Education Academic Policies
School of Education Academic Policy and Procedures
School of Education students are recommended to Alberta Education for certification by the Ambrose University School of Education. Only Alberta Education is empowered to grant Alberta Teaching Certificates. Based on the recommendation of the School of Education, Alberta Education grants the Interim Professional Certificate to those who are qualified to legally work in Canada. Recommendations by the Associate Dean are forwarded upon completion of the Bachelor of Education (After-Degree) (Elementary) program. Candidates are evaluated based on all data relating to their readiness to assume the responsibilities of a professional teacher, as defined in the Teaching Quality Standard. The School of Education Academic Policy and Procedures supersedes academic misconduct in the learning environment and the appeals policy.
As a professional degree, the Bachelor of Education (After-Degree) requires that students abide by a high standard of professionalism in every aspect of the program. The School of Education recognizes that teacher preparation and learning occurs both inside and outside the classroom and has the responsibility to ensure that its student teachers and graduates are competent and conduct themselves in accordance with the standards and expectations of the profession. The School of Education adheres to the Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers and Teacher Leaders as regulated by the Province of Alberta and the Alberta Education’s Teaching Quality Standard (TQS), which describes the professional expectation for teachers. As such, lack of professionalism may be grounds for determining whether the student should continue in the program or be dismissed from the Bachelor of Education.
Definitions Specific to the School of Education
The Associate Dean is responsible for recommending any students who may be placed on Academic Intervention, Academic Rustication and Required Withdrawal to the Registrar, who makes the final decision of student academic status. A student may initiate the appeals process with any course grade.
Academic Intervention
A student is placed on Academic Intervention when they have not met academic requirements within a course in the School of Education and this is used to identify challenges and create a plan to improve academic success.
Academic intervention is not noted on the student’s official transcript.
Students are placed on Academic Intervention and are issued a Notification of Concern by the School of Education’s Associate Dean or Director of Field Experience if they are not meeting academic requirements as outlined below:
- The student receives a grade lower than 2.70 in any course.
- The student is not meeting the requirements of Field Experience.
- The student’s placement is terminated by the Partner Teacher, or the Principal during FE 600 or 700 and a suitable placement is available.
- The student is unsuccessful in FE 600 and FE700 at midpoint.
Notification of Concern
A written plan provided by a Faculty Member to the student that details:
- area(s) of concern to be addressed
- any feedback previously provided
- required improvement(s)
- timelines
- expected outcomes and assessments
The document is signed by all parties involved, including but not limited to the student, faculty member, partner teacher, university consultant and Associate Dean of Education. Initial Notification of Concern documents during Academic Intervention will be held in the School of Education. If a Notification of Concern is issued in relation to Field Experience, it may remain active until the completion of the final practicum (FE700) If the student is unable to meet the requirements and is placed on Academic Rustication, the Notification of Concern will then be filed and kept in the student’s file.
Academic Rustication
A student placed on Academic Rustication is required to step down from the program for a period of up to a year. Academic rustication is noted on the student’s official transcript. A student is placed on Academic Rustication from the Bachelor of Education if the following occurs:
- The student is unsuccessful in achieving a grade of 2.70 in all required coursework during semester two or semester three.
- The student fails any course or component of the program.
- The student’s placement is terminated by the Partner Teacher, or the Principal during FE 600 or FE 700 and an additional practicum is unavailable.
- The student’s placement is terminated by the Associate Dean of the School of Education if they have reasonable grounds.
- The student fails to meet the Standards of Professional Conduct as referenced by the Alberta Teaching Code of Professional Conduct and the Alberta Education Teaching Quality Standard. The student may be assigned a failing grade for the component where the Standards of Professional conduct was not met.
Students placed on Academic Rustication are informed in writing and must:
- Meet with the Associate Dean and other appointed faculty, including the Director of Field Experience, to discuss professional growth plan outlining an action plan including volunteering, engaging with a mentor, and participating in additional coursework or prescribed professional learning.
- Students must provide evidence of activities that demonstrate how they have addressed the goals to the Associate Dean and Director of Field Experience to be considered for readmission.
Required Withdrawal
Required Withdrawal is assigned in the School of Education to students who meet specific criteria and are not permitted reentry to the Bachelor of Education program, they are however permitted to apply for admission in a different Ambrose program. A student is Required to withdraw from the School of Education if the following occurs:
- The student is in the second round of any field experience (600 or 700) and is not successful at midpoint.
- The student is unable to unsuccessfully achieve a grade of 2.70 or higher in any course that is attempted a second time.
- Students who are unable to present an acceptable criminal record check for any reason and are unable to take their placement.
- The student is convicted of a crime under the criminal code that would prohibit them from working with a vulnerable sector.
Termination of Field Experience
In the case of termination by the partner teacher prior to the completion of any Field experience component or the student’s requested withdrawal from the practicum, the student may be placed on Academic Intervention and a Notification of Concern may be initiated by the Director of Field Experience. If a suitable placement is available, the student must complete the required weeks in the new placement in order to meet attestation requirements, on a case-to-case basis. There is no guarantee of an additional placement. If there is not a suitable placement available, the student’s program may be paused, without being placed on Academic Rustication.
There is no appeal process for a terminated Field Experience.
Achieving a grade of 2.70 or Higher
Upon completion of the program and in order to graduate, students must present a grade of 2.70 or higher in each and every course taken after admission to the School of Education.
If the student is successful in completing a Field Experience component but unsuccessful in achieving a grade of 2.70 in all required semester coursework, the student is placed on Academic Rustication and can apply for readmission to return in February of the following year to redo their coursework in the appropriate sequence in the program.
Any student who requires a second field experience placement for any reason will be levied a one-time $500 course fee to off-set the costs incurred in creating additional field experience partnerships.
Academic Dismissal
A student may be dismissed from the School of Education if they are convicted of a crime under the Criminal Code that would prohibit them from working with a vulnerable sector.
Leave of Absence (LOA)
This provision is only available to Bachelor of Education students. It is a means of interrupting a program of study with the approval of the faculty and Registrar. Only one LOA is permitted for a period of up to one year after successful completion of one term in the Bachelor of Education (After-Degree) program. Students who have not registered in a given academic year without an approved Leave of Absence will be removed from the program and will be required to re-apply.
Field Experience
Standards in Field Experience are in-keeping with memorandums of agreement between Ambrose University, individual school districts and the Alberta Teachers Association. These include:
- All school practicum and field experience placements will be made by the Director of Field Experience in agreement with an Administrator from the receiving school.
- Students must not contact schools with the intent of procuring a practicum placement.
- Students may complete only one practicum with any one partner teacher.
- Students will complete only one practicum in any specific school.
- Practicum placements over the course of the four semesters will provide a variety of experiences including but not limited to different grade levels, different divisions, different school boards or districts, and faith-based education vs. non-faith-based education.
- Students will not be placed in schools where family members are employed or where family members are pupils. No student will be placed in a school in which the student attended, graduated from or was employed.
Ambrose University School of Education reserves the right to place students in practicum experiences up to 50 km from the student’s primary residence. Students who refuse a placement may be required to withdraw from the practicum and reapply for admission to resume their studies in a subsequent year.
Students who do not provide all relevant information at the time a placement is made may be required to withdraw from the practicum and reapply for admission to resume their studies in a subsequent year.
Students who provide false information at the time a placement is made may be required to withdraw from the practicum and reapply for admission to resume their studies in a subsequent year.
There may be times when a student chooses to reject a practicum placement. Students who refuse a placement, must do so in writing to the Director of Field Experience, and may be required to withdraw from the practicum and reapply for admission to resume their studies in a subsequent year.
The following list of reasons a student may choose to reject a practicum placement does not encompass all situations and should not be considered exhaustive:
- refusal to travel/drive
- planned personal travel or vacation that creates an absence from the practicum placement in excess of two days
- philosophical disagreement with the program philosophy of the practicum placement
- interpersonal tension with the partner teacher
- interpersonal tension with the university consultant
- unwillingness to participate in a specific grade level classroom
- unwillingness to participate in a specific classroom structure such as team-teaching
The Associate Dean of Education reserves the right to deny or terminate a placement in any practicum course to any student if the Associate Dean of Education has reasonable grounds, such as:
- the student has violated any part of the School of Education's Standards of Professional Conduct, as referenced by the Alberta Teaching Code of Professional Conduct and the Alberta Education Teaching Quality Standard;
- the student is unable to carry out the classroom responsibilities of that practicum; or
- the Associate Dean of Education believes denial or termination of a placement is necessary in order to protect the public interest. Students whose practicum placements have been denied or terminated will be informed of the reasons in writing.
- There is no appeal process for a terminated Field Experience.
Criminal Record Check with a Vulnerable Sector Search (or Equivalent)
All school jurisdictions require vulnerable sector record checks from all individuals (including student teachers) working with children and adolescents. Consequently, all students accepting an Offer of Admission from Ambrose University must make application for a criminal record check, including an acceptable Vulnerable Sector Record Check dated after July 10 for the traditional pathway and dated after December 10 for the alternative pathway of the year of admission. The student is responsible for the cost of obtaining and maintaining this required documentation for the duration of the program. Vulnerable Sector Record Checks are submitted to the School of Education and must be available for the student to present at Student Orientation and Field Experience orientation. Students will also carry a copy to all school visits for the duration of the Bachelor of Education program. Students are required to maintain an acceptable Criminal Record Check with a Vulnerable Sector Search for the entire program. Students who are unable to present an acceptable Vulnerable Sector Record Check for any reason may be denied a placement by the partner school, the school jurisdiction, or the Director of Field Experience. In this instance, the School of Education does not guarantee an alternate placement. In the event a student cannot be placed, the student will be unable to complete the program and thus will be required to withdraw from both the practicum and the program.