Postgraduate courses in Special Educational Needs

Your career

The Master of Education (Special Educational Needs) is a postgraduate, off-campus, teacher education course focusing on professional studies in special education. These courses are designed to meet the eligibility requirements for qualified teachers seeking employment in the area of special educational needs in Australia. Accordingly it produces graduates qualified to gain employment across a range of special education facilities in both Australia and overseas.

The Graduate Certificate of Education (Special Educational Needs) is designed to allow teachers to undertake focused short-term study programs and to gain credit for them. This course provides teachers with high quality units of study linked to their professional and career development in the area of special education.

Both courses support the view that special education is an integral part of education and should not be seen as separate. Designed to enhance the skills of teachers working in a range of settings that include regular and special schools, the primary goal of each course is for graduates to develop skills to promote positive learning environments and rich educational opportunities for all students. Graduates are expected to possess an understanding of contemporary education issues and discourses, have a high level of critical and evaluative skills and translate understanding of inclusive education into practice.

Both these courses recognise the importance of specialist staff such as special educators, to expand the capacity of schools on responding to the educational needs of all students.

Employment opportunities

The Master of Education (Special Educational Needs) has been designed to enable qualified primary or secondary teachers to meet the Victorian Institute of Teaching requirements for employment in special schools.

Course duration

The Master of Education (Special Educational Needs) course is offered off campus by part-time or full-time study and is normally completed in six trimesters of part-time study or the full-time equivalent.

The courses have intakes in Trimester 1, and 2 . Trimester 1 begins in early March and Trimester 2 begins in July. Applications for Trimester 1 should arrive at the University no later than February while applications for Trimester 2 should arrive by early June. Early applications are advisable. See the Course summary above for details on How to Apply.

NSW,Scholarship participants:
Every Student, Every School: Learning and Support
Email wendy.kortman@deakin.edu.au for course details to be emailed to you

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Knowledge and skills
Our courses cover key issues, concepts and knowledge required by professional teachers. We consult with practising teachers and principals about course content and assessment to ensure local and international professional relevance.

Flexibility
Deakin's postgraduate programs are genuinely flexible to help you fit your studies in with both your workplace and personal commitments. Regardless of where you live, resources can be posted, or accessed from our library's comprehensive electronic collection.

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As a Deakin postgraduate student, you will become part of a network of researchers, academics, alumni and practitioners. You will have access to specialist knowledge and the opportunity to establish new resources and contacts with people who are currently shaping and influencing the education sector.