Le Bac Program: 40 Years of Inspiring Minds and Shaping Futures

It's an exciting year of celebration for the Faculty of Education and students who aspire to become instructors in Francophone, French immersion or Core French schools.  

While Le Bac's very own Claire St. Cyr-Power has been teaching in Le Bac since 2012, her connection to the program goes back even further. She was a student in the first Le Bac cohort!  

I love my work, it is very rewarding to work with future teachers. — Claire St. Cyr-Power, a teacher on loan to the Baccalaureate Program. 

St. Cyr-Power grew up in a small town with no access to francophone or immersion schools, but she wanted to maintain her French-speaking background. Le Bac provided her with an opportunity to continue cultivating her French language skills. She says, "I wonder where my French would be now if I hadn’t done the Bac program." 

Luckily, St. Cyr-Power chose Le Bac and is now working to prepare students for a career teaching in French. “The French language is very important to me,” says St. Cyr-Power, “and I am happy to be able to support future teachers." 

The evolution of Le Bac 

Le Bac has evolved since its inauguration in 1983. It has grown to include mature students, students with previous degrees, as well as newcomers from a variety of French-speaking countries. St. Cyr-Power is proud to watch the program thrive.  

As a Le Bac student in 1983, resources were limited. St. Cyr-Power remembers having access to a small library with a few French materials available for student use. Now, students have abundant resources, whether it be endless information on the internet or free tutoring from La Cité Universitaire francophone, the main hub for French-language university programming, research, and services offered at the University of Regina and across the province. 

What was once a singular choice of a four-year Bachelor of Education has now grown to include these options: 

• A four-year Bachelor of Education for grade 12 graduates specializing in elementary, secondary or core French education.
• A five-year program leading to two degrees: A Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Arts with a major in French.
• A two-year Bachelor of Education After Degree specializing in elementary, secondary or core French education, for students who already hold an undergraduate degree.
• Minors in, English, Fine Arts, Mathematics, Sciences, Social Sciences, History, Physical Education and Religious Studies.
• A 18 credit Certificate program (Le Certificat Voie d'avenir) for Internationally Educated Teachers

Why choose Le Bac?

One thing hasn't changed since St. Cyr-Power was a student, and that is the unique opportunity to spend their second year at Université Laval in Québec City. During their time in Quebec, students will attend classes that count towards their degree at the University of Regina while simultaneously exploring more of the world.

St. Cyr-Power says this opportunity is a highlight of Le Bac and a fascinating and memorable experience that provides a great advantage to students because it allows them to further immerse themselves in the French language environment and culture. 

St. Cyr-Power says Le Bac is the best option for preparing for a career in teaching in French. One of the main benefits of Le Bac is that it produces teachers with a high level of French proficiency. To achieve this level of proficiency, the program offers one-on-one language support to students. This is an approach St. Cyr-Power appreciates as a chance to build connections with students in a way that wouldn’t be possible in a larger classroom.  

Le Bac is relatively small, which creates a strong sense of community among students and teachers alike. St. Cyr-Power noted that it's common to encounter former students in her career, some of whom she taught as early as third grade.

Are you interested in joining Le Bac? Learn more about the different program offerings here: La Cité - Bachelor of French Education (BEd) - Le Bac