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Undergraduate: Course rule and topic information

Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Arts

(BEd(Sec),BA)


Program of study
Honours degree

INTRODUCTION

The Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Arts may be taken as a double degree program in four years full-time (or the equivalent part-time). Students who study part-time would normally be expected to complete the double degree program within eight years The course is offered by the Faculty of Education, Humanities, Law and Theology.

The double degree program of Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Arts requires completion of a total of 144 units.

Eligible students can complete an honours degree in either Arts or Education. Enrolment in the honours program is subject to the school/department being able to provide appropriate resources and staff to supervise the program of study.


COURSE AIMS

The course aims to produce graduates who:

  • are flexible, literate, independent and well-informed, equipped with transferable skills highly valued in the workforce;
  • can teach within and across learning areas;
  • can teach in appropriate discipline areas at secondary levels of schooling (Years 8 to 12);
  • have developed studies in depth in two specific areas relevant to teaching in secondary schools;
  • are able to apply their knowledge and skills in a range of educational settings with diverse groups of students; and
  • have the capacity to undertake ongoing professional study through a variety of pathways.

COURSE RULE

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.

Limited credit may be granted for relevant topics taken at the University or other institutions.

Students who commence, but subsequently do not wish to complete, the double degree program may be eligible to exit with a Bachelor of Arts, but only on completion of 108 units of approved BA topics.

PROGRAM OF STUDY [November, 2007]

To qualify for the Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Arts, a student must complete 144 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study below:

  • a BEd component of 69-75 units;
  • a BA component of 69-75 units.

The BEd component must include:

  • 9 units of Education topics at First Year level;
  • 12 units of Education topics at Second Year level including school experience;
  • 24 units of Education topics at Third Year level including teaching practicum;
  • 24-30 units of Education topics at Fourth Year level including teaching practicum, dependent upon elective choices.

The BA component must include:

  • 33 units of one Arts major sequence selected from the majors available as listed in the Introduction of the BA course rule, except for Business Economics or Education;
  • 21 units of one Arts minor sequence from another major sequence selected from those available, or from the list of minor sequences available;
  • either 15 or 21 units of electives (9 units at first level and 12 units at upper level or 9 units at first level and 6 units at upper level).

Except with the permission of the Board:

  • no compulsory topic may be taken more than twice;
  • teaching practicum topics may not be attempted more than once.

Students should note that teaching practicum topics require full-time commitment for their duration.

More specific rules related to majors and minors in the Bachelor of Arts can be referred to in the BA course rule.

First Year

Semester 1

BA major topic*

4.5

BA minor topic*

4.5

BA elective topic*

4.5

EDUC1101

Key Educational Ideas

4.5

Semester 2

BA major topic*

4.5

BA minor topic*

4.5

BA elective topic*

4.5

EDUC1201

Ways of Explaining Education

4.5

Second Year

Semester 1

BA major topic*

6

BA minor topic*

6

EDUC2302

Teaching Literacy and Numeracy in Middle School: Policy Documents to Practice

6

Semester 2

BA major topic*

6

BA minor topic*

6

EDUC2403

Development, Learning and Inclusive Teaching (6-12)

6

Third Year

Semester 1

BA major topic*

6

BA elective topic*

6

EDUC3503

Curriculum Studies Specialisation 1: Middle School/Secondary

6

Semester 2

Education elective topic from approved list

6

EDUC3608

Integrated Curriculum Studies

6

Non-semester
EDUC3668

Teaching Practicum 1C (8-12)

6

EDUC3668A

Lecture for Teaching Practicum 1C (8-12)

0

Fourth Year

Semester 1
EDUC4700

Curriculum Studies Specialisation 2

6

EDUC4705

Social and Cultural Worlds of Learning

6

Non-semester
EDUC4779

Teaching Practicum 2C (8-12)

6

Semester 2

BA major topic*

6

BA elective topic*

6

EDUC4802

Teaching Indigenous Australian Students

6

*Topics selected from BA major and minor sequences listed in the BA course rule.

Honours degree

There are two pathways to an Honours degree in Education:
  1. A full-year program consisting of 36 units of dedicated honours topics taken after the completion of the student's ordinary education degree.
  2. An alternative program for students who have completed, to a sufficiently high standard (a GPA of 5.5 or higher), the first 108 units towards their particular Bachelor of Education double degree program. Admission will also depend upon the School of Education being able to provide adequate resources to supervise and manage the student's proposed research project. The general requirement of the Honours program in Education is the successful completion of 36 units of honours Education topics. However, in the alternative program, students will take 18 of these units concurrently with the relevant double degree program as part of their fourth year of study. An overload of 6 units will be required in each semester of that year. Eligible students will enrol in a three-semester program commencing in the fourth year of their double degree program.
The study pattern for the alternative three-semester program is as follows:

Year 4

Semester 1 (6-unit overload)
EDUC7000

Introduction to Research in Education (Honours Topic)

6

EDUC4700

Curriculum Studies Specialisation 2 (MS/Sec)

6

EDUC4779

Teaching Practicum 2C (8-12)

6

EDUC4705

Social and Cultural Worlds of Learning

6

Semester 2 (6-unit overload)
EDUC7001

Research Methods in Education: Directed Study (Honours Topic)

6

EDUC7002

Preparation for Research Thesis (Honours Topic)

6

EDUC4802

Teaching Indigenous Australian Students

6

BA topic

6

Year 5

Semester 1
EDUC7003

Honours Thesis in Education (Honours Topic)

18