About Us

The Faculty of Education is one of the largest faculties at the University of Victoria - but we are also one of the most welcoming, intimate and diverse. We take pride in helping every student feel at home, and in providing the support and rigorous education students need to achieve their goals and realize their dreams.

Dean's Message

Welcome to your future in education. The Faculty of Education is committed to helping you learn and develop as a professional educator in a broad spectrum of educational settings that focus on lifelong learning. Our faculty advances educational thought and research, models exemplary practice, seeks, generates and disseminates knowledge and provides professional educational service. We also seek to strengthen our leadership position by delivering programs and research at the provincial, national and international levels.

The Faculty is home to the Departments of Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies as well as the School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education. Our undergraduate programs focus on teacher education, kinesiology, and recreation and health education.

We also have a large and diverse set of graduate programs including: early childhood education, counselling psychology, leadership in community and school settings, coaching studies, educational studies, and educational psychology.

Our faculty members are active scholars with impressive national and international reputations and an outstanding track record for attracting research funding. Among our distinguished and funded scholars are two Michael Smith Foundation Career Research Scholars (Ryan Rhodes and Paul Zehr), a Lansdowne Professor (Michael Roth), two Tier II Canada Research Chairs (Health and Society -Joan Wharf Higgins) and (Indigenous Knowledge and Learning – Lorna Williams). We are also the home of the first University of Victoria Distinguished University Professor (Larry Yore).

Dr. Ted Riecken, Dean

Associate Dean Administration

Message from Dr. Jillian Roberts, Associate Dean Administration

I am proud to serve as associate dean administration for the Faculty of Education at the University of Victoria. It is an honour to work along side our distinguished dean, Dr. Ted Riecken, and our associate dean teacher education, the renowned teacher/educator, Dr. Kathy Sanford. Together, we will work hard to further the important initiatives under way in our faculty. Of note, I am excited about our dynamic research culture with several prestigious Faculty of Education scholars funded by agencies such as SSHRC, CFI and the Michael Smith Foundation. Our research has a significant ripple effect in helping our educational and health-related communities better serve the youth and adults in their care. I am also enthusiastic about our many graduate programs, which incorporate research knowledge into pedagogical practice, to ensure that our graduates are at the cutting edge of their respective disciplines. I also look forward to working with Continuing Studies in Education, as well as with our community-based programs, to provide a wide range of high quality educational experiences for the greater community.

It is an exciting time in our faculty, and it is a great privilege to be a part of our leadership team.

Associate Dean Teacher Education

Message from Dr. Kathy Sanford

The Faculty of Education plays a vital role in preparing new teachers to make a difference in their communities, with their students and with their colleagues. The teaching profession has a profound impact on the lives of children and their families, and we at UVic are proud to play an important role in preparing future teachers. We have a long and strong tradition of teacher preparation and are committed to continuing this tradition. We continue to provide leadership in the areas of education and teacher education, and to work closely with our school and community partners.

I am excited about my new role as associate dean teacher education, to have the opportunity to continue developing exciting educational initiatives for a strong 21st century teacher education program. As a teacher and teacher educator for over thirty years, I have a lifelong commitment to education, to working with children, youth, and adults as they take up leadership roles in their communities and in society. I am committed to promoting principles that support a diverse and democratic society: equity, social justice, respect, and safety.

Our faculty offers dynamic programs, courses, and experiences that connect the past, the present, and the future in a range of educational spaces. We welcome students with diverse backgrounds, ideas, experiences, and interests as they prepare to become teachers, and we offer programs to meet the needs of future teachers. We encourage our students to engage in critical, reflective, and creative thinking as they prepare for an educational career.

Academic Units/ Departments

Department of Curriculum and Instruction (EDCI)

The Department of Curriculum and Instruction is the largest department at the University of Victoria, with 37 full time faculty; between 20 and 30 sessional instructors; 320 graduate students; seven staff members and three resource room/lab assistants. The department serves local, provincial and international educational communities through a commitment to quality instruction, leading edge research and professional involvement. Visit the Department of Curriculum and Instruction website.

School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education (EPHE).

The School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education is an academic unit within the Faculty of Education at the University of Victoria. The school’s mission is to advance knowledge and to prepare professionals in the area of physical activity and health through teaching, research and service. Our undergraduate programs prepare students for careers in medicine, recreation, wellness and health promotion, physiotherapy, high school physical education teaching, coaching, athletic therapy (trainer), chiropractic medicine, and leadership and administration in public, not-for-profit sectors, and graduate study (coaching studies, kinesiology, physical education, leisure service administration). Visit the School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education website.

Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies (EPLS)

This department has two major areas of focus: educational psychology (which includes counselling, learning and development, measurement and evaluation, and special education) and leadership studies. Visit the Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies website.

Aboriginal Education

The Faculty of Education in partnership with Aboriginal communities offers programs specifically for Aboriginal students that reflect the cultural and historical perspectives of Aboriginal people. The University of Victoria and Aboriginal faculty, staff and students continue to work towards creating programs that are inclusive and representative of Aboriginal people’s heritage and concerns.