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Section Title

Recommended Study Sequence

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Accreditation

This course is accredited with the NSW Institute of Teachers.

Admission

Applicants must have successfully completed an undergraduate degree in any discipline.

For applicants external to UWS, applications for the Master of Teaching (Secondary) course must be made through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

For applicants internal to UWS, applications for the Master of Teaching (Secondary) course may be made by using the School of Education Course Nomination form located on the UWS website. Further information on admission to postgraduate courses is available on the Local Admissions section of the UWS website.

Applicants whose first degree was undertaken in a country where English is not the common spoken language, will need to demonstrate a minimum score of 7 IELTS (or equivalent TOEFL score) with a minimum of 6.5 on all subtests.

Applicants who have been required to undertake the IELTS before application to the degree also will be required to undertake a further test of academic writing and speaking skills prior to being placed in a professional setting for practice teaching. Teacher education students who do not meet requirements of the written and spoken language tests cannot expect to complete the course in the “accelerated” (12 months) mode.

Additional Information for Applicants:

Applicants must meet the Key Learning Area requirements of the NSW Institute of Teachers.

Where these requirements are not met, applicants may be offered concurrent enrolment in up to four undergraduate units of study.

The revised Master of Teaching (Secondary) comprises 12 units of study which cover three broad areas of: Secondary Teaching Methodology, Foundation Studies and Professional Experiences. All units are 10 credit points or one semester in duration.

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 120 credit points including the units listed in the recommended sequence below.

Students are eligible to exit with the Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies (Secondary) after the successful completion of 80 credit points.

Recommended sequence

Start Year Intake

Standard Full-time Progression (18 months)

Year 1

Semester 1

Introduction to Teaching and Learning

This is the first of two units emphasising contemporary practices in pedagogy to develop a sense of teaching as a profession through reflection on practice. Students will explore and attempt to understand the effects of quality school-based teaching and learning on adolescent learners, particularly indigenous, and culturally and linguistically diverse learners in Western Sydney. Students will critically reflect on their personal constructs of teaching and values about the individuality, diversity and emerging maturity of secondary students. The application of ICT to engage and motivate learners and the development of an understanding of key learning area literacy demands are major foci for the unit.

Secondary Method 1A

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 7-10 in students' FIRST teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary Years 7-10 in their particular chosen first teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modeled. The specifics of the relevant Years 7-10 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level, and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Secondary Method 1B

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 7-10 in students' second teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary in their particular chosen second teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modelled. The specifics of the relevant Years 7-10 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Professional Experience 1

This unit is only available to Education students. As the first Professional Experience unit of the Master of Teaching course, Professional Experience 1 is designed to introduce all students to the philosophical, ethical, practical and pedagogical perspectives of becoming a teacher in contemporary educational settings. The unit requires students to develop the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes necessary to begin teaching. As part of this process they will recognise that teaching demands a continuous process of self-reflection, self-awareness, critical evaluation of one's practice, and the capacity to modify and adjust teaching practice to best meet the needs of all students. This unit aims to facilitate the development of teacher education students as reflective practitioners who possess deeply-held commitments to quality education for students and high order communication competencies. In-school experience is a mandatory component of the Master of Teaching course. The preparation for, and evaluation of, the school-based experiences will be integral to this unit.

Semester 2

Pedagogies in Practice

This is the second of two units emphasising contemporary practices in pedagogy to develop a sense of teaching as a profession through reflection on practice. Students deconstruct and critique curriculum and issues of quality pedagogy impacting on diverse groups in secondary contexts. Key themes include oral, aural, visual and written literacy as mechanisms for curriculum area learning; communication increasingly undertaken through the application of ICT, linking of assessment and reporting to classroom teaching and learning and critical reflection as a foundation for self-evaluation. Throughout the unit a curriculum design approach will inform student learning and scaffold discussion.

Secondary Method 2A

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 11-12 in students' first teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary in their particular chosen first teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modelled. The specifics of the relevant Years 11-12 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Secondary Method 2B

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 11-12 in students' second teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary in their particular chosen second teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modelled. The specifics of the relevant Years 11-12 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Professional Experience II

This unit is designed to extend Student Teachers' learning experiences in classrooms, to such an extent that they are able to demonstrate the competencies expected from a new teacher. Apart from the basic teaching skills, these competencies include being able to incorporate broader educational perspecitives such as technology, literacy, social justice, learning theories and assessment strategies into their teaching. The focus of the unit will be to help prepare students for the classroom by exploring effective pedagogy. The desired effect of this exploration of teaching style will be to introduce the concept of professional development through reflective practice. In this way, the Professional Experience undertaken during this unit will cohere with and enhance the pre-service teacher education student's perspective on the theory and practice of teaching and learning in schools.

Semester 3

Inclusive Education: Principles and Practices

Students need to understand and assess the intellectual, emotional, social and physical needs of all children and young people in regular classrooms. They need to develop appropriate and relevant skills, attitudes and methodologies to enable them to assess, plan, implement and evaluate programs which meet the individual educational needs of students with disabilities, learning difficulties and/or behaviour disorders. This unit of study addresses professional skills, theories, approaches and relevant legislation in the implementation of the principles of inclusive education practices in secondary settings.

Positive Learning Environments

This unit focuses on building positive learning environments, responding effectively to a range of student behaviours, and promoting student mental health and wellbeing. The complex needs of adolescent learners are explored through examining critical developmental issues in light of individual, familial, social and cultural factors that influence pre-teen and adolescent development. Current behaviour management and teacher effectiveness research are applied with an emphasis on practical skill development for beginning teachers. Teacher and school student welfare and discipline responsibilities are examined through critical analysis of school-based policies and practices, and familiarisation with key government initiatives. A case-based approach is applied throughout the unit.

Diversity, Social Justice and Equity

It is crucial for students to recognise how pedagogy, the curriculum, learning and schooling generally, are connected to broader cultural, social, economic and political discourses operating in Australian society. Within this context, understanding how equity/inequality is constructed through schooling is essential, including the practices in which individual teachers engage. Knowledge of cultural diversity, how it is represented in schooling and the role identity has on influencing schooling experiences is central. Developing students’ awareness of their own subjectivity in relation to cultural diversity and identity issues is crucial to reflexivity and the development of socially just relationships and practices in schooling. Issues relating to Aboriginal and Non English Speaking Background students are examined in depth.

Professional Experience III

This unit is only available to Education students. Pre-service teacher education students need extensive and purposeful experience in diverse educational settings. This unit provides students with the opportunity to broaden their professional experience in a range of alternative educational settings within and beyond schools. Professional Experience 3 is based on the general principle of broadening and deepening Student Teachers' understanding of the issues confronting the wider education community. The more informed the teacher is about these educational issues, the more effective that teacher can be in their own classroom. To facilitate this understanding, the teacher needs to explore how learning and teaching are conducted in a variety of settings. Underpinning Professional Experience 3 is the recognition that teachers often only see a limited part of the total curriculum and schooling process, and that students will benefit from working collaboratively with those both within and outside the school settings.

Accelerated Full-time progression (12 months)

Year 1

Semester 1

Introduction to Teaching and Learning

This is the first of two units emphasising contemporary practices in pedagogy to develop a sense of teaching as a profession through reflection on practice. Students will explore and attempt to understand the effects of quality school-based teaching and learning on adolescent learners, particularly indigenous, and culturally and linguistically diverse learners in Western Sydney. Students will critically reflect on their personal constructs of teaching and values about the individuality, diversity and emerging maturity of secondary students. The application of ICT to engage and motivate learners and the development of an understanding of key learning area literacy demands are major foci for the unit.

Secondary Method 1A

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 7-10 in students' FIRST teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary Years 7-10 in their particular chosen first teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modeled. The specifics of the relevant Years 7-10 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level, and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Secondary Method 1B

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 7-10 in students' second teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary in their particular chosen second teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modelled. The specifics of the relevant Years 7-10 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Professional Experience 1

This unit is only available to Education students. As the first Professional Experience unit of the Master of Teaching course, Professional Experience 1 is designed to introduce all students to the philosophical, ethical, practical and pedagogical perspectives of becoming a teacher in contemporary educational settings. The unit requires students to develop the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes necessary to begin teaching. As part of this process they will recognise that teaching demands a continuous process of self-reflection, self-awareness, critical evaluation of one's practice, and the capacity to modify and adjust teaching practice to best meet the needs of all students. This unit aims to facilitate the development of teacher education students as reflective practitioners who possess deeply-held commitments to quality education for students and high order communication competencies. In-school experience is a mandatory component of the Master of Teaching course. The preparation for, and evaluation of, the school-based experiences will be integral to this unit.

Choose two of the following:

Inclusive Education: Principles and Practices

Students need to understand and assess the intellectual, emotional, social and physical needs of all children and young people in regular classrooms. They need to develop appropriate and relevant skills, attitudes and methodologies to enable them to assess, plan, implement and evaluate programs which meet the individual educational needs of students with disabilities, learning difficulties and/or behaviour disorders. This unit of study addresses professional skills, theories, approaches and relevant legislation in the implementation of the principles of inclusive education practices in secondary settings.

Positive Learning Environments

This unit focuses on building positive learning environments, responding effectively to a range of student behaviours, and promoting student mental health and wellbeing. The complex needs of adolescent learners are explored through examining critical developmental issues in light of individual, familial, social and cultural factors that influence pre-teen and adolescent development. Current behaviour management and teacher effectiveness research are applied with an emphasis on practical skill development for beginning teachers. Teacher and school student welfare and discipline responsibilities are examined through critical analysis of school-based policies and practices, and familiarisation with key government initiatives. A case-based approach is applied throughout the unit.

Diversity, Social Justice and Equity

It is crucial for students to recognise how pedagogy, the curriculum, learning and schooling generally, are connected to broader cultural, social, economic and political discourses operating in Australian society. Within this context, understanding how equity/inequality is constructed through schooling is essential, including the practices in which individual teachers engage. Knowledge of cultural diversity, how it is represented in schooling and the role identity has on influencing schooling experiences is central. Developing students’ awareness of their own subjectivity in relation to cultural diversity and identity issues is crucial to reflexivity and the development of socially just relationships and practices in schooling. Issues relating to Aboriginal and Non English Speaking Background students are examined in depth.

Semester 2

Pedagogies in Practice

This is the second of two units emphasising contemporary practices in pedagogy to develop a sense of teaching as a profession through reflection on practice. Students deconstruct and critique curriculum and issues of quality pedagogy impacting on diverse groups in secondary contexts. Key themes include oral, aural, visual and written literacy as mechanisms for curriculum area learning; communication increasingly undertaken through the application of ICT, linking of assessment and reporting to classroom teaching and learning and critical reflection as a foundation for self-evaluation. Throughout the unit a curriculum design approach will inform student learning and scaffold discussion.

Secondary Method 2A

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 11-12 in students' first teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary in their particular chosen first teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modelled. The specifics of the relevant Years 11-12 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Secondary Method 2B

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 11-12 in students' second teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary in their particular chosen second teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modelled. The specifics of the relevant Years 11-12 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Professional Experience II

This unit is designed to extend Student Teachers' learning experiences in classrooms, to such an extent that they are able to demonstrate the competencies expected from a new teacher. Apart from the basic teaching skills, these competencies include being able to incorporate broader educational perspecitives such as technology, literacy, social justice, learning theories and assessment strategies into their teaching. The focus of the unit will be to help prepare students for the classroom by exploring effective pedagogy. The desired effect of this exploration of teaching style will be to introduce the concept of professional development through reflective practice. In this way, the Professional Experience undertaken during this unit will cohere with and enhance the pre-service teacher education student's perspective on the theory and practice of teaching and learning in schools.

Professional Experience III

This unit is only available to Education students. Pre-service teacher education students need extensive and purposeful experience in diverse educational settings. This unit provides students with the opportunity to broaden their professional experience in a range of alternative educational settings within and beyond schools. Professional Experience 3 is based on the general principle of broadening and deepening Student Teachers' understanding of the issues confronting the wider education community. The more informed the teacher is about these educational issues, the more effective that teacher can be in their own classroom. To facilitate this understanding, the teacher needs to explore how learning and teaching are conducted in a variety of settings. Underpinning Professional Experience 3 is the recognition that teachers often only see a limited part of the total curriculum and schooling process, and that students will benefit from working collaboratively with those both within and outside the school settings.

Choose one of:

Inclusive Education: Principles and Practices

Students need to understand and assess the intellectual, emotional, social and physical needs of all children and young people in regular classrooms. They need to develop appropriate and relevant skills, attitudes and methodologies to enable them to assess, plan, implement and evaluate programs which meet the individual educational needs of students with disabilities, learning difficulties and/or behaviour disorders. This unit of study addresses professional skills, theories, approaches and relevant legislation in the implementation of the principles of inclusive education practices in secondary settings.

Positive Learning Environments

This unit focuses on building positive learning environments, responding effectively to a range of student behaviours, and promoting student mental health and wellbeing. The complex needs of adolescent learners are explored through examining critical developmental issues in light of individual, familial, social and cultural factors that influence pre-teen and adolescent development. Current behaviour management and teacher effectiveness research are applied with an emphasis on practical skill development for beginning teachers. Teacher and school student welfare and discipline responsibilities are examined through critical analysis of school-based policies and practices, and familiarisation with key government initiatives. A case-based approach is applied throughout the unit.

Diversity, Social Justice and Equity

It is crucial for students to recognise how pedagogy, the curriculum, learning and schooling generally, are connected to broader cultural, social, economic and political discourses operating in Australian society. Within this context, understanding how equity/inequality is constructed through schooling is essential, including the practices in which individual teachers engage. Knowledge of cultural diversity, how it is represented in schooling and the role identity has on influencing schooling experiences is central. Developing students’ awareness of their own subjectivity in relation to cultural diversity and identity issues is crucial to reflexivity and the development of socially just relationships and practices in schooling. Issues relating to Aboriginal and Non English Speaking Background students are examined in depth.

Mid Year Intake

Standard Full-time Progression (18 months)

Year 1

Semester 1

Introduction to Teaching and Learning

This is the first of two units emphasising contemporary practices in pedagogy to develop a sense of teaching as a profession through reflection on practice. Students will explore and attempt to understand the effects of quality school-based teaching and learning on adolescent learners, particularly indigenous, and culturally and linguistically diverse learners in Western Sydney. Students will critically reflect on their personal constructs of teaching and values about the individuality, diversity and emerging maturity of secondary students. The application of ICT to engage and motivate learners and the development of an understanding of key learning area literacy demands are major foci for the unit.

Secondary Method 2A

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 11-12 in students' first teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary in their particular chosen first teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modelled. The specifics of the relevant Years 11-12 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Secondary Method 2B

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 11-12 in students' second teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary in their particular chosen second teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modelled. The specifics of the relevant Years 11-12 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Professional Experience 1

This unit is only available to Education students. As the first Professional Experience unit of the Master of Teaching course, Professional Experience 1 is designed to introduce all students to the philosophical, ethical, practical and pedagogical perspectives of becoming a teacher in contemporary educational settings. The unit requires students to develop the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes necessary to begin teaching. As part of this process they will recognise that teaching demands a continuous process of self-reflection, self-awareness, critical evaluation of one's practice, and the capacity to modify and adjust teaching practice to best meet the needs of all students. This unit aims to facilitate the development of teacher education students as reflective practitioners who possess deeply-held commitments to quality education for students and high order communication competencies. In-school experience is a mandatory component of the Master of Teaching course. The preparation for, and evaluation of, the school-based experiences will be integral to this unit.

Semester 2

Pedagogies in Practice

This is the second of two units emphasising contemporary practices in pedagogy to develop a sense of teaching as a profession through reflection on practice. Students deconstruct and critique curriculum and issues of quality pedagogy impacting on diverse groups in secondary contexts. Key themes include oral, aural, visual and written literacy as mechanisms for curriculum area learning; communication increasingly undertaken through the application of ICT, linking of assessment and reporting to classroom teaching and learning and critical reflection as a foundation for self-evaluation. Throughout the unit a curriculum design approach will inform student learning and scaffold discussion.

Secondary Method 1A

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 7-10 in students' FIRST teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary Years 7-10 in their particular chosen first teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modeled. The specifics of the relevant Years 7-10 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level, and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Secondary Method 1B

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 7-10 in students' second teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary in their particular chosen second teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modelled. The specifics of the relevant Years 7-10 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Professional Experience II

This unit is designed to extend Student Teachers' learning experiences in classrooms, to such an extent that they are able to demonstrate the competencies expected from a new teacher. Apart from the basic teaching skills, these competencies include being able to incorporate broader educational perspecitives such as technology, literacy, social justice, learning theories and assessment strategies into their teaching. The focus of the unit will be to help prepare students for the classroom by exploring effective pedagogy. The desired effect of this exploration of teaching style will be to introduce the concept of professional development through reflective practice. In this way, the Professional Experience undertaken during this unit will cohere with and enhance the pre-service teacher education student's perspective on the theory and practice of teaching and learning in schools.

Semester 3

Inclusive Education: Principles and Practices

Students need to understand and assess the intellectual, emotional, social and physical needs of all children and young people in regular classrooms. They need to develop appropriate and relevant skills, attitudes and methodologies to enable them to assess, plan, implement and evaluate programs which meet the individual educational needs of students with disabilities, learning difficulties and/or behaviour disorders. This unit of study addresses professional skills, theories, approaches and relevant legislation in the implementation of the principles of inclusive education practices in secondary settings.

Positive Learning Environments

This unit focuses on building positive learning environments, responding effectively to a range of student behaviours, and promoting student mental health and wellbeing. The complex needs of adolescent learners are explored through examining critical developmental issues in light of individual, familial, social and cultural factors that influence pre-teen and adolescent development. Current behaviour management and teacher effectiveness research are applied with an emphasis on practical skill development for beginning teachers. Teacher and school student welfare and discipline responsibilities are examined through critical analysis of school-based policies and practices, and familiarisation with key government initiatives. A case-based approach is applied throughout the unit.

Diversity, Social Justice and Equity

It is crucial for students to recognise how pedagogy, the curriculum, learning and schooling generally, are connected to broader cultural, social, economic and political discourses operating in Australian society. Within this context, understanding how equity/inequality is constructed through schooling is essential, including the practices in which individual teachers engage. Knowledge of cultural diversity, how it is represented in schooling and the role identity has on influencing schooling experiences is central. Developing students’ awareness of their own subjectivity in relation to cultural diversity and identity issues is crucial to reflexivity and the development of socially just relationships and practices in schooling. Issues relating to Aboriginal and Non English Speaking Background students are examined in depth.

Professional Experience III

This unit is only available to Education students. Pre-service teacher education students need extensive and purposeful experience in diverse educational settings. This unit provides students with the opportunity to broaden their professional experience in a range of alternative educational settings within and beyond schools. Professional Experience 3 is based on the general principle of broadening and deepening Student Teachers' understanding of the issues confronting the wider education community. The more informed the teacher is about these educational issues, the more effective that teacher can be in their own classroom. To facilitate this understanding, the teacher needs to explore how learning and teaching are conducted in a variety of settings. Underpinning Professional Experience 3 is the recognition that teachers often only see a limited part of the total curriculum and schooling process, and that students will benefit from working collaboratively with those both within and outside the school settings.

Accelerated Full-time progression (12 months)

Year 1

Semester 1

Introduction to Teaching and Learning

This is the first of two units emphasising contemporary practices in pedagogy to develop a sense of teaching as a profession through reflection on practice. Students will explore and attempt to understand the effects of quality school-based teaching and learning on adolescent learners, particularly indigenous, and culturally and linguistically diverse learners in Western Sydney. Students will critically reflect on their personal constructs of teaching and values about the individuality, diversity and emerging maturity of secondary students. The application of ICT to engage and motivate learners and the development of an understanding of key learning area literacy demands are major foci for the unit.

Secondary Method 2A

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 11-12 in students' first teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary in their particular chosen first teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modelled. The specifics of the relevant Years 11-12 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Secondary Method 2B

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 11-12 in students' second teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary in their particular chosen second teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modelled. The specifics of the relevant Years 11-12 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Professional Experience 1

This unit is only available to Education students. As the first Professional Experience unit of the Master of Teaching course, Professional Experience 1 is designed to introduce all students to the philosophical, ethical, practical and pedagogical perspectives of becoming a teacher in contemporary educational settings. The unit requires students to develop the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes necessary to begin teaching. As part of this process they will recognise that teaching demands a continuous process of self-reflection, self-awareness, critical evaluation of one's practice, and the capacity to modify and adjust teaching practice to best meet the needs of all students. This unit aims to facilitate the development of teacher education students as reflective practitioners who possess deeply-held commitments to quality education for students and high order communication competencies. In-school experience is a mandatory component of the Master of Teaching course. The preparation for, and evaluation of, the school-based experiences will be integral to this unit.

Choose two of the following:

Inclusive Education: Principles and Practices

Students need to understand and assess the intellectual, emotional, social and physical needs of all children and young people in regular classrooms. They need to develop appropriate and relevant skills, attitudes and methodologies to enable them to assess, plan, implement and evaluate programs which meet the individual educational needs of students with disabilities, learning difficulties and/or behaviour disorders. This unit of study addresses professional skills, theories, approaches and relevant legislation in the implementation of the principles of inclusive education practices in secondary settings.

Positive Learning Environments

This unit focuses on building positive learning environments, responding effectively to a range of student behaviours, and promoting student mental health and wellbeing. The complex needs of adolescent learners are explored through examining critical developmental issues in light of individual, familial, social and cultural factors that influence pre-teen and adolescent development. Current behaviour management and teacher effectiveness research are applied with an emphasis on practical skill development for beginning teachers. Teacher and school student welfare and discipline responsibilities are examined through critical analysis of school-based policies and practices, and familiarisation with key government initiatives. A case-based approach is applied throughout the unit.

Diversity, Social Justice and Equity

It is crucial for students to recognise how pedagogy, the curriculum, learning and schooling generally, are connected to broader cultural, social, economic and political discourses operating in Australian society. Within this context, understanding how equity/inequality is constructed through schooling is essential, including the practices in which individual teachers engage. Knowledge of cultural diversity, how it is represented in schooling and the role identity has on influencing schooling experiences is central. Developing students’ awareness of their own subjectivity in relation to cultural diversity and identity issues is crucial to reflexivity and the development of socially just relationships and practices in schooling. Issues relating to Aboriginal and Non English Speaking Background students are examined in depth.

Semester 2

Pedagogies in Practice

This is the second of two units emphasising contemporary practices in pedagogy to develop a sense of teaching as a profession through reflection on practice. Students deconstruct and critique curriculum and issues of quality pedagogy impacting on diverse groups in secondary contexts. Key themes include oral, aural, visual and written literacy as mechanisms for curriculum area learning; communication increasingly undertaken through the application of ICT, linking of assessment and reporting to classroom teaching and learning and critical reflection as a foundation for self-evaluation. Throughout the unit a curriculum design approach will inform student learning and scaffold discussion.

Secondary Method 1A

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 7-10 in students' FIRST teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary Years 7-10 in their particular chosen first teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modeled. The specifics of the relevant Years 7-10 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level, and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Secondary Method 1B

This unit covers teaching methodology for Years 7-10 in students' second teaching area. It must be completed by all students seeking qualification in secondary teaching. This unit seeks to develop in students the capacity to teach effectively the curriculum appropriate to the secondary in their particular chosen second teaching area. Current "best practice" in that specific teaching area will be examined and modelled. The specifics of the relevant Years 7-10 Syllabus in NSW and elsewhere will be examined and critiqued. Emphasis will be placed on the principles which should underlie the teaching of the specific secondary subject at this level and on appropriate objectives and outcomes for the teaching of that subject and on course planning. Opportunities for investigation and discussion of current research into the teaching of the specific subject area will be important.

Professional Experience II

This unit is designed to extend Student Teachers' learning experiences in classrooms, to such an extent that they are able to demonstrate the competencies expected from a new teacher. Apart from the basic teaching skills, these competencies include being able to incorporate broader educational perspecitives such as technology, literacy, social justice, learning theories and assessment strategies into their teaching. The focus of the unit will be to help prepare students for the classroom by exploring effective pedagogy. The desired effect of this exploration of teaching style will be to introduce the concept of professional development through reflective practice. In this way, the Professional Experience undertaken during this unit will cohere with and enhance the pre-service teacher education student's perspective on the theory and practice of teaching and learning in schools.

Professional Experience III

This unit is only available to Education students. Pre-service teacher education students need extensive and purposeful experience in diverse educational settings. This unit provides students with the opportunity to broaden their professional experience in a range of alternative educational settings within and beyond schools. Professional Experience 3 is based on the general principle of broadening and deepening Student Teachers' understanding of the issues confronting the wider education community. The more informed the teacher is about these educational issues, the more effective that teacher can be in their own classroom. To facilitate this understanding, the teacher needs to explore how learning and teaching are conducted in a variety of settings. Underpinning Professional Experience 3 is the recognition that teachers often only see a limited part of the total curriculum and schooling process, and that students will benefit from working collaboratively with those both within and outside the school settings.

Choose one unit from the following:

Inclusive Education: Principles and Practices

Students need to understand and assess the intellectual, emotional, social and physical needs of all children and young people in regular classrooms. They need to develop appropriate and relevant skills, attitudes and methodologies to enable them to assess, plan, implement and evaluate programs which meet the individual educational needs of students with disabilities, learning difficulties and/or behaviour disorders. This unit of study addresses professional skills, theories, approaches and relevant legislation in the implementation of the principles of inclusive education practices in secondary settings.

Positive Learning Environments

This unit focuses on building positive learning environments, responding effectively to a range of student behaviours, and promoting student mental health and wellbeing. The complex needs of adolescent learners are explored through examining critical developmental issues in light of individual, familial, social and cultural factors that influence pre-teen and adolescent development. Current behaviour management and teacher effectiveness research are applied with an emphasis on practical skill development for beginning teachers. Teacher and school student welfare and discipline responsibilities are examined through critical analysis of school-based policies and practices, and familiarisation with key government initiatives. A case-based approach is applied throughout the unit.

Diversity, Social Justice and Equity

It is crucial for students to recognise how pedagogy, the curriculum, learning and schooling generally, are connected to broader cultural, social, economic and political discourses operating in Australian society. Within this context, understanding how equity/inequality is constructed through schooling is essential, including the practices in which individual teachers engage. Knowledge of cultural diversity, how it is represented in schooling and the role identity has on influencing schooling experiences is central. Developing students’ awareness of their own subjectivity in relation to cultural diversity and identity issues is crucial to reflexivity and the development of socially just relationships and practices in schooling. Issues relating to Aboriginal and Non English Speaking Background students are examined in depth.

Students with appropriate undergraduate qualifications who undertake the full-time mode may also access 101400 - Secondary Method 1C and 101403 - Secondary Method 2C in the relevant semester.

Master of Teaching (Secondary)

Secondary Education

A clear route that still keeps your directions open

Our secondary teaching pathways build on the success of UWS's graduate entry programs over many years, fine-tuned to be one of the best on offer today.

In secondary school settings, teachers who can provide inspiration and direction to their pupils are highly valued. The UWS secondary teaching program gives you the best possible chance of becoming such a teacher and playing a leadership role for others.

The qualification turns your specialist undergraduate degree into a clearly signposted career path in teaching. And, as a Masters level qualification, it can help you progress more quickly to leadership positions in schools. But, if you want to detour off into other non-teaching professions, the two degrees also stand you in good stead for different career directions.

Because you may well have work and other life commitments, you can choose the study mode that suits you best – accelerated over one year, standard mode over one and a half years or spread over a longer period.

Different pathways and choices

Your study begins with an undergraduate degree, to provide a strong academic preparation and broad educational qualification in any of a wide range of areas suitable to secondary teaching. You can elect to undertake subjects from our suite of undergraduate educational studies at the same time as you are undertaking studies in your chosen discipline.

For those dedicated to a secondary teaching program from the start of their studies, a combined degree pathway (Bachelor of Arts/Master of Teaching and Bachelor of Science/Master of Teaching) is also available.

The UWS Guaranteed Entry Program

All UWS graduates from certain designated degrees are guaranteed entry into our Master of Teaching (Secondary) course.

To receive guaranteed entry you must:

  • Undertake selected discipline units that meet requirements for your chosen area of teaching
  • Achieve a PASS average during your studies at UWS
  • Apply through UAC within one calendar year from the end of the year in which you complete your initial degree

The designated degrees for guaranteed entry are:

Master of Teaching (Secondary)

The course is designed for graduates who, through their first degree, have the skills and understandings required for teaching in one or two subject areas in secondary schools. You will focus on the practical issues in schools, and teaching and learning, through a balance of on-campus classes and theory and a variety of professional experiences.

UWS can prepare you for teaching in specialist areas. These areas of study include:

  • Dance
  • Drama
  • English
  • ESL
  • HSIE (Human Society and Its Environment – e.g. History, Aboriginal Studies, Commerce, Geography, Legal Studies, Society and Culture, Studies of Religion, Business Studies, Economics)
  • Languages
  • Mathematics
  • Music
  • PDHPE (Personal Development, Health and Physical Education)
  • Science
  • TAS (Technology and Applied Studies – e.g. Agricultural Technology, Computing, Design and Technology, Engineering Studies, Food Technology, Graphics Technology, Industrial Technology, Information Processes and Technology, Information and Software Technology, Software Design and Development, Technology, Textiles Technology)
  • Visual Arts

A Career in Secondary Education

The dual qualification of an undergraduate degree and post-graduate teaching qualification provides great flexibility. You will be qualified as a secondary school teacher, so you can teach in government and non-government schools in Australia and in most other countries. And with the practical nature of our courses, you'll be ready to teach as soon as that first bell rings.

But you could also pursue other career interests in the field of your undergraduate degree, or even generalist positions, since many of the generic skills of your teaching degree – teamwork and leadership, communication and organisation – are highly valued by employers. And later on, of course, you could bring that valuable practical experience back into a teaching career.

Duration:

1 year accelerated, 1.5 years full-time, 2 years part-time.

Location:

Penrith

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have a first degree with appropriate qualifications for secondary teaching. The appropriateness of the studies taken in the first degree is determined by UWS but is consistent with the qualifications standards set by the NSW Institute of Teachers Subject Content Requirements for Teaching in a NSW Secondary School.

NSW Institute of Teachers Subject Content Requirements for Teaching in a NSW Secondary School

GOVERNMENT POLICIES: Education employers have special staff requirements and policies that apply to intending students of Education courses. At entry, this involves signing a Prohibited Employment Declaration.

How to Apply:

All domestic applications for entry to UWS postgraduate courses must be made through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). Step by step instructions are available on on How to Apply pages.

Accreditation

The Master of Teaching (Secondary) is an accredited course with the NSW Institute of Teachers.

                    NSW Teachers Institute

Do you need more information?

Request a course and application information pack:
Course Enquiry Form
International Course Enquiry Form

Alternatively you are welcome to contact us.