Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Teaching

• synthesise their personal and professional beliefs into a worldview that enables them to be effective and ethical teachers;
• create quality learning experiences for all students;
• demonstrate the adequate acquisition of a body of knowledge and skills specific to the creative and professional practice of chosen discipline areas;
• use personal competencies to enhance knowledge acquisition, communication, problem solving, creativity and sustainability;
• design, implement and evaluate curriculum and assessment for diverse learners;
• create sustainable, safe, respectful, socially just, and supportive learning environments;
• promote holistic wellbeing practices in personal and professional settings;
• address educational issues through research to improve teaching knowledge and practice;
• demonstrate and employ a philosophy of service and servant leadership in professional and personal spheres;
• reflect critically on professional practice, professional commitment, and ethical and moral responsibilities of the teaching profession.

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.

I have completed my secondary education in Australia or New Zealand and achieved:

• a selection rank of at least 63. A selection rank is calculated as the ATAR plus any adjustment factors that may be applicable; or
• a minimum of 24 points in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma; or
• New Zealand Year 13 NCEA Level 3 results, identifying university entrance attainment; or
• appropriate scores in Avondale University-approved entrance exams;
• the International Big Picture Learning Credential.

*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.

I have completed a Vocational education and training (VET) course in Australia or New Zealand and achieved:

• an Australian Certificate IV or higher, or
• an Australian Certificate III, or
• an equivalent New Zealand certificate, as approved by the Director, Student Administration Services.

I have already attended university in Australia or New Zealand and:

• successfully completed at least 2 units of a Bachelor’s degree or
• completed a bridging or enabling course, or another recognised tertiary preparation course; or
• successfully completed at least three units of Avondale’s Undergraduate Certificate in University Preparation.

I have completed my secondary education or higher education qualification overseas:

• refer to the Admission Policy (HE) for specific information regarding both the minimum academic entry standards (Appendix 1) and the English language proficiency requirements (Appendix 2).

I have other work and life experience:

If a Senior Secondary Certificate has not been completed, an eligible applicant may sit Avondale University-approved entrance exams.

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.

This course has additional entry requirements which are listed below.

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 students plan to study any of the following secondary teaching areas, they must meet the relevant criteria for admission:

Chemistry

• Recent Secondary Chemistry (or equivalent) or
• Recommendation from the School of Education and Science.

Mathematics

• Recent Secondary Mathematics Extension 1 (or equivalent) or
• Recommendation from the School of Education and Science.

Other qualifications may be acceptable. Students should contact the Course Convenor.

International Students

This course is available to international students who meet the Australian government requirements for a student visa (subclass 500) to reside in Australia for the duration of the course.

* These students must study on campus in full-time mode to meet student visa requirements.

* International students in Australia on a student visa cannot enrol in this course by distance mode.

For information regarding visas refer to: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500.

This course is available online for international students who want to study from their home country.

International students on a visa other than a student visa with no study limitations, may choose to study full-time or part-time in any study mode (students are considered a domestic student if they hold a permanent residency visa).

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency through one of the following:

1. achieving a minimum overall IELTS score of 7.5, with a minimum score of 7.0 in reading and writing, and a minimum score of 8.0 in listening and speaking, OR
2. one of the other ways outlined in Appendix 2 of the Admission Policy (HE).

Advanced Standing

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 Science/Bachelor of Teaching (BSc/BTch) consists of 32 units and requires 192 credit points (CPs) for completion.

All units have a 6 CP value unless otherwise stated.

About this Course

• This course can be studied full-time or part-time.
• This course is studied over 4 years in a full-time study load or equivalent part-time.
• Most units in this course can be studied on campus and/or off campus. However, not all units are available online.
• Some units may only be available in either odd or even years.
• Consultation with the Course and/or Strand Convenor when determining units to be undertaken, including availability, and order of enrolment, is highly recommended.

Course Overview

The 32 units required to complete the course are:

1 Core Unit

14 Discipline Units

17 Education Units.

Core Unit

All students complete WHPE10101 Foundations of Wellbeing. This unit is compulsory and provides students with a foundational understanding of holistic health.

Discipline Units and Combinations

Students usually choose two discipline areas as their teaching areas. Students then select one of the discipline unit combinations outlined below, noting:

• A major consists of 6 units.
• A minor consists of 4 units.
• Students who have more or less than two teaching areas are encouraged to consult with the Course Convenor for guidance.

Discipline Unit Combination 1: Two Majors

Major 1 ~ 6 units

Major 2 ~ 6 units

*Core Mathematics unit ~ 1 unit (or an elective if doing a Mathematics major or minor)

**Elective Science unit ~ 1 unit.

Discipline Unit Combination 2: Major plus Minor

Major ~ 6 units

Minor ~ 4 units

*Core Mathematics unit ~ 1 unit (or an elective if doing a Mathematics major or minor)

**Elective Science units ~ 3 units (depending on the combination of major and minor chosen).

*Core Mathematics Unit

This unit provides essential background knowledge for other Science units. Students can select either:

MATH16000 Mathematics IA, or

MATH16400 General Mathematics.

**Elective Science Units

Students may choose up to four units in the discipline of Science as electives.

Disciplines (or Teaching Areas)

Y indicates the availability of a Major or Minor in each study area.

Other teaching areas may be completed via cross-institutional study after approval from the Course Convenor. These include but are not limited to:

Education Units

13 Core Education units, and

4 Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies units.

Core Education Units

These 13 units cover a range of current educational topics designed to prepare pre-service teachers to successfully teach secondary school students. Students must complete the following units:

Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies Units

These units provide pre-service teachers with the opportunity to apply quality teaching principles to specific teaching areas.

The sequence of units are offered on a 2-year rotation as shown below:

Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies Units

These units provide pre-service teachers with the opportunity to apply quality teaching principles to specific teaching areas.

The sequence of units are offered on a 2-year rotation as shown below:

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.

Cross-institutional Units

In some disciplines, selected units are studied online through other universities. Cross-institutional units are tagged # in the unit lists below where applicable. More information about cross institutional study can be found on the website, from the Course Convenor, or Student Administration Services.

Specialisations, Majors, and Minors

The units that make up a major or minor in each discipline are listed below. The EDUC units noted at the end of each list are those that align with that discipline or teaching area, but they do not contribute to the unit count of the major or minor. These are counted in the EDUC units required to complete the course.

Biology Major (6 units)

The Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies units that students will complete with this Major are: EDUC35121 and EDUC35104.

Chemistry Major (6 units)

The Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies units that students will complete with this Major are: EDUC35121 and EDUC35105.

Computing Technologies Minor (4 units)

The Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies units that students will complete with this Minor are: EDUC35140 and EDUC35141.

Food Technology Major (6 units)

The Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies units that students will complete with this Major are: EDUC35142 and EDUC35143.

Food Technology Minor (4 units)

The Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies units that students will complete with this Minor are: EDUC35142 and EDUC35143.

Geography Minor (4 units)

The Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies units that students will complete with this Minor are: EDUC35128 and EDUC35129.

Mathematics Major (6 units)

The Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies units that students will complete with this Major are: EDUC35132 and EDUC35133.

Mathematics Minor (4 units)

The Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies units that students will complete with this Minor are: EDUC35132 and EDUC35133.

Majors and minors from other degrees may be available, subject to timetable constraints and with the approval of the Course Convenor.

Program Grid

The following grid provides a sample full-time program for each of the study area options. The numbers 100, 200, 300 in the grid aligns to the unit level and these should be in sequence in the program as far as possible.

• Physics
• Additional units in Geography and Computing Technology if a student wants to complete a Major.

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:

• Be available during regularly scheduled Professional Experience Placements, refraining from booking other events during this time
• Be willing to experience a variety of school contexts
• Take responsibility for any transport or accommodation costs associated with their Professional Experience Placement

Students must provide evidence of compliance on arrival at each school for their Professional Experience Placement. Evidence includes:

• Working With Children Check
• Child Protection Awareness Training and annual updates
• ASCIA anaphylaxis e-training
• NSW Department of Education Code of Conduct

If students become ineligible to visit schools for Professional Experience Placements or are barred from attending a school for any reason, they will not be able to complete this degree.

Inherent Requirements for Initial Teacher Education Courses and the Teaching Profession

Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses at Avondale University (Avondale) include inherent requirements—core capabilities, knowledge, and skills essential for students to successfully achieve the course's learning outcomes. These requirements uphold the academic integrity of the program and align with professional and accreditation standards so that those on whom Avondale confers an award can present themselves as having met the inherent requirements of the course qualification and graduate teaching position.

The inherent requirement statements have been developed to support informed decision-making by prospective and current students as they determine whether teaching is a suitable career path. The Inherent requirements for initial teacher education courses and the teaching profession are available for download here.

ITE students are required to complete online training about the Inherent Requirements for Initial Teacher Education Courses and the Teaching Profession and digitally sign statements of understanding prior to participating in their Professional Experience. Avondale reserves the right to prohibit participation in a Professional Experience if the compulsory online training is not completed or if demonstrated actions and core capabilities do not meet the inherent requirements for teaching.

Conflicts of Interest

Teacher education students should seek Professional Experience Placements in schools where no relatives or friends work or attend. 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.

Post Admission Requirements

Working with Children Check (WWCC)

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 must 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]

Child Protection Awareness Training

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].

Child Protection Update

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.

ASCIA anaphylaxis e-training

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]

National Literacy and Numeracy Test (LANTITE)

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 and payment for these tests are the responsibility of each student and are separate from 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).

This course prepares graduates to meet the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Graduate Teacher Standards.