissertation in Practice), are completed.
  • Students cannot transfer between the EdD and PhD programs.

Program Length

4 years full-time

Time Limit

6 years

Emphasis: Early Learning and Early Years

This emphasis will allow students to take specialized courses which address social emotional wellbeing in the early years. This emphasis is designed to help students gain a deeper understanding and expertise in early learning and early years while also integrating their knowledge and understanding of special education, security, and child and youth wellbeing.

  • Coursework. From the following course list, EdD students must successfully complete 1.0 full-course equivalent (FCE), which is counted towards the total FCEs required for the student's degree program:

    • APD1211H, APD1249H, APD1272H, APD1280H, APD1286H, APD3273H.

Upon successful completion of the emphasis requirements and degree requirements, students may make a request to the CSE Program Administrator to have the emphasis noted on the student transcript. This request must be made before graduation. A course can only be applied to the requirements of a single emphasis.

 

Emphasis: Mental Health and Wellbeing

This emphasis will allow students to take specialized courses which address the mental health of children and/or youth in various settings including the classroom as well as delve into issues of risk and resilience and culture. This emphasis is designed to help students gain a deeper understanding of and expertise in special education, security, and child and youth wellbeing.

  • Coursework. From the following course list, EdD students must successfully complete 1.0 full-course equivalent (FCE), which is counted towards the total FCEs required for the student's degree program:

    • APD1236H, APD1256H, APD1279H, APD1295H, APD1297H, APD3221H.

Upon successful completion of the emphasis requirements and degree requirements, students may make a request to the CSE Program Administrator to have the emphasis noted on the student transcript. This request must be made before graduation. A course can only be applied to the requirements of a single emphasis.

 

Emphasis: Special Education

This emphasis will allow students to take specialized courses that delve into specific domains of special education. This emphasis is designed to help students gain a deeper understanding of and expertise in special education while also considering issues pertaining to security and child and youth wellbeing.

  • Coursework. From the following course list, EdD students must successfully complete 1.0 full-course equivalent (FCE), which is counted towards the total FCEs required for the student's degree program:

    • APD1271H, APD1285H, APD1296H, APD2275H, APD2296H.

Upon successful completion of the emphasis requirements and degree requirements, students may make a request to the CSE Program Administrator to have the emphasis noted on the student transcript. This request must be made before graduation. A course can only be applied to the requirements of a single emphasis.