Programs

Program Description

The Alaska Highway Consortium on Teacher Education (AHCOTE) is a joint teacher education program offered by Simon Fraser University (SFU), Northern Lights College, School Districts 59, 60, 81, and local teacher associations. The AHCOTE program has existed at NLC for more than two decades, and hundreds of program graduates now work in school districts across the region and beyond.

Students who enter AHCOTE with a previously completed degree finish the program in 1.5 years and are then eligible to apply to the Teacher Regulation Branch, to start teaching with a Professional Teaching Certificate provided all course prerequisites have been met. Students who enter AHCOTE with 60 credits in designated areas or with NLC’s Associate of Arts Degree (AHCOTE) also finish the program in 1.5 years and are then eligible to apply to the Teacher Regulation Branch, to start teaching with a Conditional Teaching Certificate provided they have the required minimum credits and all course prerequisites have been met. These students generally need an additional 30 elective credits to earn SFU’s Bachelor of General Studies (Education) and a Professional Teaching Certificate.

Career Prospects

AHCOTE graduates receive either a Professional or Conditional Teaching Certificate from the Teacher Regulation Branch of BC (TRB).

• Professional Certificate (no expiry date): Awarded to AHCOTE gradu­ates who have a full degree and have completed all coursework required by the TRB.
• Conditional Certificate (five-year duration): Awarded to AHCOTE graduates who are still working toward a degree but have completed the required minimum credits and all coursework required by the TRB. Individuals in this category must complete a degree within five years to be eligible to continue teaching.

Details

Next Intake: September 2024

Length: Approximately 1.5 years (16 months/4 Semesters)

Location: The Northern Lights College campus location(s) for instruction are to be determined. All students should be prepared to do some travel between Dawson Creek and Fort St. John.

Tuition: See the following link for SFU fees - student fees

Application Period: October 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024.
To apply, please go to: www.sfu.ca/education/teachersed/programs/ahcote/overview.html

Admission Requirements

Admission to AHCOTE is subject to a competitive application process that includes a review of academic performance, prerequisite completion, experience in a classroom setting, and an interview.
To be eligible for admission, applicants must meet one of the following criteria:

• completion of NLC’s Associate of Arts Degree (AHCOTE);

OR

• Completion of a minimum of 60 university-level credits that include all required coursework. Please see the Program Handbook for more information on required coursework. Credits must also be transferable to SFU and approved by SFU’s Faculty of Education).;

OR

• completion of a degree from an accredited university.

Important Notes

1. The program is eligible for Canada Student Loans. Visit StudentAid BC to apply for financial assistance online. Note that dual credit students are not eligible for Student Aid.
2. With minimal additional coursework, students who hold a degree upon entering AHCOTE may also qualify for SFU’s Bachelor of Education as a Second Degree after completing AHCOTE.
3. AHCOTE students who do not have a degree when they begin the program are advised to pursue SFU’s Bachelor of General Studies (Education) degree.

Do you need more information?

Semester 3: May - June; or May - August

• SFU Education 404: Additional educational/professional coursework. For those pursuing the Secondary-level teaching option, this semester is spent at SFU’s Burnaby campus, taking specialized methodology courses.

Semester 4: September - December

• SFU Education 405 (major school placement practicum)

For further information about SFU Education courses, please go to sfu.ca/education