MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY
Rural education cohort allows N.L. residents to learn at home to teach at home

Starting in winter 2026, residents of rural Newfoundland and Labrador will be able to study and become teachers in the communities they live in.  

A rural cohort of Memorial's Bachelor of Education (Primary/Elementary) as a Second Degree Program will offer a flexible and accessible pathway to teacher certification. 

The full-time, five-semester program is designed for students living in rural Newfoundland and Labrador and can be completed remotely from their home communities with opportunities for regional, in-person workshops.

Students will have the opportunity to complete the practicum component of their degree in classrooms close to home and build connections with local teachers and students.

Addressing the needs of all N.L. communities

Dr. Pamela Osmond-Johnson, dean in the Faculty of Education, views accessibility and inclusion as core values in the faculty.

Programming has adapted to learner needs in many ways, she says, and more graduate education courses are offered online.

From left are Dr. David Gill, Dr. Pamela Osmond-Johnson and Bernard Davis are pictured in the Education Library with library staff Courtney Crocker and Susan Fry during the funding announcement. Photo: Submitted

She also says programs are designed to prepare educators to teach in French and Indigenous languages through a Nunavut Arctic College partnership; a new primary/elementary (second degree) French as a second language cohort; and an Indigenous teacher education program that will soon launch in Labrador.

"The provincial government's support has allowed us to expand our undergraduate teacher education programming to reach students in rural Newfoundland and Labrador, furthering our goal to create accessible program routes that address the needs of all communities," Dr. Osmond-Johnson said.  

'Stronger future for everyone'

The Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association sees the rural cohort program as an invaluable initiative to help recruit and retain some of Newfoundland and Labrador's brightest future educators in the regions that need them most.  

"Teaching is an incredibly rewarding career, and Memorial's efforts to make it possible for students to complete their degree in the communities they choose are a meaningful step forward," said Dale Lambe, president of the association. "By supporting students where they are, we're supporting recruitment and retention of trained educators across the province, which will help build a stronger future for everyone." 

Previously, students had to relocate to St. John's or out of province to complete a bachelor of education program.

New partnership

A new partnership between the Faculty of Education and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador led to the development of the rural cohort program, which has seats for 25 students. 

Through Budget 2025, the Provincial Government allocated $850,000 to provide targeted recruitment and retention initiatives for positions in historically hard-to-fill rural, remote and isolated areas of the province.

The funding was announced at the Faculty of Education Library on Sept. 8 and is part of a larger investment to add 400 educational resources to the K-12 school system.  

"I am really excited about the new rural education cohort at Memorial," said Bernard Davis, minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. "It's a smart way to help future teachers train closer to home. That kind of local connection makes a big difference when it comes to staying in the community and supporting students long-term.

"Memorial University and the Faculty of Education have been great partners as we try new initiatives to train more teachers in ways that work for them and the education system as a whole," he added. 

Interested in applying?

Applicants must already hold a completed undergraduate degree.

Applications are now open, with a priority deadline of Sept. 15.

For questions about admission, interested students can reach out to edadmiss@mun.ca.  

Successful applicants will be classroom-ready by fall 2027.