Key information
Start dates
March
July
Step into a rewarding career in secondary teaching.
Secondary education offers a range of career opportunities, with strong demand for qualified teachers.
A Bachelor of Education (Secondary) from Flinders University provides the foundation needed to begin a career in teaching, with a focus on practical experience and subject knowledge relevant to working in today’s secondary school settings.
Secondary School Teacher
Secondary school teachers educate young people in the middle and senior years of schooling, supporting their academic and personal development as they prepare for life beyond school. In Australia, they typically teach students from Year 7 to Year 12, specialising in one or more subjects such as English, Mathematics, Science, or History.
They plan and deliver engaging lessons, assess student progress, and create supportive learning environments. Alongside their teaching role, they help students build independence, critical thinking skills and confidence. It’s a fulfilling career for those passionate about their subject area and making a positive impact in young people’s lives.
Learning Consultant
Learning consultants provide expert advice to schools and educational institutions on curriculum development, teaching methods, and educational policies.
As a learning consultant, your work could include:
- Supporting schools to implement new curriculum frameworks
- Advising on inclusive teaching practices and how to support diverse learners
- Developing teaching training programs or educational resources
- Contributing to policy development at a system or school level.
Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia, 2024 | Seek Australia, 2024 | SA Department for Education pay rates
Educational Program Developer
A program developer designs, plans and implements educational programs for various government and private organisations. These programs provide educational experiences for school-age students.
Curriculum Developer
Curriculum developers design and implement educational programs and materials that meet the needs of students and align with educational standards.
Literacy or Numeracy Specialist
Literacy and numeracy specialist teachers support students with foundational reading, writing, or maths skills through targeted interventions or small-group programs. They also help build teacher capacity by modelling strategies, offering professional development, and supporting the integration of these skills across subjects.
What will you study to start your career as a Secondary Teacher?
Study a variety of core topics and electives and get hands-on experience with professional placements.
Accreditation or Professional Recognition
On successful completion you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia. Graduates looking for employment in other parts of Australia and overseas may be required to meet additional conditions.
Learn from the experts.
Our incredible teaching and professional staff are experts in their fields and well-connected to the industry.
Gain real world experience.
Connect with industry through practical experience placements. Flinders has strong partnerships with school sport and health settings. With over 80 days of school placements and a focus on real-world teaching strategies, you’ll graduate ready to work in diverse settings—urban, regional, public, or independent - preparing you for a rewarding and future-focused teaching career.
The degree provides you with practical experience that prepares you for the workforce.
- Undertake extensive professional experience placements (minimum 80 days) in a variety of primary school settings.
- Develop vital practical skills such as relationship building, educational planning, technology use and community innovation.
- Learn to engage in transformational, innovative and creative teaching practices.
- Develop considered, relational skills for working with children, their families, community members and professional colleagues.
A Working with Children Check, and Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect – Education and Care Certificate must be completed before undertaking a placement in your first semester.
Financial support
- 35 Enabling Educator Excellence (E3) Scholarships, valued at $5000, will be available for students commencing in 2025. Find out more
- The Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships Program provides up to $40,000 to new undergraduate teacher education students. Find out more
Frequently asked questions.
Over the years, many questions have been asked by students before. For the quickest answers view our frequently asked questions or browse the full list @ Ask Flinders.
The world will always need teachers and educators, and projections of teacher employment reflect this. According to Jobs and Skills Australia, the following teaching jobs are set to increase from May 2024 - 2034:
Early childhood teachers by 8.6%
Primary school teachers by 8.5%
Middle school teachers by 8.7%
Secondary school teachers by 8.4%
Special education teachers by 10.6%
(Jobs and Skills Australia, 2024 Employment projections to 2034).
Yes – professional placements are a key part of your degree. You’ll complete compulsory teaching placements in real school settings, giving you the hands-on experience you need to become classroom-ready.
These placements are full-time while you're on them, so you’ll get a real sense of what teaching life is like.
You may also have the chance to go beyond the minimum number of placement days required for teacher registration, giving you even more experience before you graduate.
There are opportunities to take your placement in rural or remote areas too – with potential funding available to support you.
And from July 2025, eligible students in education may be able to receive payment for some placements through the Commonwealth Prac Payment.
According to SEEK, in Adelaide, the average annual salary for a secondary school teacher typically falls within the range of $95,000 to $126,000.
It is possible to change your specialisation, however, in some cases this may extend your study.
To become a high school teacher in South Australia, you need to:
- Complete an accredited teaching qualification – either a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) or an equivalent undergraduate or postgraduate qualification.
- Pass the Literacy and Numeracy Test (LANTITE).
- Register with the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia (TRB SA) – including a Working with Children Check and mandatory training.
- Apply for teaching roles in secondary schools.
Learn more at trb.sa.edu.au
In South Australia, the key differences between undergraduate degrees in early childhood education, primary education, and secondary education relate to the age group of students you'll be qualified to teach, the focus of your studies, and the teaching registration categories with the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia (TRBSA).
The Australian Government has introduced the Literacy and Numeracy Test for all initial teacher education (ITE) students to ensure they have the high level of personal literacy and numeracy skills required of teachers.
The test is a national instrument designed to assess elements of an individual's literacy and numeracy skills and will be used to demonstrate that ITE graduates are in the top 30 per cent of the population for literacy and numeracy.
All students graduating from any ITE course in South Australia must have achieved the standard for both the literacy and numeracy components of the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) to graduate.
For further information, including registration details, please check the test administrator’s website at https://teacheredtest.acer.edu.au/
There are also important inherent requirements for this course and applicants are strongly advised to become aware of these requirements.
Applicants must complete a non-academic assessment task known as a Teaching Capabilities Statement as part of their application to demonstrate their motivation to teach, their strong interpersonal and communication skills, willingness to learn, resilience, self-efficacy, and strong organisational and planning skills. This involves a short statement in response to three set questions used to demonstrate suitability for study and work in the teaching profession.
Applicants who select this course as a preference during the application process will be directed to a page to meet this requirement.
Visit the Teaching Capabilities Statement page for further information.
- Applications are completed via SATAC
- Visit: satac.edu.au
The table below shows ATAR and Selection Rank data for students offered a place wholly or partly on the basis of ATAR commencing in Semester 1, 2024. It is limited to applicants that have recently completed secondary education (within the last two years). Data may reflect multiple courses available within a suite of courses.
Notes:
<5 – less than 5 ATAR based offers made
N/A – This course uses additional selection criteria and therefore Selection Rank is not published
| ATAR-based offers only across all offer rounds | ATAR - Excluding adjustment factors | Selection Rank - ATAR plus any adjustment factors |
|---|---|---|
| Highest rank to receive an offer | 97.85 | 99.35 |
| Median rank to receive an offer | 77.13 | 81.65 |
| Lowest rank to receive an offer | 60.95 | 70.05 |
| Applicant background (Semester 1, 2024) | Number of students | Percentage of all students |
|---|---|---|
| Higher education study (includes a bridging or enabling course) | 75 | 24% |
| Vocational education and training (VET) study | 13 | 4% |
| Work and life experience | 15 | 5% |
| Recent secondary education - Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR (regardless of whether this includes the consideration of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points) | 134 | 43% |
| Recent secondary education - Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered (e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test) | 24 | 8% |
| Recent secondary education - Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor (e.g. special consideration pathways) | 30 | 10% |
| International Students | 18 | 6% |
| All students | 309 | 100% |
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
Global | Online
Follow Flinders
