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CONT773: Senior Biology

Course Schedule

Session Course Dates Application Deadline Document Deadline Payment Deadline
Winter 2027 Monday, January 25, 2027 – Friday, April 2, 2027 Sunday, January 17, 2027 at 7pm ET Tuesday, January 19, 2027 at 4pm ET Thursday, January 21, 2027 at 4pm ET
Spring 2027 Monday, April 5, 2027 – Friday, June 4, 2027 Sunday, March 28, 2027 at 7pm ET Tuesday, March 30, 2027 at 4pm ET Thursday, April 1, 2027 at 4pm ET
Summer 2027 Monday, June 28, 2027 – Friday, August 13, 2027 Sunday, June 20, 2027 at 7pm ET Tuesday, June 22, 2027 at 4pm ET Thursday, June 24, 2027 at 4pm ET
Deadline dates are subject to change.

Winter 2027

  • Course Dates: Monday, January 25, 2027 – Friday, April 2, 2027
  • Application Deadline: Sunday, January 17, 2027 at 7pm ET
  • Document Deadline: Tuesday, January 19, 2027 at 4pm ET
  • Payment Deadline: Thursday, January 21, 2027 at 4pm ET

Spring 2027

  • Course Dates: Monday, April 5, 2027 – Friday, June 4, 2027
  • Application Deadline: Sunday, March 28, 2027 at 7pm ET
  • Document Deadline: Tuesday, March 30, 2027 at 4pm ET
  • Payment Deadline: Thursday, April 1, 2027 at 4pm ET

Summer 2027

  • Course Dates: Monday, June 28, 2027 – Friday, August 13, 2027
  • Application Deadline: Sunday, June 20, 2027 at 7pm ET
  • Document Deadline: Tuesday, June 22, 2027 at 4pm ET
  • Payment Deadline: Thursday, June 24, 2027 at 4pm ET

Course Description

The Senior Science–Biology AQ will help you feel prepared to create an inclusive and welcoming environment, to meet your diverse class of Senior Science students where they are, to engage them, and to help them succeed. Through analysis of the curriculum and other Ministry documents and exploration of student-centred teaching strategies including labs, you’ll develop culturally responsive and inclusive activities and a variety of assessment and evaluation tools, rubrics, and success criteria for use in your classroom practice. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to approach Senior Biology teaching through a holistic lens, and you’ll leave with either an outline for a Senior Biology course or a detailed plan for a full Senior Biology unit. 

  • Turn your AQs into more. Combine any five Queen’s AQ courses to earn a Post-Graduate Certificate and recognize the learning you’ve already completed. You may already be closer than you think.
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What You Will Learn and Do

In this course you’ll have the opportunity to

  • understand, analyze, and evaluate the Senior Biology curriculum document, with a focus on curriculum expectations and learner assessment and evaluation 
  • create a variety of differentiated teaching and learning resources for Senior Biology  
  • apply principles of equity and inclusion and culturally responsive pedagogy in the Senior Biology classroom   
  • apply the OCT Standards of Practice and Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession to the teaching practice   
  • analyze and apply Growing Success to inform assessment and evaluation in Senior Biology   
  • plan for and apply lab safety   
  • collaborate with colleagues and engage in professional dialogue and resource sharing  

Course Outline

Each module includes a variety of resources, such as articles, videos, websites, podcasts and other media, as well as discussion posts, reflective tasks, collaborative tasks, culminating tasks, and assignments.

ModulesMinimum hours
Module 1: Creating an Inclusive Biology Classroom 18
Module 2: Instructional and Planning Strategies
Progress Update 1		 21.5
Module 3: Student-Centred Approaches 18
Module 4: Biology Labs
Progress Update 2		 19.5
Module 5: Descriptive Feedback and Formative Assessment 18
Module 6: Assessment and Evaluation
Progress Update 3		 18.5
Module 7: Course Culminating Task
Final Report		 11.5
Total hours 125

Application Requirements

  1. OCT MEMBERSHIP We will use the OCT number you provide during online registration to confirm you are an OCT member with an undergraduate degree.
  2. YOUR UNDERGRADUATE/GRADUATE UNIVERSITY TRANSCRIPT(S)*

Your transcript(s) must show: The equivalent of 3.0 full-year undergraduate/graduate courses in Biology/Biochemistry or the equivalent of 2.0 full-year undergraduate/graduate courses if you already hold another senior qualification.

Please email a copy of your unofficial undergraduate transcript to cedmail@queensu.ca

If you completed an undergraduate degree at Queen’s at any time, or finished a B.Ed., Honour Specialist, or an Intermediate or Senior ABQ course with us within the past four years, you do not need to submit your transcript again.

Course Materials

There are no additional resources required for this course.

Accommodations

Applicants who require accommodations for a specific learning need (e.g., learning disability) within their AQ/ABQ course, should click here for further information and support.

Have a question? Contact us!

Refund Schedule

  New refund policies (as of August 10, 2026)

  • If you drop a course before the course begins: 100% refund
  • If you drop a course on or before the 14th day of the course: 75% refund
  • If you drop a course after the 14th day of the course: No refund
Session Course Dates 75% Refund Cut Off Date
Fall 2026Monday, September 28, 2026 – Friday, December 4, 2026October 11, 2026 at 4pm ET
Fall/Winter 2026Monday, November 9, 2026 – Friday, February 5, 2027November 22, 2026 at 4pm ET
Winter 2027Monday, January 25, 2027 – Friday, April 2, 2027February 07, 2027 at 4pm ET
Late Winter 2027Monday, February 15, 2027 – Friday, April 16, 2027February 28, 2027 at 4pm ET
Spring 2027Monday, April 5, 2027 – Friday, June 4, 2027April 18, 2027 at 4pm ET
Late Spring 2027Monday, May 3, 2027 – Friday, June 25, 2027May 16, 2027 at 4pm ET
Summer 2027Monday, June 28, 2027 – Friday, August 13, 2027July 11, 2027 at 4pm ET

  If you have withdrawn from a course, are not eligible for a refund under our published refund policy, and would like to request an exception, please complete the refund appeal form.

Refund Appeal Form