Helping Ease Access for Returning Teachers

HELPING EASE ACCESS FOR RETURNING TEACHERS

Do you need to certify or recertify as a teacher in British Columbia? Have you been out of the classroom for a while? HEART acts as a refresher program for teachers and enables you to update your teaching experience and get certified to teach in B.C. by the Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB) of the B.C. Ministry of Education.

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Application Process

Next start date: January 2026
Method of delivery: In-person
Applications open: August 1, 2025
Applications close: September 15, 2025
Estimated Tuition Fee: *$2,700 for 12 units ($212.04 per unit for domestic students)
Location: Burnaby campus, and school placements

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Designed for

Teachers who have their B.C. certification and who are seeking a current practicum report, as well as teachers with lapsed B.C. certification or certification outside of B.C. who are seeking new B.C. certification.

Program Structure

One term
Two-week on-campus orientation
10-12 week practicum

Intake Schedule

HEART is offered in the fall and spring terms, and space is limited.

Next Start Terms

Fall 2025 (applications closed)
Spring 2026

Program Design

HEART is designed to allow educators to get reacquainted with the B.C. school system, update their teaching experience, and get certified by the Teacher Certification Branch (TCB) of the B.C. Ministry of Education. HEART also enables teachers from outside B.C. to get certified to teach in B.C.

COURSES

This one-term, 12-unit program (EDUC 406) involves a two-week orientation on the Burnaby campus, followed by a 10-12 week practicum in a B.C. public school in the Metro Vancouver area.

Disclosure Notice

Pursuant to the British Columbia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSBC 1996, c. 165), by enrolling in this program you consent to 大象传媒 disclosing and storing your personal information, as necessary. You further acknowledge and understand that your personal information (which includes your name, the K鈥�12 subject area in which you have been accepted into the Faculty of Education to teach, your 大象传媒 email address, and in specific cases 大象传媒 Student Number) may be disclosed to the following organizations:

School Districts throughout the Lower Mainland, the Fraser Valley, northern British Columbia, and Squamish (and other districts, as necessary).The above-noted personal information is disclosed to these districts in order to facilitate the placement of student teachers in practicum or other school-based experiences with school-based mentors (School Associates) and Faculty Associates.

The above listed information may be used and/or disclosed for the purposes of supporting the placement of a student teacher in a K鈥�12 classroom with a School Associate for a practicum or other school-based experience, and to support the ongoing educational oversight and supervision of the student teacher during the course of their placement.

If you have any questions about the disclosure of this information, please contact the Manager, Pre-Service Professional Studies at edppsmgr@sfu.ca.

EDUC 406 - Supervised Observation and Teaching (12 units)

Supervised Observation and Teaching

EDUC 406

Education 406 is designed for those who need to meet B.C. certification requirements. It is a supervised orientation/observation/teaching sequence of approximately ten weeks, in a B.C. public school. This practicum is designed as an opportunity to familiarize students with the British Columbia school system and update their teaching skills. EDUC 406 is not applicable toward the credit requirements for a degree or diploma, i.e. not counted in total units. Grading will be on a pass/withdrawal basis. Prerequisite: Permission will not be given to students without previous teaching experience. Students must successfully complete a Criminal Record Check.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What do I need to do if my certificate has lapsed?

You must contact the Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB) to see if this program is right for you.

Do I also submit an application to 大象传媒 Undergraduate 大象传媒s in addition to my HEART application?

Yes. You must undergraduate admissions by the appropriate deadline date. If you are a previous 大象传媒 student, you must apply for reactivation.

Am I responsible for finding my own practicum placement?

No. The Placement Coordinators arrange all practicum placements. Students are not to solicit or make practicum placement requests. While every effort is made to place students in schools within a reasonable distance from their homes, students should be prepared to travel up to 90 km (approximately one hour by car and longer by transit) to their school placement.

Will I be able to work at the same time that I am in the HEART program?

HEART students are strongly discouraged from working while in the HEART program. EDUC 406 requires students to participate in a full-time practicum in a school-based classroom, and participating in paid work outside of this committment to the classroom could compromise the successful completion of the program.

QUESTIONS?

If you have questions about HEART not covered on our website, contact our admissions team.

Email: pps_admissions@sfu.ca
Phone: 778-782-3559

To prevent missing emails from us, add pps_admissions@sfu.ca to your contact list if you are not using an 大象传媒 email account.

Please note that all communication and interactions with the PPS 大象传媒s office and Faculty of Education are considered part of the admissions process and are taken into account when considering applicants for admission. 大象传媒 may be denied to applicants who communicate in an unprofessional manner or who act in an inappropriate manner during the admissions process.

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Faculty of Education

HEART