About Our Teacher Education Program
Western’s Teacher Education program offers you choice and allows you to spend as much time working in the field as studying on our campus.
Choose a stream that prepares you to teach a specific grade range, as well as a specialty area that tailors your studies to your personal and professional interests.
Choose where you want to do your practicum and build relationships with the school board where you want to work.
Western’s Initial Teacher Education program is now completed over 16 months. The first 8 months are delivered in person on our campus, followed by 8 months of online (synchronous + asynchronous) instruction. Practicum components remain in person throughout the program.
Program Codes
E10 – Primary/Junior
E11 – French as a Second Language Primary/Junior
E20 – Junior/Intermediate
E30 – Intermediate/Senior
Key Dates
December 1, 2025, is the deadline for the following:
- The OUAC must receive your application and online transcript requests (for Ontario institutions). We cannot consider late applications. Visit How to Apply for the most up-to-date information, important deadlines and Casper registration links and dates.
- You will need your OUAC/TEAS Reference Number to sign up for Casper.
- Transcripts must be submitted. Select the “Send Immediately” option when you order your transcripts through your TEAS application.
- We are unable to evaluate transcripts ordered “at the end of the fall term”, as this is a late submission.
- The OUAC must receive your TEAS application fee and Western’s non‑refundable $80 supplementary fee, if you are paying by electronic payment.
- You may submit a maximum of 2 applications to the Western Teacher Education Program.
- If you have courses on your undergraduate or graduate degree transcripts that are not obviously related to the required teaching subjects or elementary school general academic areas, you must submit course descriptions to the Office of the Registrar at Western University for the courses to be considered during the evaluation process.
- Copy course descriptions directly from the granting institution’s academic calendar. We reserve the right to accept or deny any course submitted for consideration.
- Submit your TEAS application as soon as possible. It will take up to 2 weeks for Western to receive your application, create your login credentials for your Western Student Center and provide further instructions. You will be able to go back and make edits in your TEAS application after you submit it.
- No experience profile or reference letter is required.
You may not make amendments to program or teaching subject selections after the application deadline.
Admission Requirements
Minimum Requirements for the Teacher Education (BEd) Programs
You must meet the following conditions when you apply to the Faculty of Education:
- For admission in September 2026, you must complete your program of study from an acceptable undergraduate degree program at an accredited university by August 31, 2026. Your degree must be conferred by fall 2026.
- You must have a minimum average of 70% in your best 10 full undergraduate courses (or the equivalent) at the time you apply. Additionally, if you are applying to Junior/Intermediate or Intermediate/Senior, you must have a minimum average of 70% in the courses supporting your teaching subjects. We do not accept transfer credits from colleges or CEGEPs.
- However, if you are applying from the Honours Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership (ECL) program at Fanshawe College (which includes 2 years at an accredited college and 2 years in the ECL program), you will only need a minimum of 5.0 full or equivalent degree-level credits at the time you apply. Additionally, you must have achieved a minimum of 70% in your best 5.0 credits and be on track to graduate from the program before the admission intake.
- We give preference if you have attained a 4‑year degree or completed at least 20 full credits (or the equivalent).
- We cannot include courses taken after August 2025 in the calculation of averages, but we will count these courses in support of program requirements. List these and other courses taken to meet final degree requirements in your TEAS application by the application deadline.
Transcripts
You must submit transcripts by the application deadline, or within 5 business days of your application being acknowledged by Western, whichever is later.
Transcripts are required for all postsecondary institutions you have attended, including Letter of Permission and exchange coursework. Ensure that you report all institutions you have attended in your TEAS application.
After you apply (typically within 5 business days after Western receives your TEAS application), you will receive an email with your Western Student Number and step-by-step instructions on how to access your Western Student Center. Your Student Center will provide you with your personalized To Do List, which indicates the status of any academic documentation required to evaluate your application.
Transcript Instructions:
- If you attended an Ontario university, you must order transcripts using a TEAS online transcript request in your application, selecting the “Send Immediately” option for delivery.
- If you attended university outside of Ontario, but within North America, obtain an official copy of your transcript and upload it following the instructions on your personalized To Do List in your Western Student Center for initial assessment.
- Wait for your email and follow all instructions within your Western Student Center.
- Official documents are required prior to entering the program.
- If you attended an international university and/or an international exchange program, you must submit transcripts to World Education Services (WES).
- Be sure to select “Western University – Undergraduate Admissions” as the recipient and the “WES – Course-by-Course” evaluation to be sent by electronic delivery.
- Note: The WES evaluation process can be lengthy, and it is your responsibility to ensure the documentation arrives on time. We recommend that you submit required documentation to WES as soon as possible.
- We may add transcript requests (including WES evaluations) to your Western Student Center To Do List if additional institutions are noted on your transcripts during our evaluation (Letter of Permission, exchange, etc.). Ensure you report all education in your TEAS application.
- If you attended Western University, you do not need to order or send Western transcripts; however, Western students must order transcripts for institutions attended prior to attending Western, while on an exchange program during enrollment at Western or after completion of a Western degree.
Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (Casper)
To be considered for admission, you must complete Casper, a 100- to 120-minute online, computer-based assessment. Casper is designed to evaluate the interpersonal abilities and professional characteristics essential for success in the BEd program.
To register for the CASPer test, select CSP-20209 – Canadian Teacher’s Education – After Degree test.
Testing occurs outside of the TEAS application process. You will need your OUAC/TEAS Reference Number, which you will receive after you submit your TEAS application, and a government-issued ID to register. We cannot consider your application until your Casper registration is confirmed.
Do not wait until the December 1, 2025, deadline to submit your TEAS application, as you must allow 48 hours before the last Casper testing date to register for that mandatory assessment.
Additionally, testing dates may be filled early and no additional testing dates will be scheduled.
You must complete Casper during one of the specific dates and times available within the designated testing windows.
Find Casper registration links and available test dates on our How to Apply page, under Step 3.
Casper results are sent directly to Western’s Faculty of Education. To ensure accurate matching, you must use the same name and email address in both your TEAS application and Casper registration.
If you are applying to multiple Teacher Education programs (including Western University), ensure that your Casper test will be distributed to Western at the time of registration.
You must complete Casper each year you apply. You may take Casper only once per application cycle.
Equity Admission
Western’s Faculty of Education is strongly committed to equity, diversity and inclusivity in all that we do. One of the ways that we do this is through recruiting and supporting applicants to our initial teacher education program who reflect the student population in Ontario schools.
Specifically, it is our goal to admit and support more:
- Indigenous and Black teacher candidates,
- women teacher candidates,
- teacher candidates living with disabilities,
- LGBTQ2S+ teacher candidates and
- other equity-deserving or under-represented groups.
We recognize that this starts with recruitment of a diverse range of applicants into our initial teacher education programs and we enthusiastically encourage individuals from all equity-deserving groups to apply.
We aim to support our commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility and decolonization by using responsible collection and consideration of personal information and data that accurately reflect the unique characteristics of those applying to our initial teacher education program.
The information that we invite you to share will help to inform us of the effectiveness of our recruitment efforts and, more importantly, will enable us to approach our admissions in a more holistic manner, taking into consideration the characteristics of each applicant as a whole person rather than limiting our admission decisions to reliance on standard academic criteria.
Completion of each part of the Equity Admission Application is entirely voluntary.
Those who choose to apply for equity admission will be considered under both the general admission and the equity admission processes. Information gathered in this process will be considered alongside other factors, including ensuring all program prerequisites are met, and applicants have achieved the minimum grade point average of 70%. Equity applicants will also be required to complete the Casper assessment.
To be considered under the equity admission process, applicants must provide a sufficiently detailed explanation of their experience and personal circumstances as they relate to systemic barriers in education and life and reasons they should be considered for admission to the teacher education program. Equity applications will be reviewed by members of the Equity Committee who make recommendations to the Teacher Education office.
Those who wish to be considered under the equity admission process must submit the Equity Admission Application by the application deadline.
Language Requirements
If applicable, English-language proficiency tests must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar before an offer of admission can be made.
If, after admission, you show an inadequate command of spoken or written English, you will be required to improve your proficiency to the Faculty’s satisfaction.
You may be asked to withdraw from the program if your inadequate command of English interferes with your ability to communicate effectively in a course or during practicum.
Teaching Subjects
E10 – Primary/Junior Program (P/J)
You will receive preferred status if you complete at least 1 half undergraduate or graduate credit in 4 or more of the following areas:
- English (courses in English Culture, Linguistics, Essay Writing and Writing for Business or Science are not acceptable)
- Fine Arts (courses include Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts)
- Health & Physical Education
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Science/Humanities (Canadian History/Geography preferred)
E11 – Primary/Junior – French as a Second Language Program (FSL)
You must possess oral and written fluency in French and a thorough knowledge of grammar. You must also meet all minimum requirements for the Primary/Junior program.
Generally, 5 full French credits with a 70% average (or the equivalent), at least 2 of which should be language credits, are required.
One or more full credit(s) equivalents in French literature are desirable for those hoping to teach in French immersion settings.
Fluent French speakers who do not have university-level French courses may apply for special consideration by emailing: [email protected]. You will be required to complete either a DEFL B2 or our Faculty French proficiency test (the result must be within one year of the application cycle). A fee is required for testing. Successfully completing one of the tests will be equal to having the 5 credits required for the French stream/teachable.
E20 – Junior/Intermediate Program (J/I)
Teaching Subjects:
- French as a Second Language (325)
- Music – Instrumental (158)
- Music – Vocal (159)
- Religious Education in Catholic Schools (218)
Four full undergraduate or graduate courses (or the equivalent) with a minimum average of 70% are required to support the teaching subject you select.
You will be given preferred status if you completed at least 1 half undergraduate or graduate credit in 4 or more of the following areas:
- English (courses in English Culture, Linguistics, Essay Writing and Writing for Business or Science are not acceptable)
- Fine Arts (courses include Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts)
- Health & Physical Education
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Science/Humanities (Canadian History/Geography preferred)
E20 – Requirements and Exceptions
French: You must possess oral and written fluency in French and a thorough knowledge of grammar.
- Generally, 5 full French credits with a 70% average (or the equivalent), at least 2 of which should be language credits, are required.
- One or more full credit(s) equivalents in French literature are desirable for those hoping to teach in French immersion settings.
- Fluent French speakers who do not have university-level French courses may apply for special consideration by emailing: [email protected]. You will be required to complete either a DEFL B2 or our Faculty French proficiency test (the result must be within one year of the application cycle). A fee is required for testing. Successfully completing one of the tests will be equal to having the 5 credits required for the French stream/teachable.
Music – Instrumental: Courses should include at least 1 Instrumental Conducting course, several minor instrument courses in Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion and 1 Music Theory course.
Music – Vocal: Courses should include at least 1 Choral or Vocal Techniques course, 1 Choral Conducting course and 1 Music Theory course.
Religious Education in Catholic Schools: 5 full courses (or the equivalent) with Roman Catholic content are required. Applicants with course credits in the following areas receive preference for admission to Religious Education in Catholic Schools:
- Old and New Testament Studies
- Catholic Church Teachings in Morality and Social Justice
- The Sacraments
- Sexuality and Marriage in the Catholic Tradition
- Vatican II Theology
Religious Education is offered as a teaching subject only for Roman Catholic schools; student teaching in this subject area will occur in Roman Catholic schools only.
E30 – Intermediate/Senior Program (I/S)
Teaching Subjects:
- Economics (050)
- May not be combined with History, Law or Politics.
- English (319)
- Environmental Science (447)
- May not be combined with Biology, Chemistry or Physics.
- Family Studies (230)
- French as a Second Language (325)
- Generally, 5 full French credits with a 70% average (or the equivalent), at least 2 of which should be language credits, are required.
- One or more full credit(s) equivalents in French literature are desirable for those hoping to teach in French immersion settings.
- Fluent French speakers who do not have university-level French courses may apply for special consideration by emailing: [email protected]. You will be required to complete either a DEFL B2 or our Faculty French proficiency test (the result must be within one year of the application cycle). A fee is required for testing. Successfully completing one of the tests will be equal to having the 5 credits required for the French stream/teachable.
- Geography (740)
- May not be combined with Economics, History, Law or Politics.
- Health & Physical Education (860)
- History (750)
- May not be combined with Economics, Geography, Law or Politics.
- Law (770)
- May not be combined with Economics, Geography, History or Politics.
- Mathematics (652)
- Music – Instrumental (158)
- May not be combined with Music – Vocal.
- Music – Vocal (159)
- May not be combined with Music – Instrumental.
- Philosophy (775)
- May not be combined with Social Science – General.
- Politics (780)
- May not be combined with Economics, Geography, History or Law.
- Religious Education in Catholic Schools (218)
- Science – Biology (412)
- May not be combined with Chemistry, Environmental Science or Physics.
- Science – Chemistry (420)
- May not be combined with Biology, Environmental Science or Physics.
- Science – General (430)
- Science – Physics (470)
- May not be combined with Biology, Chemistry or Environmental Science.
- Social Sciences – General (165)
- May not be combined with Philosophy.
Five full undergraduate or graduate credits (or the equivalent) with a minimum average of 70% are required to support the first teaching subject.
Three full undergraduate or graduate credits (or the equivalent) with a minimum average of 70% are needed to support the second teaching subject.
E30 – Requirements and Exceptions
English: Courses in English Culture, Linguistics and Writing for Business or Science are not acceptable.
Family Studies: Applicants with course credits in the following areas receive preference for admission to Family Studies as a first or second teaching subject:
- Child and Family Development,
- Clothing and Textiles,
- Family Resource Management (Consumer Economics),
- Foods and Nutrition or
- Housing and Interior Design.
French (as either a first or second teaching subject): You must possess oral and written fluency in French and a thorough knowledge of grammar.
- Generally, 5 full French courses (or the equivalent), at least 2 of which must be language courses, are required for admission.
- One or more full course equivalents in French Literature are desirable if you hope to teach in French immersion settings.
- Fluent French speakers who do not have university-level French courses may apply for special consideration by emailing: [email protected]. You will be required to complete either a DEFL B2 or our Faculty French proficiency test (the result must be within one year of the application cycle). A fee is required for testing. Successfully completing one of the tests will be equal to having the 5 credits required for the French stream/teachable.
Geography: Applicants with course credits in Canadian Geography receive preference for admission to Geography as a first or second teaching subject.
Health & Physical Education: Applicants with 3 or more activity course credits receive preference for admission to Health & Physical Education as a first or second teaching subject. Kinesiology courses are best to support this teachable (together with the activity courses).
History: Applicants with course credits in Canadian History receive preference for admission to History as a first or second teaching subject.
Mathematics: Applicants with at least 1 full course credit in senior Mathematics receive preference for admission to Mathematics as a first or second teaching subject.
Music: You may select either Music – Instrumental or Music – Vocal as a teaching option, but not both.
Music – Instrumental: Courses should include at least 1 Instrumental Conducting course, several minor instrument courses in Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion, and 1 Music Theory course.
Music – Vocal: Courses should include at least 1 Choral or Vocal Techniques course, 1 Choral Conducting course and 1 Music Theory course.
Religious Education in Catholic Schools: 5 full courses (or the equivalent) with Roman Catholic content are required. Applicants with course credits in the following areas receive preference for admission to Religious Education in Catholic Schools:
- Catholic Church Teachings in Morality and Social Justice
- Old and New Testament Studies
- Sexuality and Marriage in the Catholic Tradition
- The Sacraments
- Vatican II Theology
Religious Education is offered as a teaching subject only for Roman Catholic schools; student teaching in this subject area will occur in Roman Catholic elementary schools only.
Science – General: Applicants with course credits in the following areas receive preference for admission to Science – General as a first or second teaching subject: Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Sciences, Environmental Science, and Physics.
Social Sciences – General: At least 1 full credit from each of the areas of Anthropology, Psychology, and Sociology is preferred. Social Sciences – General is an optional subject in the high school curriculum and entry to this teaching subject is limited. We advise you to select this as a second teaching subject only.
Contact
Undergraduate Admissions – Office of the Registrar
Western Student Services Building – Room 3140
London ON N6A 3K7
Telephone: 519‑661‑2100
Email: [email protected]
Teacher Education Office, Faculty of Education
1137 Western Road, Room 1156
London ON N6G 1G7
Telephone: 519‑661‑2100, ext. 82745
Email: [email protected]