The Master of Teaching (Secondary)(MTch (Sec)) is for eligible graduates who already have a bachelor’s degree and desire to transition into a new career teaching high school students. The course provides the opportunity to explore and critically analyse a wide range of educational literature and research to examine the application of these findings to professional practice.
The course provides students with the opportunity to develop both theoretical and practical skills. It includes 60 days of Professional Experience Placements. Graduates of the MTch (Sec) are qualified to teach in Christian, independent and state school systems both in Australia and overseas.
To qualify for admission, an applicant must have achieved:
An applicant’s Bachelor's degree must meet the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) content requirements, which will be assessed the Course Convenor.
In exceptional circumstances an applicant may be admitted based on qualifications deemed equivalent as assessed by the Course Convenor in consultation with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).
In addition, applicants must submit the Personal Statement for Initial Teaching Training (PSITE). The PSITE assesses the applicant’s suitability for becoming a teacher and consists of four questions with a maximum of 250 words per response.
This course is available to international students who meet the Australian government requirements for a student visa to reside in Australia for the duration of the course. For information regarding visas refer to https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder/study.
Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency one of the following:
^Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom, or the United States of America.
Applicants who have completed prior study may be eligible for advanced standing (credit recognition). Applicants should discuss their eligibility for advanced standing with the Admissions Team or the Course Convenor.
The Master of Teaching (Secondary) consists of 16 units and requires 96 credit points for completion. Every unit has a 6 credit-point value. Students complete 4 units in each of the 4 semesters in a full-time load or part-time equivalent.
The course is comprised of:
*For most students (teaching subject area dependent).
YEAR 1 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Semester 1 | EDUC53102 Quality Learning, Assessment & ICT in the Australian Curriculum | EDUC50113 Exploring Indigenous Education | EDUC53101 Managing the Secondary Classroom | EDUC53103 Introduction to Quality Teaching |
Professional Teaching Experience (July - 20 days) | ||||
Semester 2 | EDUC351_ Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - ______ | EDUC351_ Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - ______ | EDUC50112 Exploring Child Development & Learning | EDUC50102 Understanding Students with Special Education Needs |
YEAR 2 | ||||
Semester 3 | EDUC33101 Promoting Health & Wellbeing in Schools | Directed Elective | EDUC50108 Exploring A Personal Philosophy of Christian Education | EDUC50104 Preparation for the Teaching Workplace |
EDPX50001 Professional Experiences (Mid-Year - 40 days) | ||||
Semester 4 | EDUC351_ Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - ______ | EDUC351_ Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - ______ | EDUC50114 Exploring Educational Research & Diversity | EDPX50001 Professional Experiences |
These units cover a range of current educational topics designed to prepare preservice teachers to successfully teach young people.
Students normally complete two content specific Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies units per teaching area. These units are offered on a two year rotation.
Code | Name | Semester Available | Year Cycle |
EDUC35103 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Ancient History | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35104 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Biology | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35105 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Chemistry | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35111 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Legal Studies | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35113 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Modern History | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35121 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Science | 2 | Even years |
EDUC35122 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - History | 2 | Even years |
EDUC35123 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Commerce | 2 | Even years |
EDUC35124 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Business Studies | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35126 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - English I | 2 | Even years |
EDUC35127 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - English II | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35128 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Geography I | 2 | Even years |
EDUC35129 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Geography II | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35130 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Health and Physical Education I | 2 | Even years |
EDUC35131 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Health and Physical Education II | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35132 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Mathematics I | 2 | Even years |
EDUC35133 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Mathematics II | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35134 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Music I | 2 | Even years |
EDUC35135 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Music II | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35136 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Religion I | 2 | Even years |
EDUC35137 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Religion II | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35138 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Visual Arts I | 2 | Even years |
EDUC35139 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Visual Arts II | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35140 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Information Technology I | 2 | Even years |
EDUC35141 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Information Technology II | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35142 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Design &Technologies I | 2 | Even years |
EDUC35143 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Design & Technologies II | 2 | Odd years |
EDUC35144 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Technologies | 2 | Odd years |
The MTch (Secondary) course includes one directed elective when students are completing two teaching subject areas and three directed electives when students are completing only one teaching subject area*.
*For most students (teaching subject area dependent).
In consultation with the Course Convenor, students who do not meet prerequisite discipline study requirements choose to complete two relevant discipline studies as elective units. Alternatively, students who have met prerequisite discipline study requirements are directed to complete either additional relevant discipline studies to strengthen their teaching subject area and/or additional education units to strengthen their educational understandings.
Students have regular opportunities to practice their developing teaching skills in the classroom through two Professional Experience Placements; one of 20 days and one of 40 days. These provide opportunities to develop essential mastery of the Graduate Teaching Standards, required by the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) prior to graduation.
It is important that teacher education students:
Students must provide evidence of compliance on arrival at each school for their Professional Experience Placement. Evidence includes:
If a student becomes ineligible to visit schools for their Professional Experience Placement or is barred from attending a school for any reason, they will not be able to complete this degree.
Students need to demonstrate their fitness for teaching to complete a Professional Experience Placement. This means being able to:
Teacher education students should seek Professional Experience Placements in schools where no relatives or friends are working or attending. This is to avoid a conflict of interest in mentoring and assessing teacher education students. Otherwise, any relationship must be disclosed, with Avondale reserving the right to make a decision regarding the Professional Experience Placement. Failure to disclose this information may mean that the grade for the Professional Experience Placement is subject to revision or annulment. Students cannot complete a Professional Experience Placement at a school where they are a present or past employee.
Students will need to obtain a New South Wales Working with Children Check, as well as the equivalent Working with Children Check in any state or territory in which they intend to complete a Professional Experience Placement. Students enrolled in a Master of Teaching degree will need to obtain a New South Wales WWCC before starting their first semester of study.
Students need to apply for a Working with Children Check online through the Office of the Children's Guardian. After the application is complete, the application number and the expiry date must be emailed to the Professional Experience Placement Officer.
E: [email protected]
Students are required to complete the Child Protection Awareness Training within the first two weeks of the semester, before the first Professional Experience Placement. The training is a self-paced online e-learning course available through the NSW Department of Education. Students should save their evidence of completion as a PDF file and email it to the Professional Experience Placement Officer.
E: [email protected]
When a student has completed the Child Protection Awareness training, they must register for MyPL, and then complete Child Protection Updates annually.
The specific focus of the annual Child Protection Update varies each year, depending on current needs as identified by the NSW Department of Education. The aim of the course is to provide a general refresher on recognising and responding to suspected risk of harm across a range of categories. It reminds those working in an education context of the actions to take when identifying and responding to students at risk of harm.
The NSW Department of Education mandates that students receive anaphylaxis management training before commencing their first Professional Experience Placement. Students are required to complete ASCIA anaphylaxis e-training for Australian schools.
Once completed, please print, scan, and email the certificate(s) to the Professional Experience Placement Officer.
E: [email protected]
Government requirements stipulate that students must pass the Government Literacy and Numeracy Test (LANTITE) in order to commence their final Professional Experience Placement. It is advised that students sit this test in the first year of their course. The booking of and the payment for these tests is the responsibility of each student, being separate to tuition fees.
The Placement Officer is available to assist students with all post admission requirements and can be contacted at:
E: [email protected]
T: 02 4980 2180
The MTch (Secondary) course is accredited by the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA).
At the completion of the course, students must register with the state professional teaching body before they are eligible to teach in a school. In New South Wales this accrediting body is the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA).
The Master of Teaching (Secondary) is designed to successfully prepare secondary teachers with critical thinking skills for the classroom, and adaptability for the evolving educational system. Graduates are qualified for teaching and non-teaching roles in education.
MTch (Sec) graduates develop skills for roles such as:
Graduates are qualified to teach in independent and state school systems in both Australia and overseas. In addition to education-related careers, teachers find careers in the corporate and government roles where organisational and relationship skills are valued by employers.