Master of Education (Honours)

This information is currently being updated. For current unit codes and names, click here to access the Postgraduate Handbook.

Graduate Studies in Education at Avondale are designed to provide advanced coursework and research opportunities for educational professionals who seek to further develop their skills and expertise as effective educators. In recent decades, Australia has seen significant expansion of independent schools, especially the Christian private school sector, accounting for approximately 30% of school enrolment. Increasingly, private Christian schools are seeking graduates with advanced qualifications both for the classroom and for leadership. These graduates bring to their profession a Christian perspective, as well as experience gained from study and research into the administration and curriculum development of private schools in the area of Christian education. With a long tradition of excellence in teacher education from a Christian perspective Avondale is able to offer a quality program of studies.

Educational professionals in the public school sector are increasingly aware of the need for skills and expertise in leadership, curriculum development, values education and in the provision of pastoral care and nurture in schooling. Furthermore, the teaching profession is increasingly expecting teachers to substantiate their craft from a research base. Avondale's Graduate Studies program meets the needs of educational professionals from both private and public school backgrounds.

The Master of Education (Honours) degree is designed as an eighteen month full time or three year part time research degree that involves one third coursework and two thirds research for a total of 36 credit points of study.

The pattern of study is as follows:
One core subject 3
Two strand subjects(related to research thesis) 6
Two research subjects 6
Major thesis 21
Total 36


Students pursuing the Honours program will be required to complete both ED500.1 Introduction to Educational Research and ED501 Research Methods. These subjects provide an in-depth investigation of research methodology as an integral part of the research component of the degree. It is during this time that the research thesis proposal is developed and defended. Major Thesis ED 503.2 (6 credit points), ED504.1 (6 credit points), ED504.2 (6 credit points) and ED505.1 (3 credit points) comprise the balance of the program.

Thesis Assessment



The minor thesis will be assessed by an examining committee consisting of a chairperson and two examiners, neither of whom shall be the supervisor. Both examiners will be appointed by the Graduate Studies Coordinating Committee after taking advice from the supervisor. One examiner may be a suitably qualified person who is a member of staff at Avondale College. The other shall be external to the College.

For the Major research thesis, both examiners shall be external to Avondale College.
Students shall submit three copies of their thesis. Examiners will recommend one of the following grades:


  1. accepted without conditions
  2. accepted subject to minor modificationwithin a specified time frame
  3. accepted subject to major modificationswithin a specified time frame
  4. major revisions required and submittedfor re-examination.
  5. rejected


Where the chairperson of the examining committee is not able to resolve disagreements between the examiners with regard to the passing or rejecting of the thesis at any of the above levels, or if there are irreconcilable disagreements as to the grade that should be awarded, the following procedures will be followed:


  1. the student's supervisor shall give a written response to both of the examiners' reports which may be shared with examiners by the chairperson in an attempt to resolve the acceptance and or grading of the thesis.
  2. The Graduate Studies Coordinating Committee shall consider the reports and give a ruling. If necessary they may request a third suitable examiner to assess the thesis.


Grading



Master of Education (Honours) theses will be graded as follows:


  • Honours Class1
  • Honours Class 2 Division 1
  • Honours Class 2 Division 2
  • Honours Class 3


Course Structures


Strands