It’s a program that prepares you for a career teaching English or French to elementary or high school students, but also to adults. It opens the door to other potential careers as well, including language proficiency assessment or teaching material design, or to master’s-level studies.

This interdisciplinary program is unique in Canada. It provides excellent training before starting the Teacher Education (BEd) or Formation à l’enseignement program (BEd). 

Throughout your studies in this program, you’ll gain knowledge about the different theories and practices in language learning and teaching. You’ll explore, for example, the relationships between language, culture and society, and develop the linguistic and cultural knowledge essential for working in a globalized society, in Canada or abroad. You’ll have a chance to apply your knowledge as part of 25 hours of hands-on experience in a setting of your choice.

Course examples

• Educational Technology and Second Language Teaching
• Speaking and Writing in a Second Language
• L’immersion française
• Language Education in a Multicultural and Minority Setting: From Theory to Practice

Learn more about the programs:

Teaching French as a Second Language

Teaching English as a Second Language

You must know the language you wish to teach well, because the courses specific to the program will be taught in this language.

So, if you’re looking to teach English as a second language, you must take all your courses and write all your assignments in English. Conversely, if you’re looking to teach French as a second language, you must take all your courses and write all your assignments in French.

If you want to teach elementary or high school, you should know that places are reserved for program graduates who meet the admissions criteria for the uOttawa Faculty of Education’s Teacher Education (BEd) or Formation à l’enseignement (BEd) program.

You can also pursue graduate studies (MA or MEd) in related fields. Take a look, for example at the Master of Arts (MA) in Bilingualism Studies and watch this video featuring a new bilingualism studies graduate (in French with English subtitles).

Our program graduates now enjoy careers in various teaching-related positions: teachers at different levels, school administrators, language assessment specialists, researchers on second languages, academic advisers, language policy writers, educational material designers and much more!

Know that you can structure your program according to your interests and training needs. So, if you want to teach more than one subject or deepen your knowledge in two areas, you can choose the pathway that suits you best. 

For example, you can incorporate a major or minor in another field (history, geography, mathematics, etc.) in your pathway.

Examples of a 120-unit program (40 courses):

Honours bachelor’s with minor

Honours bachelor’s with major

Bachelor’s with double major

Speak to your academic adviser at the Faculty of Arts!

Make sure you meet all of the general admission requirements as well as those specific to the program.

Check your file often in uoZone and send us any missing documents as soon as possible, to avoid delaying your admission to the program.

For more information:

• Email Marie-Claude Dansereau, Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) program coordinator
• Email Stephanie Arnott, Faculty of Education program coordinator
• Email the Second Language Teaching Student Association (a student will be pleased to answer you)