Specializations
The Faculty of Education offers some unique specializations which are responsive to the specific talents of faculty and to the needs of the public education system. These programs provide prospective teachers with the necessary training and experience to qualify for teaching positions in areas which are currently in demand.
Family Studies
Family Studies is not offered every year. Please contact the BEd office for additional information.
Applicants wishing to pursue a family studies focus will be required to have coursework covering at least two of the three threads of the family studies curriculum: foods and nutrition, textile arts, and family dynamics. Students will be assessed individually for this program. To fulfill the nutrition requirement, most students present a degree in human nutrition.
In addition to the core courses from nutrition, students will be required to present supplementary courses from other subject fields which relate to the family dynamics strand. These courses may come from areas such as women & gender studies, sociology, psychology, business, economics, or human kinetics.
Sample courses for the family dynamics stream could include from Business:
Organizational Behaviour
Foundations of Marketing
Foundations of Accounting
from Economics:
Introductory Microeconomics
Introductory Macroeconomics
from Human Kinetics:
Gender in Sport
Child Growth and Development
Health Education
from Psychology:
Social Psychology
Developmental Psychology
from Sociology:
Sociology of Marriage and Family
Sociology of Education
Social Inequality
These lists are intended to give an indication of the types of courses which could be approved. It is not intended to be a definitive or exhaustive list.
Français
French education students are considered specialists if they have completed a minimum of 18 or 30 credits in French at the undergraduate level and complete the sequence of French education courses offered in the B.Ed. program.
All elementary and secondary French education students learn in the same classes. Students work in small groups that focus on the elementary, junior or senior high levels, and they all participate in whole-class discussions about topics and issues common to all levels. At the end of the program, they are familiar with the progression in both core French and French immersion and with most grade levels. This broad base of knowledge is an advantage because often graduates who have prepared themselves for one level of teaching find themselves teaching at another level.
Course sequence for the specialization
- EDUC 459 Méthode de français de base 1
- EDUC 460 Méthode de français de base 2
- EDUC 428A L’intégration de la langue et des matières en immersion
- EDUC 428B Les arts langagiers en immersion
Gaelic
Gaelic is not offered every year. Please contact the BEd office for additional information.
The language focus requires oral fluency in Gaelic and at least 18 credits in Gaelic language-related courses in the first degree.
Mi'kmaq
Mi'kmaq is not offered every year. Please contact the BEd office for additional information.
The teaching of the Mi’kmaq language has been revitalized over the past fifteen years through a combined effort of the Mi'kmaq Kina'matnewey and the Faculty of Education. The St FX Faculty of Education has supported the development and credentialing of Mi’kmaq teachers since the inception of the Memorandum of Understanding with Mi’kmaq Communities in 1995 and have prepared over 150 Mi’kmaq teachers for work within provincial and band-operated schools. The demand for Mi’kmaq language teachers continues to grow across the Atlantic Provinces, both for Core and also for Immersion in several communities. Applicants pursuing a Mi’kmaq focus in their studies may develop a concentration in language and/or culture. The language focus requires oral fluency in Mi’kmaq and at least 18 credits in Mi’kmaq language-related courses in the first degree.
Physical Education
As a specialist discipline, physical education requires that prospective students meet recognized national standards. We are the lead institution for the preparation of physical education teachers in Nova Scotia. Our physical education teachers are prepared in the teaching of physical education, outdoor education, and health education. The Faculty of Education accepts approximately 20 physical education specialists across the elementary, middle, and secondary education programs. These graduates are actively recruited for their holistic leadership abilities across the health, physical, and outdoor education spectrum.
Spanish
We are accepting applicants for 2025 who have a minor teachable in Spanish. We do not anticipate offering this again before 2027. Please contact the BEd office for additional information.
Undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing this specialization must have proficient oral and written fluency and must present a minimum of 18 credits of undergraduate study in Spanish for a minor teachable or 30 credits for a major teachable. Education methodology will include a blend of theory in the teaching of Spanish, language lab experience, and practicum.
Contact
281 Xavier Hall
4545 Alumni Crescent
Antigonish NS B2G 2W5
Canada
