Information and Regulations for AQ, ABQ, and HSQ Courses

Because our additional qualification courses differ from other educational opportunities, it is important to understand their specific delivery methods, awarded credits, and regulations. The following provides you with an overview of information and regulations that apply to all of our additional qualification courses.

To access information about our additional qualification courses, use the following resources:

Flexible Delivery Methods

We deliver our AQ courses primarily in an online format. Some courses are offered in a blended format. Each course description in the Course Database specifies the course's delivery method.

Online Delivery

  • Online delivery allows you to complete your course using D2L/Brightspace to ensure that you can access information easily, communicate effectively, and complete your learning goals. Online courses are primarily asynchronous. Some courses have optional synchronous components to supplement asynchronous learning. For PQP and SOQP, those synchronous components are strongly encouraged, or in some cases required.

Blended Delivery

  • Our Blended Delivery option lets you experience the best aspects of both face-to-face and online learning; this option combines short, face-to-face sessions with elements of our flexible online delivery.

Fully Transferable Credits

Lakehead University awards a full credit equivalent (1.0 FCE) in Education for any completed AQ, ABQ, or HSQ course.

All of our AQ, ABQ, and HSQ courses are fully transferable; jurisdictions outside of Ontario award credit for any additional qualification courses that you complete at Lakehead University.

Note: All of our AQ, ABQ, and HSQ courses are certified by the Ontario College of Teachers.

Expected Workload per Course

As stated in Ontario Regulation 176/10, all of our AQ, ABQ, and HSQ courses require a minimum of 125 hours of work of which 100 hours is contact time and 25 hours is documented hours of related study.

The following table provides a guideline for determining a course’s workload based on academic term:

TermFallWinterSpringSummer
Total number of weeks:11117 6
Suggested hours of work (per week):11.511.51821

Course Load per Term

Students may take up to two (2) FCEs in the Fall/Winter and two (2) FCE in each of the Spring and Summer terms.

If you wish to register for more courses, you must complete a Change in Registration (request to overload) form and submit it to the Department of Professional Development in Education.

Transcript Requirements

For all AQ, ABQ, and HSQ courses, official transcripts are required and must be forwarded directly from the issuing university. As the applicant, you must ensure that all necessary documentation reaches Lakehead University before the course's application deadline.

Textbooks and Course Materials

If your AQ, ABQ, or HSQ course requires you to buy and use a textbook, you can order directly from Lakehead University's Alumni Bookstore.

Adding Qualifications to your Certificate of Qualifications

Once you complete an AQ, ABQ, or HSQ course, the Department of Professional Development in Education recommends you to the Ontario College of Teachers. If you meet all of the necessary requirements, the Ontario College of Teachers will add your additional qualifications to your Certificate of Qualification. If you do not meet the necessary requirements, you will be deemed to have taken the course for general interest.

Note: It is your responsibility to understand Ontario Regulation 176/10 and any other Ontario College of Teacher requirements. When you register, if you do not meet the OCT requirements, you must notify us at the time, and you will be required to complete and sign this waiver form.

Withdrawing from an AQ, ABQ, or HSQ Course

To withdraw from an AQ, ABQ, or HSQ course, you must complete a Change in Registration form and then submit it to the Department of Professional Development in Education.

For more information about withdrawing from an AQ, ABQ, or HSQ course, such as a term's specific dates, please see our University Calendar:

Receiving a Refund

To receive a refund for your AQ, ABQ, or HSQ course, you must withdraw from the course before a specific date. For information about each term's refund schedule, please see Lakehead University's Refund Policy & Schedule page (select the appropriate term's schedule, and scroll to the section Additional Qualifications Courses). You can also view our Departmental page on withdrawals and refunds.

Information for new Bachelor of Education Graduates

If you are a new Bachelor of Education graduate and you wish to take an additional qualification course, you must first pay your Ontario College of Teachers membership dues and be a member in good standing. If you have met all the requirements to graduate from Lakehead University's Bachelor of Education program, and have paid your OCT membership and obtained your OCT number, but have not yet graduated, you may be eligible to register for a Spring AQ course. Please contact us to discuss (aq@lakeheadu.ca).

Technical Requirements

Online courses are delivered online. Information about accessing your course(s) will be distributed through your Lakehead University e-mail account. Please test your browser and view our online learning environment using the following link:

Student Conduct

All students at Lakehead University are subject to the Student Code of Conduct. Disciplinary action may be taken against the violators of academic dishonesty as per the Regulations related to Academic Integrity in the Lakehead University Calendar. In addition, as members of the teaching profession, students taking courses leading to recommendations to the Ontario College of Teachers for additional qualifications are expected to demonstrate professional behaviour reflective of the Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession and the Ethical Standards of Practice in the Teaching Profession.

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