FAQ

To apply to the graduate programs in MEDS you will need to provide three documents: (1) your current academic transcript, (2) three letters for reference, and (3) your statement of intent. The statement of intent is a description of why you want to study in our program and what you intend to study.  We also strongly recommend that you contact a faculty member in MEDS you would like to work with as part of your studies.

For more information, please follow the steps here.

In a course-Based MEd, you need to complete 8, 3-credit courses including

• EDPY 500 Introduction to Data Analysis in Educational Research *3

• EDPY 501 Introduction to Research Methods *3

• EDPY 507 Measurement Theory *3

In addition to these 3 required courses, students must complete at least 5 more 3-credit courses related to their area of specialization and a capping project (EDPY 903).

In a course-based MEd, you need to complete 7, -credit courses including:

• EDPY 501 Introduction to Research Methods *3

• EDPY 505 Quantitative Methods I *3

• EDPY 507 Measurement Theory I *3

In addition to the 3 required courses, students must complete at least 4 more 3-credit courses related to their area of specialization and a thesis.

Please note that there are two major differences between the course-based and thesis-based programs: the number of courses (8 in course-based vs. 7 in thesis-based) and the final project (a capping project in course-based and a thesis in thesis-based).  Students in the course-based programs cannot proceed to the MEDS PhD program while students in the thesis-based programs do have the option of applying for their MEDS PhD.

Graduate students in the MEDS program are typically funded through one (or more) of the following options:

• Graduate Research Assistantship: Graduate research assistants (GRAs) are responsible for conducting research at a graduate level. GRAs' responsibilities may vary depending on the project(s) they are involved in, such as conducting literature review, data collection/curation and analysis, manuscript preparation, and assisting their supervisors and other professionals in carrying out research and administrative tasks as needed. GRAs may work up to 12 hours per week during fall, winter, and summer semesters (see the UofA Human Resources website for monthly stipend rates).

• Graduate Teaching Assistantship: Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) support academic and faculty staff members with their teaching responsibility. GTAs provide support in a variety of ways, such as helping the instructor teach students, marking course assignments/exams, running computer labs (for statistics courses), and holding in-person or online office hours to answer students' course-related questions and give them feedback (see the UofA Human Resources website for monthly stipend rates). 

• Scholarships and Awards: Graduate students in the MEDS program can apply for a number of scholarships and awards. In addition to those offered by the University of Alberta, there are also Faculty of Education-specific scholarships and awards, as well as others funded by federal and provincial governments. Top candidates among newly admitted graduate students may also be nominated for recruitment scholarships. Visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research Awards and Funding page to explore the many scholarship options available at UAlberta.

• Internships: Most graduate students in the MEDS program gain valuable work experience through paid internships in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors (e.g., Alberta Education, ETS Canada, and Medical Council of Canada). MEDS students are also eligible to apply for Mitacs Accelerate and Elevate programs to complete paid internships at for-profit corporations and eligible not-for-profit corporations, municipalities, and hospitals in Canada, as well as for-profit businesses operating outside of Canada. 

MEDS graduates have many employment opportunities.  Our graduates are employed at both private and public institutions throughout the world.  Moreover, all of our graduates, to-date, have found employment in the area of measurement, evaluation, and/or data science.  Our graduates are employed as professors and research associates in publicly-funded universities and government testing agencies (e.g., Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario; Alberta Education in Edmonton, Alberta).  Our graduates are also employed at privately-funded testing companies (e.g., Medical Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey).