In the Department of Curriculum, Teaching & Learning (CTL), there are two research stream programs: Language and Literacies Education and Curriculum & Pedagogy.

Download the CTL Student Handbook 2022 here.

If you’re a full-time student, you’re required to take a minimum of 2 half courses per session. (If you take at least 4 half courses total in the Fall and Winter session, you’re not required to take courses in the Summer session.)   If you are receiving a funding package, you need to make sure to successfully complete 4 half-courses each year until you complete your course requirements.

Typically, students take 2.5-3 half courses in the Fall session and 2.5-3 half courses in the Winter session. You can take up to 6 maximum half courses in the Fall and Winter sessions (3

in one; 3 in the other). With written permission of the Department, you may be able to take 7 half courses (contact Terry Louisy). In the Summer, 2 half courses (one in each of the two sessions: May-June and July-August) count as full time.   

However, you should think carefully about the number of courses you’re going to take in a session, especially if you’re planning on doing other academic activities (e.g., a GA-ship, TA-ship, publishing, other work) or have other responsibilities.

If you’re a part-time student, you’re only allowed to enrol in 1 half course in the Fall session and 1 half course in the Winter session, and 1 half course total in the Summer sessions (either 1 half course in the May-June session or 1 half course in the July-August session, not in both). Only PhD Flexible-time students can request to change to part-time registration status after completing their 4th year of full-time studies.

Course load is something to consider especially if you’re planning to take courses in the summer. The two sessions that are offered in the summer (May-June and July-August) are condensed and therefore quite intense (each session taking up 6 rather than the usual 12 weeks to complete, with classes meeting twice per week).

Research Methods Courses

When it comes to choosing a research methods course, if you’re planning to take only one (to fulfil the program requirement) you should aim to take a course that closely addresses the kind of methodological approach that you anticipate you’ll adopt in your doctoral research. However, you may also want to consider taking an additional research methods course or two. Gaining a good understanding of a variety of research methods can help you not only develop a better ability and confidence in assessing the quality of research that you read but it can also potentially inspire you to expand or change the methodological approach you were planning to use in your doctoral research.

Elective Courses

Courses that you take in addition to the required courses should be related in one way or another to the topic that you’re thinking of exploring in your doctoral research.

However, you may have started the program without any particular research topic in mind. In that case, it might be best to explore the current course offerings in detail to see if any of them spark interest in you.

You can find detailed descriptions of each course offered in the CTL department and other OISE departments in the OISE Graduate Student Bulletin, accessible here:

OISE Search Courses

If you continue having questions about course selection, it might be a good idea to talk to your advisor.

To help you select courses, you can also try exploring OISE Degree Themes, where you can find selections of courses that deal with the following themes: indigienous education, educational technology, urban education, and program evaluation. It’s available here:

OISE :: Degree Themes :: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto

Sessional Course Offerings

It’s probably best for you to plan to take as many courses as is possible in the Fall and Winter sessions because course offerings in the Summer sessions tend to vary greatly and are generally limited (compared to those of the Fall and Winter sessions). In addition, many professors prefer to teach in the Fall but not in the Winter or Summer sessions (or any other combinations of sessions), which sometimes means that certain courses may not be offered in certain sessions.

Taking Courses in other Departments

Taking courses in departments other than CTL is not that different from taking courses in CTL. However, if you’re taking a course outside of OISE, one thing to remember is to check the sessional dates of the appropriate university campus. Sessional dates vary a bit and are not the same across OISE, the St. George, UTM, and UTSC campuses.

Differences in sessional dates might mean that professors at OISE and the three campuses have set submission deadlines for major assignments at different times, so be sure to check the syllabus of each course you’re taking carefully at the start of each session to avoid surprises.

Doing a Collaborative Specialization

If you’re participating in a collaborative specialization, you’ll need to make sure that in your course selection you include any courses required by that specialization.

Make sure you’re familiar with the current requirements for your collaborative specialization here:

OISE :: Collaborative Specializations :: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto

Registration & Enrolment

To be able to start enrolling in courses, you’ll need to make sure that you’re registered for the upcoming session in your ACORN Student Account (whether it’s the Fall, Winter, or Summer session).

Once you’ve paid your tuition and incidental fees or deferred payment for scholarship, your status changes from “Invited” to “Registered”, and you’re able to start enrolling in courses in the “Enrol and Manage” section of your ACORN Student Account. You may be able to start enrolling in courses even before you’re registered, but your enrollment will be canceled if you fail to register by the registration deadline.

Late Registration

If you fail to register by the registration deadline, your enrollment will be canceled. You’ll need to submit a request for late registration (and pay a late registration fee, if your request is granted).

You can find out more about the process here:

ORSS :: Registration :: Office of The Registrar and Student Services - Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Late Enrolment & Add/Drop Forms

Course enrollment takes place on Quercus, where you add or drop courses in the “Enrol and Manage” section. However, you can only do so before the enrollment deadline specified for each session in the “Sessional Dates” section of the OISE Graduate Student Bulletin. After the deadline passes, you’ll need to use the Course Add/Drop Forms.

You can find the deadlines and forms here:

ORSS :: Student Forms Documentation Requests :: Office of The Registrar and Student Services - Ontario Institute for Studies in Education