The National Circus School offers three specialized programs: Assistant Instructor in Circus Arts, Instructor in Circus Arts and Trainer in Circus Arts. The aim is to prepare teaching professionals versed in the circus arts able to provide high quality, safety-conscious training from introductory to advanced levels. Both programs lead to a college diploma: Attestation of Collegial Studies (AEC - Attestation d'études collégiales) accredited by the Quebec Ministry of Education. They were developed by NCS with the collaboration of Cirque du Soleil, and with financial assistance from the ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine du Québec (Quebec Ministry of Culture, Communications and Women Condition).
The Assistant Instructor program, requiring 180 hours in class, aims to insure high-quality resources from the earliest level in the form of circus arts training as recreational activity. The assistant instructor works under the supervision of a trainer or instructor.
The aim of the program for instructor is to educate circus arts instructors who provide an initiation to various circus disciplines in the context of recreational activity and in the social services arena. The program requires 360 hours (270 course hours and 90 in work internship), which are offered full-time over two semesters.
The goal of the program for trainer is to prepare trainers in circus arts who contribute directly to the development of the circus arts professionals of the future by providing highest-quality instruction in techniques associated with the circus. The program requires 720 hours (510 course hours and 210 in work internship) offered full-time over four semesters.