• 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 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.
• investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories within the field of Education.

To qualify for admission, an applicant must have achieved:

• an Australian Bachelor’s degree (or higher); or
• an overseas qualification comparable to an Australian Bachelor’s degree or higher.

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.

International Students

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.

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency 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. documentary evidence of a prior qualification (or at least two years of tertiary study) conducted and assessed in English in a recognised country^ and completed within the last two years.

^Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom, or the United States of America.

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 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:

• 15 Education Units (11 Core Education Units + 4 Curriculum & Pedagogical Studies Units*)
• 1 Directed Elective which is completed to strengthen a teaching area or educational understanding

*For most students (teaching subject area dependent).

Core Education Units

These units cover a range of current educational topics designed to prepare preservice teachers to successfully teach young people.

• EDUC33101 Promoting Health & Wellbeing in Schools
• EDUC50102 Understanding Students with Special Education Needs
• EDUC50104 Preparation for the Teaching Workplace
• EDUC50108 Exploring a Personal Philosophy of Christian Education
• EDUC50112 Exploring Child Development & Learning
• EDUC50113 Exploring Indigenous Education
• EDUC50114 Exploring Educational Research & Diversity
• EDUC53101 Managing the Secondary Classroom
• EDUC53102 Quality Learning, Assessment & ICT in the Australian Curriculum
• EDUC53103 Introduction to Quality Teaching
• EDPX50001 Professional Experiences

Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies Units

Students normally complete two content specific Curriculum and Pedagogical Studies units per teaching area. These units are offered on a two year rotation.

Directed Electives

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.

To find out more about any of the units listed here, copy the unit code and then search for that unit here.

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:

• 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 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.

Fitness for Teaching

Students need to demonstrate their fitness for teaching to complete a Professional Experience Placement. This means being able to:

• Maintain satisfactory academic progression before Professional Experience Placement
• Act in a way that demonstrates sound cognitive, mental, emotional and physical health, and be able to cope with the varying demands of classroom situations
• Demonstrate the ability to cope effectively with stressful situations
• Demonstrate the ability to maintain a duty of care while on Professional Experience Placement
• Relate to students in an age-appropriate and professional manner
• Model appropriate literacy and numeracy skills in the classroom and beyond.

Conflicts of Interest

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.

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 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]

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 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

All students must successfully pass the National Literacy and Numeracy test to be allowed to participate in their scheduled placement. While this is not an admission requirement, it is a requirement that students pass the test before they can graduate from this course.