International Master of Teaching English
Halifax Regional Municipality, Canada
Master degree
DURATION
16 months
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 May 2026*
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
CAD 25,000 **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Our next available cohort is September 2026 Applications will open on September 1, 2025
** paid in 4 installments at the beginning of each term (Sep 2026, Jan 2027, May 2027, Sep 2027)
Key Summary
There is a growing need worldwide for non-native English speakers to prepare themselves for careers in teaching English as an additional language. The IMTE is a course-based, professional program offering preparation for a career teaching English abroad. The coursework is balanced with a significant proportion of classroom experience. This degree is oriented primarily to international students planning to teach English abroad. The program combines foundational concepts of foreign language teaching and learning with experiential learning of practical dimensions of English language teaching.
Key Benefits
A History of Excellence
- Saint Mary’s University has a long history of international education and intercultural engagement
- Saint Mary’s University played a leadership role in the Canada/China Language and Culture Program for English language teacher development in China
- Saint Mary's University was recently ranked #3 in Canada
- IMTE graduates have recieved 3 year Post Graduate Work Permits (PGWP-Aligned)
Partnership with Cambridge University
- Saint Mary’s University is a Cambridge University Press & Assessment Authorised Teacher Training Centre (CA-355), part of England’s world-famous Cambridge University
- Saint Mary’s is the only university in Canada where students can complete a master’s degree and CELTA designation simultaneously.
- The IMTE includes opportunities to achieve internationally-recognized credentials from Cambridge, such as Teaching English Online and Volunteering with Refugees.
An Innovative, Intercultural Curriculum
- Our students pursue their Master of Education degree in an intercultural context, connecting with fellow educators from around the world; our 2024 cohort features students from over twenty countries.
- Acquire skills teaching in multilingual settings, using plurilingual methods, and using evidence-based classroom approaches such as translanguaging.
- Through a focus on educational and learning technologies, learn to successfully integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into pedagogy and curriculum.
- Improve Language Assessment Literacy (LAL) and learn to conduct Needs Assessment.
- Train on Canadian national standards - IMTE also includes CLB Bootcamp training through the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks
- The IMTE Program offers extensive practicum opportunities in the broader Halifax community and internationally - recent graduates completed practicums in Thailand, Hong Kong, UAE, and Germany.
A global advantage for your teaching career:
- IMTE provides in-program performance scholarships to help students achieve additional professional credentials; Over 20 students from our 2024 cohort are completing their CELTA on an IMTE scholarship.
- IMTE includes extensive professional development opportunities, including membership in TESOL International Association, TESL Nova Scotia, and the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL).
Topics include:
- Intercultural communication—issues arising when people from different cultures interact face-to-face
- The nature of second/foreign language acquisition and learning, including receptive and productive skills
- Knowledge and skills required for selective integration of learning technologies in EAL/EFL/ESL classrooms
- Critical examination, analysis, and evaluation of selected curricular approaches and pedagogical methods in foreign language teaching
- Techniques for teaching language structures for communicative competence in English
- Teaching strategies for addressing common phonological, syntactic, and discourse challenges in the productive skills of language learners
- Explicit knowledge of the systems (lexis, phonology, grammar, and discourse) as well as solutions to linguistic problems faced by students when learning English
- Development of an ePortfolio that documents progress and personal achievements as a language learner and as a language teacher
- Technology in language teaching, including Teaching Online, Artificial Intelligence (AI) in English Language Teaching, and Virtual Reality applications in educational environments
Learning by doing: real classroom practice
Practicum work begins in the very first term and continues throughout all four semesters of the program. Students learn how to:
- Analyze lessons and classroom interactions through observation and critical reflection
- Conduct action research and stay current in the EAL/EFL/ESL teaching profession
- Design and deliver English lessons in authentic classroom settings and under the supervision of professional teachers
- Use leading online learning platforms and teaching technologies to teach English, including ChatGPT, Microsoft Teams, Brightspace, Zoom, Google Classroom, and Virtual Reality applications.
Program Delivery
IMTE is cohort-based and delivered in part in an experiential learning format. Students will benefit from micro-teaching in classes, analysis of teaching materials, and the creation of their own teaching materials. IMTE is a full-time, four-semester (16-month) degree program. The final semester consists of an intensive practicum that may be completed in an international setting or in a student’s home country.
Saint Mary's University's investments in students, faculty and programming have propelled the university to third in Canada for the 2023 Maclean's University Rankings.
For the second successive year, Saint Mary's University is the top-ranked primarily undergraduate university in Nova Scotia.
Upon applying to the IMTE program, you are automatically considered for an entrance scholarship ranging from $1,000 CAD to $4,500 CAD, awarded to exceptional candidates on a competitive basis.
Through IMTE professional development grants awarded during the program, our students have successfully completed the following courses during their IMTE residency:
| Course Name | Institution (delivered through Future Learn) |
|---|---|
| Teaching English Online | Cambridge University Press & Assessment |
| Volunteering with Refugees | Cambridge University Press & Assessment |
| Blended and Hybrid Learning Design in Higher Education | University of Nottingham |
| Education for All: Disability, Diversity and Inclusion | University of Cape Town |
| Instructional Design: Course Development | University of California |
| Exploring Gender Equality in Education | British Council |
| Teaching and Assessing Core Skills | British Council |
| Exploring Inclusive Pedagogies | British Council |
| How to Teach English Pronunciation | Language Fuel |
| TESOL Strategies: Supporting ESL Students in Mainstream Classrooms | University of Glasgow |
| Teaching and Assessing Core Skills | British Council |
| Mastering Classroom Management in English Language Teaching | Language Fuel |
| Education Research that Matters: Applying Research to Your Teaching Practice | University of Birmingham |
High performing students can also receive scholarships to complete the CELTA and DELTA during their teaching practicums.
Rewarding Careers
Our students come from all over the world for IMTE’s immersive cultural and educational experience. Since inception, IMTE graduates have received full-time employment offers in a wide range of exciting jobs, both here in Canada and internationally:
North American Academic Developer Specialist | Program Assistant &
Teaching Assistant | Language Instruction For Newcomers To Canada
(LINC) Instructor | EAL Instructor | IELTS Test Supervisor & IELTS
Assistant Manager | Early Childhood Educator | English Teacher |
Educational Administrator | EAP & EAL Instructor | Writing Tutor &
Teaching Assistant | Academic Cohort Manager | Language Instructor
| IELTS Coordinator | High School English Teacher | Education
Consultant Assistant | EAL Tutor | Assistant Professor
Providing a springboard to Doctoral programs in Education, many of our IMTE graduates are pursuing PhD studies here in Canada as well as at various International Universities.