Program

M Teaching (Secondary) - 8926

Program Summary

Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Contact: Dr Terry Cumming

Campus: Sydney

Career: Postgraduate

Typical Duration: 2 Years

Typical UOC Per Semester: 24

Min UOC Per Semester: 6

Max UOC Per Semester: 30

Min UOC For Award: 96

Award(s):

Master of Teaching (Secondary) (Specialisation)

View program information for previous years

Program Description

The Master of Teaching provides preservice teacher training for graduate students and an advanced initial secondary teaching qualification for both government and non-government schools in New South Wales and in all other states in Australia. It is also widely accepted as a teaching qualification overseas.

The program is two years equivalent in duration, but is normally undertaken full-time over three semesters of one calendar year, and the remaining courses undertaken part-time in the following year, or the part-time equivalent. International students complete the remaining courses full-time in the following year. Mid-year entry into the program is normally not available. During the program students will complete a range of core courses, method courses and two electives drawn from any area in the Master of Education programme. Additionally, students will complete 85 days of professional experience, including 50 days of supervised teaching practice in at least two different secondary schools.

Teaching specialisations offered:

Double Method Courses
(**See below for the list of double method course requirements)
  • English
  • History
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Music
Single Method Courses:
(***See below for the list of single method course requirements)
  • Aboriginal Studies
  • English
  • English as a Second Language (ESL)*
  • Languages: French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean #
  • Legal Studies
  • Drama (Theatre and Performance Studies)
  • History
  • Geography
  • Business Studies
  • Economics
  • Dance
  • Society and Culture
  • Mathematics
  • Music
Prospective Mathematics, Music, English or History (Ancient or Modern) teachers may select a double or single method. Prospective Science teacher may select only one double method. Others may select two single method courses.
*ESL is a second teaching specialisation only. The prerequisites are two years of languages, or two years of linguistics, or one of each, or the equivalent.
# Note that a high level of competence in spoken and written language is required. A minor without prior studies or background in the language is usually insufficient to qualify as a teacher of the language.

Students may apply for internal transfer from the Master of Teaching to the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) at the end of any semester with full credit for all studies completed.

Admissions requirements
The program requires students to study two single teaching specialisations, or one double teaching specialisation from those methods listed above. Applicants require a recognised Bachelor degree with studies in the relevant teaching specialisation(s):

Main teaching specialisation – a major (three years of study, six semester long courses with at least 4 of these at level (year) 2 or above)
Second teaching specialisation – a minor (two years of study, four semester long courses with at least 2 of these at level (year) 2 or above)

Additional English language requirements
A very high level of competence in spoken and written English is required: Minimum Band 4 in HSC English Advanced, Standard English or English as a Second Language or equivalent or an overall IELTS score of 7.5, with a minimum of 8.0 in speaking and listening and a minimum of 7.0 in reading and writing, or the equivalent.

Program Objectives and Graduate Attributes

The program is designed to enable students to acquire or develop knowledge and skills to an advanced level in the following areas:
  • subject content knowledge in areas of specialisation
  • how to teach that content to secondary school students
  • how to relate to secondary school students
  • understanding how secondary school students learn
  • effective unit and lesson planning, and effective assessment and reporting design
  • enhanced communication skills to ensure effective classroom communication with the students they will be teaching
  • effective classroom management skills
  • reflective teaching, and the desire to continually improve professional knowledge and practice
  • social and political contexts of education and schooling
  • productive engagement with members of their profession and the wider community

Program Structure

The program consists of 16 compulsory and elective courses, including either one double method or two single method courses. Additionally, students will undertake 60 days of supervised and assessed teaching practice, including community engagement, and are supported in their first year of teaching to gain accreditation for the next stage of their professional competence. Note that the first year of study is normally undertaken over 3 semesters in one calendar year with students completing 30 UOC in Semester 1 & 2 and 12 UOC in November (T2C). The second year of the study is normally undertaken part-time over 2 semesters while students are in their first year of teaching employment. A range of elective courses are also offered in school holidays.

Year 1: Full-time enrolment only
Semester 1:
And two single or one double Method 1 courses from the following:
  • EDST Method A1 (6 UOC)
  • EDST Method B1 (6 UOC)
Semester 2:
And two single or one double Method 2 courses from the following:
  • EDST Method A2 (6 UOC)
  • EDST Method B2 (6 UOC)
November (T2C):
Note that prospective Maths, Music, English or History teachers may select a double or single method in their teaching specialisation. Prospective Science teachers must do a double method in Science. Other teachers select two single method courses in two teaching specialisations.

As the program includes supervised teaching experience in at least two different secondary schools, all full-time students must be available for five days per week for the full school day (approximately 8.30am – 4.00pm) in late May-June and in August-September. Part-time students will need to do their final school placement on a full-time basis.

Applicants are required to undertake the ‘Working with Children Check’ prior to undertaking professional experience and a police record check is completed prior to employment in schools.

Year 2: Part-time enrolment only for domestic students, all students must be teaching in an approved school setting. International students are required to study full-time over one semester.
Semester 1:
Semester 2:

Method Courses

Academic Rules

1. A Master of Teaching (Secondary) may be awarded by the Council to a candidate who has satisfactorily completed a program of advanced study.

Entry requirements
2. (1) A candidate for the Master of Teaching (Secondary) shall:

(a) have been awarded an appropriate degree of Bachelor from the University of New South Wales or a qualification considered equivalent from another university or tertiary institution at a level acceptable to the Standing Committee of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the Committee); and

(b) meet the prerequisites for their selected teaching methods/specialisation/s. These prerequisites normally involve at least a major (three consecutive years of study, usually six courses) in the main teaching specialisation, and a minor (two years of study, usually four courses) in the second teaching specialisation.

(c) meet the English language proficiency requirements:
Higher School Certificate minimum Band 4 in Standard English, or a Higher School Certificate minimum Band 4 in English as a Second Language, or a Higher School Certificate minimum Band 4 in Advanced English, or an overall IELTS score of 7.5, with a minimum of 8.0 in speaking and Listening and a minimum of 7.0 in reading and writing, or the equivalent.

(2) In exceptional cases an applicant who submits evidence of other academic and professional qualifications, and approved by the Committee, may be permitted to enrol for the degree.

(3) If the Committee is not satisfied with the qualifications submitted by an applicant the Committee may require the applicant to undergo such assessment or carry out such work as the Committee may prescribe, before permitting enrolment.

Enrolment and Progression
3. (1) An application to enrol as a candidate for the Master of Teaching shall be lodged with the Registrar at least two calendar months before the commencement of the semester in which enrolment is to begin.

(2) To qualify for the award of the Master of Teaching candidates must obtain over a period of study of no less than four semesters 96 units of credit. The maximum period of candidature shall be eight academic semesters from the date of commencement. In special cases an extension of these times may be granted by the Committee.

(3) A student enrolling in a course must satisfy the prerequisite and co requisite requirements in that course. These requirements may be waived at the discretion of the Head of the School.

(4) The progress of a candidate shall be reviewed at least once annually by the Committee and as a result of the review the Committee may cancel enrolment or take such other action as it considers appropriate.

Credit Transfer and Advanced Standing
Students may apply for credit, credit transfer and advanced standing if they can demonstrate equivalent study at UNSW or another institution. The maximum credit, credit transfer and advanced standing granted for the Master of Teaching is 48 units of credit, unless the candidate is transferring from the Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) at UNSW prior to graduation, in which case full credit for all equivalent studies completed will be given.

Articulation Rules
The Master of Teaching (Secondary) forms part of a sequence of articulated programs comprising the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) and Master of Teaching. A postgraduate student enrolled in an articulated program may progress from the Graduate Diploma to Master’s degree with full credit for courses completed in the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary), and vice versa.

Fees
4. A candidate shall pay such fees as may be determined from time to time by the Council.

Fees

For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website:  https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/fees/FeesMainPage.html

**Double Method Requirement

Teaching Specialisation
 
Double Method Requirement
Science
 
 
36 units of credit and at least one year (12 units of credit) study in another science. One of the two sciences must be chemistry or physics. Permissible sciences are only physics, chemistry, biology and geology/earth/environmental sciences, not psychology or computer science.
 
Mathematics
 
36 units of credit in mathematics subjects. One course (6 units of credit) in statistics may be counted.
English
 
At least 24 units in English literature subjects and an additional 12 units in English literature or in linguistics, media studies, communications or creative writing.
History
36 units of credit in history, in areas such as Australian history, contact and Aboriginal history, early modern history, historiography, modern history.
Music
36 units including all of the following: musicological study (music history and analysis) in a range of musical styles, periods and genres with a strong component of contemporary and western art music, compositional techniques, music performance studies (a minimum of two years of music performance studies) and preferably Australian music. The study of music and music practice must be developed as a discrete discipline. Vocationally oriented courses are not recognised as equivalent.


***Single Method Requirement

Teaching Specialisation
First Method Requirements
English
At least 24 units of credit in English literature subjects and an additional 12 units of credit in English literature or linguistics, media studies, communications or creative writing.
History
36 units of credit in history, in areas such as Australian history, contact and Aboriginal history, early modern history, historiography, modern history.
Drama (Theatre & Performance Studies)
36 units of credit in drama, including performance, production and theory.
Geography
36 units of credit in geography.
Languages
36 units of credit study in a language.
Legal Studies
36 units of credit in legal studies, including Australian and international law.
Aboriginal Studies
36 units of credit in Aboriginal Studies in areas such as contact and Aboriginal history, anthropology, Aboriginal literature, Aboriginal language and linguistics.
Economics
36 units of credit in economics.
Business Studies
36 units of credit in business related studies including at least 6 units of credit in finance or accounting, 6 units of credit of business management and remaining units drawn from: business law, economics, human resource management, industrial relations, marketing.
Dance
36 units of credit in Dance studies, including all the following: history and analysis of dance, performance, with a technique base in modern/contemporary dance and ballet, applied anatomy, kinesiology, and composition/choreography. Vocationally oriented courses are not recognised as equivalent.
Society and Culture
36 units of credit in Social Sciences, including at least 6 units of credit
in Sociology, and the remaining units drawn from: Aboriginal studies, anthropology, archaeology, Asian or Pacific studies, civics, cultural studies, government, history, media studies, philosophy, politics, psychology (only 6 units of credit may be counted), religion studies, and social communication.
Mathematics
36 units of credit in mathematics subjects (must include algebra and calculus). One course (6 units of credit) in statistics may be counted.
Music
36 units of credit including all of the following: musicological study (music history and analysis) in a range of musical styles, periods and genres with a strong component of contemporary and western art music, compositional techniques, music performance studies (a minimum of two years of music performance studies) and preferably Australian music. The study of music and music practice must be developed as a discrete discipline. Vocationally oriented courses are not recognised as equivalent.

Teaching Specialisation
Second Method Requirements
English
At least 18 units of credit in English literature subjects and an additional 6 units of credit in English literature or media studies, communications or creative writing.
ESL
At least 24 units of credit study in a language, or 24 units of credit study in linguistics, or 12 units of credit study in each.
History
At least 24 units of credit in history, in areas such as Australian history, contact and Aboriginal history, early modern history, historiography, modern history.
Drama
At least 24 units of credit in drama, including performance, production and theory
Geography
At least 24 units of credit in geography.
Languages
A minimum of 24 units of credit study in a language beyond the introductory level.
Legal Studies
A minimum of 24 units of credit in legal studies, including Australian and international law.
Economics
At least 24 units of credit in economics.
Business Studies
At least 24 units of credit in business related studies including at least 6 units of credit in finance or accounting, 6 units of credit of business management and remaining units drawn from: business law, economics, human resource management, industrial relations, marketing.
Aboriginal Studies
At least 24 units of credit in Aboriginal Studies in areas such as contact and Aboriginal history, anthropology, Aboriginal literature, Aboriginal language and linguistics.
Dance
At least 24 units of credit in Dance studies, including all the following: history and analysis of dance, performance, with a technique base in modern/contemporary dance and ballet, applied anatomy, kinesiology, and composition/choreography. Vocationally oriented courses are not recognised as equivalent.
Society and Culture
At least 24 units of credit in Social Sciences, including at least 6 units of credit in Sociology, and the remaining units drawn from: Aboriginal studies, anthropology, archaeology, Asian or Pacific studies, civics, cultural studies, government, history, media studies, philosophy, politics, psychology (only 6 units of credit may be counted), religion studies, and social communication.
Mathematics
At least 24 units of credit in mathematics subjects (must include algebra and calculus). One course (6 units of credit) in statistics may be counted.
Music
At least 24 units of credit including all of the following: musicological study (music history and analysis) in a range of musical styles, periods and genres with a strong component of contemporary and western art music, compositional techniques, music performance studies (a minimum of two years of music performance studies) and preferably Australian music. The study of music and music practice must be developed as a discrete discipline. Vocationally oriented courses are not recognised as equivalent.


Area(s) of Specialisation