The Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary) (BA/BTch (Sec)) is designed to equip students with the necessary skills to teach in Christian, independent and state high school systems in both Australia and overseas. Avondale graduates are highly valued for being reflective, creative, and confident in the classroom.
Students will complete four Professional Experience Placements. These are undertaken at a range of schools to enable the application of theory in a practical setting. Students may also be able to undertake an overseas Professional Experience Placement.
Through innovative teaching, work integrated learning and a focus on health and wellbeing, this course prepares graduates for the classroom. Students can choose from a range of teaching areas listed below.
Secondary Teaching areas of study include:
There are many options for satisfying the entry requirements for our courses. An applicant needs to meet at least one of the following entry requirements to be given an offer to study at Avondale.
*Applicants must not be a current year 12 (or equivalent) student and must be 18 years or older at the time of commencing their course.
If a Senior Secondary Certificate has not been completed, an eligible applicant may sit an admission test (uniTEST and TOWA or the Skills for Tertiary Admission Test).
In exceptional circumstances, an applicant may be admitted based on equivalent qualifications or work and life experience as assessed by the Course Convenor or delegate and/or the DVC Academic.
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.
If you plan to study any of the following secondary teaching areas, you must meet the relevant criteria for admission:
Chemistry
Mathematics
Other qualifications may be acceptable. Students should contact the Course Convenor.
Music
Admission to the Avondale Conservatorium is by audition.
Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:
Where an applicant does not meet the required minimum standard, admission is possible with other appropriate music experience upon approval from the Director of Music.
For more information, see our Frequently Asked Questions.
To arrange an audition, email the Director of Music at [email protected].
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:
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 Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary) consists of 32 units and requires 192 credit points for completion.
The 32 units required are as follows:
| 1 | Core units | WHPE10101 Foundations of Wellbeing |
| 14 | Discipline units | Including Specialisation, Major, or Minor unit combinations from chosen pathway options. |
| 17 | Education units | 13 Core Education units, plus 4 Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies units - Two for each of two teaching areas* |
*For most students these units are teaching subject area dependent.
Students must select one of the following:
| Two Majors | 6 units to achieve a major 6 units to achieve a second major 2 elective units |
| Specialisation 8 units* plus Minor | 8 units to achieve a specialisation 4 units to achieve a minor 2 elective units |
| Specialisation 10 units* plus Minor | 10 units to achieve a specialisation 4 units to achieve a minor |
*In some disciplines a specialisation is eight units and in other disciplines a specialisation is ten units. Students will select the option that aligns with the number of specialisation units in their elected specialisation study area.
Y indicates the availability of a specialisation (SP), major (MJ) or minor (MN) in each study area.
| Study areas | SP | MJ | MN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient History | Y | ||
| Biology | Y | ||
| Business Studies & Commerce | Y | Y | |
| Chemistry | Y | ||
| Computing Technologies | Y | ||
| Design & Technology | |||
| English | Y | Y | Y |
| Food Technology | Y | Y | |
| Geography | Y | ||
| Health & Physical Education | Y | Y | |
| Home Economics | Y | ||
| Industrial Technology | Y | ||
| Legal Studies | Y | ||
| Mathematics | Y | Y | |
| Modern History | Y | Y | |
| Music | Y | Y | |
| Religious Studies | Y | Y | Y |
| Science | Y | ||
| Technology & Applied Studies | Y | Y | Y |
| Textiles Technology | Y | Y | |
| Visual Arts | Y |
Other teaching areas may be completed via cross institutional study after approval from the Course Convenor. These additional Secondary teaching disciplines include but are not limited to:
Other areas of study which may be included as part of the BA/BTch (Sec) course with approval from the Course Convenor include:
Core Unit
All students complete Foundations of Wellbeing (WHPE10101). This unit is compulsory and provides students with a foundational understanding of holistic health.
Discipline Units
All students will choose a discipline area to teach in. Depending on the number of units chosen, students will complete a minor, major or specialisation in the discipline.
Specialisation
Students who complete the required 8 or 10 units in the one discipline area complete a specialisation. The number of units required to complete a specialisation is dependent on the specific teaching area chosen.
Major
Students who complete the required 6 or 8 units in the one discipline area complete a major. Majors from other degrees may be available, subject to timetable constraints and with the approval of the Course Convenor of the BA/BTch (Sec) and the Course Convenor of the Bachelor of Arts.
Minor
Students who complete the required four units in the one discipline area complete a minor. Minors from other degrees may be available, subject to timetable constraints and with the approval of the Course Convenor of the BA/BTch (Sec) and the Course Convenor of the Bachelor of Arts.
Elective Units
While students are encouraged to use their elective units to strengthen their chosen teaching fields, electives can be chosen from any units offered.
Professional Teaching Experience
Eight discipline units must be completed prior to the first scheduled professional teaching experience to ensure students have adequate knowledge to successfully complete their first teaching placement.
These 13 units cover a range of current educational topics designed to prepare pre-service teachers to successfully teach secondary school students.
These units provide pre-service teachers with the opportunity to apply quality-teaching principles to specific teaching areas.
Students normally complete two content specific Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies units per teaching area. These units are offered on a two-year rotation as shown.
| EDUC35103 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Ancient History | Odd year |
| EDUC35104 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Biology | Odd year |
| EDUC35105 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Chemistry | Odd year |
| EDUC35111 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Legal Studies | Odd year |
| EDUC35113 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Modern History | Odd year |
| EDUC35121 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Science | Even Year |
| EDUC35122 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - History | Even Year |
| EDUC35123 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Commerce | Even Year |
| EDUC35124 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Business Studies | Odd year |
| EDUC35126 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - English I | Even Year |
| EDUC35127 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - English II | Odd year |
| EDUC35128 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Geography I | Even Year |
| EDUC35129 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Geography II | Odd year |
| EDUC35130 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Health & Physical Education I | Even Year |
| EDUC35131 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Health & Physical Education II | Odd year |
| EDUC35132 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Mathematics I | Even Year |
| EDUC35133 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Mathematics II | Odd year |
| EDUC35134 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Music I | Even Year |
| EDUC35135 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Music II | Odd year |
| EDUC35136 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Religion I | Even Year |
| EDUC35137 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Religion II | Odd year |
| EDUC35138 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Visual Arts I | Even Year |
| EDUC35139 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Visual Arts II | Odd year |
| EDUC35140 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Information Technology I | Even Year |
| EDUC35141 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Information Technology II | Odd year |
| EDUC35142 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Design &Technologies I | Even Year |
| EDUC35143 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Design & Technologies II | Odd year |
| EDUC35144 | Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies - Technologies | Odd year |
The following information outlines the specific discipline units that make up the unit sets within this course. Students should communicate with their Course Convenors and relevant Strand Convenors when selecting their discipline units.
Ancient History Minor
Students enrol in EDUC35122 and EDUC35103 in addition to these units:
and one of the following Modern History units
Biology Major
Students enrol in EDUC35121 and EDUC35104 in addition to these units:
Business Studies and Commerce Major
Students enrol in EDUC35123 and EDUC35124 in addition to these units:
Business Studies and Commerce Minor
Students enrol in EDUC35123 and EDUC35124 in addition to these units:
Chemistry Major
Students enrol in EDUC35121 and EDUC35105 in addition to these units:
Computing Technologies Minor Units
Students enrol in EDUC35140 and EDUC35141 in addition to these units:
English Specialisation
Students enrol in EDUC35126 and EDUC35127 in addition to these units:
(COMM11100 Writing for Media Contexts may be an alternative for ARTS11100 Interpreting & Producing Media Messages if approved by the English Strand Convenor)
English Major
Students enrol in EDUC35126 and EDUC35127 in addition to these units:
and one of the following units:
and one of the following units:
(COMM11100 Writing for Media Contexts may be an alternative for ARTS11100 Interpreting & Producing Media Messages if approved by the English Strand Convenor)
English Minor
Students enrol in EDUC35126 and EDUC35127 in addition to these units:
and one of the following units
(COMM11100 Writing for Media Contexts may be an alternative 100 level unit if approved by the English Strand Convenor)
Food Technology Major units
Students enrol in EDUC35142 and EDUC35143 in addition to these units:
and one of the following units
Food Technology Minor units
Students enrol in EDUC35142 and EDUC35143 in addition to these units:
Geography Minor
Students enrol in EDUC35128 and EDUC35129 in addition to these units:
Health and Physical Education Specialisation
Students enrol in EDUC35130 and EDUC35131 in addition to these units:
The following units are a requirement of the HPE specialisation but are already completed as part of the core education requirements:
Health and Physical Education Major
Students enrol in EDUC35130 and EDUC35131 in addition to these units:
The following units are a requirement of the HPE major but are already completed as part of the core education requirements:
Industrial Technology Major
Students enrol in EDUC35142 and EDUC35143 in addition to these units
Legal Studies Minor
Students enrol in EDUC35123 and EDUC35111 in addition to these units:
Mathematics Major
Students enrol in EDUC35132 and EDUC35133 in addition to these units:
Mathematics Minor
Students enrol in EDUC35132 and EDUC35133 in addition to these units:
Modern History Major
Students enrol in EDUC35122 and EDUC35113 in addition to these units:
Modern History Minor
Students enrol in EDUC35122 and EDUC35113 in addition to these units:
and one of the following units
Music Specialisation
Students enrol in EDUC35134 and EDUC35135 in addition to these units:
and one of the following
Music Major
Students enrol in EDUC35134 and EDUC35135 in addition to these units:
and two of the following
Outdoor Education Minor
As this is not a teaching area in NSW, students who complete this cluster of units do not complete any associated curriculum & pedagogical studies units. Elective units will replace these if needed to meet the required 192 credit points to graduate. The four units recommended in this area include:
Religious Studies Specialisation
Students enrol in EDUC35136 and EDUC35137 in addition to these units:
and three of the following units (with at least one at 300 level) from:
Religious Studies Major
Students enrol in EDUC35136 and EDUC35137 in addition to these units:
and one of the following units from
and one of the following units from:
Religious Studies Minor
Students enrol in EDUC35136 and EDUC35137 in addition to these units:
and one of the following units from
and one of the following units from
Science Major
Students enrol in EDUC35121 and either EDUC35104 OR EDUC35105 in addition to these units:
Textiles Technology Major
Students enrol in EDUC35142 and EDUC35143 in addition to these units
Textiles Technology Minor
Students enrol in EDUC35142 and EDUC35143 in addition to these units:
Visual Arts Major
Students enrol in EDUC35138 and EDUC35139 in addition to these units
and three of the following units from
and one of the following units from
Technology and Applied Studies (TAS) Specialisations
TAS Pattern 1 Specialisation: 10 units
| 7 units | Design & Technology Core |
| 3 units | Technology option |
TAS Pattern 2 Extended Specialisation: 14 units
| 7 units | Design & Technology Core |
| 3 units | First Technology option |
| 3 units | Second Technology option |
| 1 unit | Elective |
Teaching fields include:
Students enrol in EDUC35142 and EDUC35143 in addition to these units. If completing TAS Pattern 2 also enrol in EDUC35144. For Information Processes and Technology as an additional teaching area enrol in EDUC35140 and EDUC35141 and see Course Convenor.
Design and Technologies Core (7 units required)
and one of the following design project units
Industrial Technology Option (3 units)
Food Technology Option (3 units)
and one of the following units
Textiles Technology Option (3 units)
Information Technology Option (3 units)
For information pertaining to Information Processes and Technology as a first teaching field, see TAS Strand Convenor regarding additional cross-institutional units.
Graphics and Multimedia Option (3 units)
Mixed Technology Option (3 units)
(Only available in TAS Pattern 2)
VET Technology Options (3 units or 4 units if include elective)
(Only available in TAS Pattern 2)
TAS Pattern 2 Elective
Home Economics/Design and Technologies Double Major
Teaching fields include:
Students enrol in EDUC35142 and EDUC35143 and EDUC35144
Design and Technologies Core (7 units required)
and one of the following design project units
Food Technology (3 units required)
plus choose four of the following units:
Students seeking to add Textiles Technology as a teaching area must see the TAS Course Convenor before selecting from these units.
Students have regular opportunities to practice their developing teaching skills in the classroom through Professional Experience Placements. For students in an undergraduate degree this is a minimum of 80 days. This provides 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 students become ineligible to visit schools for Professional Experience Placements or are barred from attending at 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 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 an initial teacher education degree will need to have obtained an NSW WWCC no later than the end of their first year.
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
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 BA/BTch (Sec) is designed to successfully prepare secondary teachers with necessary critical thinking skills for the classroom environment, and adaptability for the evolving educational system. Graduates are qualified for teaching and non-teaching roles in education.
BA/BTch (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 corporate and government roles where organisational and relationship skills are valued by employers.
