Master of Teaching

The Master of Teaching has the flexibility of allowing students to gain a teaching qualification in Early Childhood, Primary or Secondary teaching.

The course also offers the option of a dual qualification in Early Childhood and Primary, or Primary and Secondary. [NB: the option of dual qualifications is only available over two calendar years]

The Master of Teaching course leads to an intellectually demanding, stimulating and rewarding career in teaching.

The course enables applicants to undertake any one of the three teaching strands (Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary teaching). The primary and secondary teaching strands is available on campus at the Melbourne Burwood Campus and in off campus mode. The Early Childhood teaching strand is available on campus at Burwood and in mixed mode (a combination of intensives and online studies) at the Waurn Ponds campus, Geelong.

The Master of Teaching provides an authentic assessment of professional practice (the Teacher Performance Assessment) as evidence that each graduate is 'work ready'.

Campus	Strand	Offered
Melbourne Burwood Campus	Primary, Secondary	Full time (On Campus) Part-Time (Off Campus)
Melbourne Burwood Campus Waurn Ponds Campus, Geelong	Early Childhood	Full time (On Burwood Campus) Mixed Mode (Intensives and online at Waurn Ponds)
Off Campus	Primary, Secondary	Part-time

Course duration

The course will normally be completed in 1.5 years by undertaking studies in Trimesters 1, 2, 3, and Trimester 1 in the following year. Students may complete the course in two calendar years without undertaking Trimester 3 studies, (i.e., in Trimesters 1 & 2, 1 & 2.) or the part-time equivalent (ie., 2 units per trimester x 8 trimesters.

Course structure

Students are required to complete a total of 16 credit points which include:

• three core units in Education Studies;
• three core units in Professional Experience (that includes 60 days experience in schools or other educational settings);
• six units which relate to the student's choice of teaching strand; and
• four additional units selected from the areas of:
  • research studies
  • leadership of teaching
  • applied learning (available after secondary teaching strand only)
  • an internship
  • a second teaching strand (dual credential)

Dual credentials may be taken in Early Childhood* and Primary, or Primary and Secondary combinations. These are completed over 2 years of study or part-time equivalent.

Your career

The Master of Teaching has been developed in response to the national and international trend for postgraduate qualifications for entry into teaching and to meet the increasingly complex and challenging role of the teaching professional.

Graduates are eligible to apply for registration as a Primary or Secondary teacher through the Victorian Institute of Teaching, or to be employed as an Early Childhood teacher.

Employment opportunities

Teaching is the largest profession in Australia. Over two hundred thousand teachers work in ten thousand schools or early childhood settings teaching over three million students. Most teachers work in state or independent primary and secondary schools teaching children and teenagers. Many others work in:

• pre-schools or childcare centres with very young children;
• in special education with people of all ages;
• with older teenagers and adults in institutes of technical and further education (TAFE)/vocational education and training (VET), community education centres, private colleges, universities and workplaces.

Invest in your career

The Master of Teaching is an investment in your career. Courses are offered as Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) as well as on a fee-paying basis. In some cases tuition fees are tax deductible or eligible for an employer-provided subsidy.

Australian citizens can access an interest free loan to cover their tuition fees through HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP which allows you to defer payment. Further details can be obtained by visiting www.goingtouni.gov.au.

Income support for Master of Teaching students

As a student of the Master of Teaching coursework program you may be eligible for student income support from the Federal Government.

To be eligible for student income support through Youth Allowance and Austudy, you will need to be studying full time and satisfy all other eligibility requirements, including personal, parental or partner income tests.

Please contact Centrelink on 13 2490 or visit the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Student Income Support site for further information about masters courses income support and student income support entitlements.

For Primary teachers considering Early Childhood Education qualification
DEECD Scholarships information This information would be particularly beneficial to Primary Teachers in rural areas who can increase their employment potential by being qualified to teach in a kindergarten setting as well as primary schools.