Why study Education at Concordia
The Department of Education is situated in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Like other disciplines within the Faculty, it is a broad and multidisciplinary field. It intersects with anthropology, history, philosophy, political science and sociology. Education is one of the most widely held cultural values in societies around the world. As an academic discipline, it continues to evolve as society changes and knowledge diversifies.
Department faculty members have access to external research funding and provide financial assistance in the form of research assistantships to qualified students. These assistantships enable students to work on cutting edge research projects.
The department offers an array of courses available to Applied Linguistics students. These are centred around the following topic clusters:
- Theoretical perspectives, such as the sociolinguistic and psyscholinguistic aspects of bilingualism and multilingualism
- Language, including the teaching and learning of second language phonology, vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar
- Classroom applications, such as syllabus design, curriculum planning, language assessment and the use of technology
Furthermore, the MA students may take a certain number of electives in other university departments or at other universities.
Concordia's Department of Education
The Department of Education provides responsible and innovative leadership in the development and dissemination of knowledge about education. It is an acclaimed centre of innovation in both teaching and scholarship. Its graduate programs have solid national and international reputations for excellence. Their standing is based, in part, on the pedagogical philosophies and research productivity of faculty members. They are a diverse group of educators committed to providing superior levels of teaching, research and community service.
Departmental programs reflect the multidimensional nature and real world orientation of faculty research interests in both school-based and non-school based educational settings. In addition to the MA program in applied linguistics, the department offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Applied Linguistics). It also offers graduate degrees in child study, educational studies and educational technology.
The department also houses a Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance (CSLP). The CSLP is a provincially recognized research centre dedicated to improving the theoretical and practical understanding of factors that promote or hinder the learning and performance of complex skills for people of all ages. It provides training and support to educators and administrators, as well as graduate students, and disseminates new ideas to the educational community.
In keeping with its practical approach to real world learning and research, the department also houses an Observation Nursery. This is a model nursery school with an enriched program for three and four year old children. Students can observe children in the nursery and actively participate in discussion seminars with their parents and teachers.
Due to the department’s focus on research and development and the strong publication records of its faculty, organizations across Canada, the US, Europe and Asia solicit graduate students for internships and permanent positions. Government and non-governmental organizations, industry and educational institutions regularly call upon the department to partner on exciting applied research projects.