The Graduate Program in Education: Language, Culture & Teaching is internationally known for its interdisciplinary and innovative approach to engaging the most pressing educational research, ideas, and issues of our time. For over twenty-five years, the program has supported researchers, scholars and students to advance ground-breaking thinking, studies, and policies in education.
Specializations
The grad program has developed 9 areas of research and teaching specialization that faculty members active in the grad program are affiliated with. These specializations are separate from the Graduate Diploma Programs that are offered through coursework and reflect faculty commitments to paths of research inquiry, scholarly and professional development activities, and sites of collective mentorship.
Graduate Degrees & Diplomas
Gurkirat Singh Sidhu, or Gurki as he’s known to friends and colleagues, is a second-year PhD student in the Faculty of Education at York University. His research focuses on the experiences of racialized French educators, particularly those who have been marginalized by dominant narratives of language and identity.
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Gurkirat Singh Sidhu, or Gurki as he’s known to friends and colleagues, is a second-year PhD student in the Faculty of Education at York University. His research focuses on the experiences of racialized French educators, particularly those who have been marginalized by dominant narratives of language and identity. A former French and family studies teacher in the Peel District School Board, Gurki draws deeply on his own encounters with systemic microaggressions, linguistic gatekeeping, and the unspoken assumption that French education belongs to white, Parisian-accented voices. His doctoral work expands upon his Master’s autoethnography, moving from personal reflection to collaborative storytelling in the form of duo-ethnography (facilitated interview pairings) and pluriethnography (group interview). These methodologies centre the voices and knowledge of other racialized educators.
Grounded in Critical Race Theory and decolonial perspectives, Gurki’s research challenges what it means to teach French in Canada and asks “who gets to belong in French-language classrooms?” He hopes his work focuses decolonizing pedagogies benefiting teachers and students alike. With the support of his supervisor, Dr. Gail Prasad, Gurki has a broadening vision of language education. When teachers communicate cultural inclusivity, students get to feel the enrichment that comes from inclusive learning environments.
Prilly Bicknell-Hersco brings her lived experience and deep community connection into her research work. Grounded in Black feminist thought, Prilly’s research explores the intersectional experiences of Black and Disabled students in higher education.
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Prilly Bicknell-Hersco brings her lived experience and deep community connection into her research work. Grounded in Black feminist thought, Prilly’s research explores the intersectional experiences of Black and Disabled students in higher education. She is interested in the social and cultural dynamics that shape belonging, academic success, and retention. Central to her inquiry is the role Black mothers play in shaping their children's postsecondary journeys, viewed through an asset-based lens. Using narrative inquiry and storytelling circles as a qualitative methodology, Prilly centers the voices and stories of participants. By choosing story-oriented methodological choices her research serves both as study and silence-dispelling. Prilly seeks to make space for these stories both in informing institutional policy and improving student outcomes like graduation rates.
As a research assistant on a SSHRC-funded project focused on Indigenous self-determination in Latin America, Prilly also conducted fieldwork with Afro-Indigenous mothers in San Andrés, Colombia. This formative experience shaped her understanding of the educational power held within mothering.
Prilly’s path in York is shaped by both perseverance and mentorship. Having entered postsecondary education through a transitional program without traditional credentials, she earned a master’s degree and a graduate diploma in Urban Education at York before choosing to pursue a PhD. She credits her supervisor, Dr. Carl James, along with a uniquely interdisciplinary committee, including scholars like Dr. Gillian Parekh and Dr. Stephanie Fearon, with helping to sharpen her questions and deepen her analysis.
Vince Schutt is a 4th year PhD student in the Faculty of Education at York University. His work lives at the intersection of pedagogy, experiential learning, and the lived realities of environmental communicators. A decade of training environmentalists on Motivational Interviewing (MI), has revealed the emotional burden they carry when trying to advocate for change in a world that seems stuck. Vince’s doctoral research seeks to continue building on this work.
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Vince Schutt is a 4th year PhD student in the Faculty of Education at York University. His work lives at the intersection of pedagogy, experiential learning, and the lived realities of environmental communicators. A decade of training environmentalists on Motivational Interviewing (MI), has revealed the emotional burden they carry when trying to advocate for change in a world that seems stuck. Vince’s doctoral research seeks to continue building on this work.
Guided by his supervisor, Dr. Mary Ott, Vince is writing an integrated article dissertation. His first paper builds from the idea of a Cassandra Complex as a metaphor for understanding the experience of the modern environmentalist. Here, Vince introduces Cassandra’s Gambit, exploring how an MI-infused approach might offer Cassandra (and today’s advocates) radical hope through a viable pathway for effectuating change. His second paper draws on interviews with forty former students, exploring their lived experiences of environmental advocacy and the emotions that shape their engagement. His third paper is a Self-Study of Teacher Education Practice (S-STEP), reflecting on his MI training experiences to generate insights for environmental educators.
Vince’s pedagogical research focus seeks to bring what he calls the “MI band of emotions”, made up of acceptance, empathy, compassion, and curiosity, to eco-educators. He hopes, through eco-educators, to empower eco-advocates to be more effective in their eco-advocacy goals.
Wendy Moffatt conducts research to bring focus on the lived experiences of first-generation students of Caribbean descent as they navigate race, language, and academic barriers in the transition to post-secondary education. Drawing from her own experience as the first in her family to attend university and earn a master’s degree, she is especially attuned to the social, financial, and linguistic challenges faced by students from Caribbean backgrounds.
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Wendy Moffatt conducts research to bring focus on the lived experiences of first-generation students of Caribbean descent as they navigate race, language, and academic barriers in the transition to post-secondary education. Drawing from her own experience as the first in her family to attend university and earn a master’s degree, she is especially attuned to the social, financial, and linguistic challenges faced by students from Caribbean backgrounds. This includes those who speak Jamaican Creole or Patwa and may experience stigmatization in academic settings. Through a participant-voice centering interview approach study grounded in sociolinguistic theory, deficit theory, and critical race theory, Wendy aims to uplift the voices of Caribbean students offering new insight into how identity and systemic barriers shape educational access and success.
Wendy began her academic journey at York in the Master of Education program, and her positive experience with the faculty and community led her to continue into the PhD. She is supervised by Dr. Nombuso Dlamini, who also oversaw her MRP and continues to support her growth as a researcher. Wendy’s research amplifies the perspectives of underrepresented students and challenges dominant narratives to foster more inclusive academic environments.
Nana K. Adu-Poku conducts research centering the experiences of Black male educators in their first five years in the profession. His research challenges systemic inequities, by recognizing the value of black male educators as role models. Rooted in his own path into education and longstanding commitment to mentorship, Nana’s research seeks to grow understanding on black men’s journeys from university to successful educator.
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Nana K. Adu-Poku conducts research centering the experiences of Black male educators in their first five years in the profession. His research challenges systemic inequities, by recognizing the value of black male educators as role models. Rooted in his own path into education and longstanding commitment to mentorship, Nana’s research seeks to grow understanding on black mens’ journeys from university to successful educator. For this purpose, he is designing and studying “affinity spaces.” These are intentional communities built outside of school systems with the purpose to enhance connection, resilience, and to exist as a supportive network for Black male educators.
Nana’s research is grounded in Critical Race Theory and composite counterstory methodology. The lay version meaning he synthesizes interview data into collective narratives and can reveal the lived experiences of Black male educators including challenges like microaggressions, underrepresentation, and institutional neglect. Nana’s research will enable school boards and teacher education programs to anticipate the needs of Black male educators, empowering them with clearer pathways to support and retain them.
Nana’s academic journey at York, from undergraduate to PhD, was shaped by supportive mentors, including his supervisor Dr. Aparna Mishra-Tarc and collaborators like Dr. Vidya Shah, Dr. Stephanie Fearon, and Dr. Gabrielle Moser. With a research program rooted in equity, mentorship, and community-building, Nana is charting a path that blends lived experience with rigorous scholarship to reimagine the future of education.
Important Dates
| Application Deadline Dates |
|---|
| Master of Education (MEd) Full-time Applicants - January 15, 2027 Part-time Applicants - February 15, 2027 |
| PhD Full-time Applicants - December 01, 2026 Part-time Applicants - December 01, 2026 |
| Graduate Diplomas February 15, 2027 |
