Master of Teaching (Secondary)
Overview
Start your new career. Transfer your prior knowledge and expertise into a rewarding career as a secondary school teacher. After just two years of study, your passion will have purpose – to ignite the minds of the next generation.
The Master of Teaching (Secondary) program is designed for those with an approved undergraduate degree looking to qualify as a secondary school teacher. It aims to develop, educate and sustain teachers who can contribute innovatively and creatively to addressing the educational challenges of social, community and technological change. Plus it enables you to qualify as a secondary school teacher after two years of study.
You'll participate in practical, school-based learning that draws from the latest research into effective teaching methods, complete 75 days of supervised professional experience placements, and gain the skills and knowledge necessary for teaching to complement the expertise and experience gained in your first degree.
Graduates are eligible to apply for registration as a teacher in Queensland and work as a secondary school teacher in state and independent schools in Australia and worldwide.
With further study and experience, this program can lead to roles as a head of department, principal, guidance officer, learning support teacher or student adviser.
Program highlights
- After just four semesters of study, have the confidence to step into the classroom and ignite the minds of the next generation.
- Learn from national and international award-winning lecturers who will teach you flexible and creative ways to cater for the diverse learning needs of children.
- Undertake 75 days of supervised classroom experience.
- Graduate from an accredited program with eligibility for teacher registration in Queensland and beyond.
How you'll learn
Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Work placements
- Overseas study
- Research experience
- Fieldwork
Placements and work experience
Students will complete 70 days of supervised and observed professional experience placements throughout the program. Every effort is made to place students within a reasonable distance of their home, but you can be expected to travel up to 90 minutes one-way due to public transport connections and incur costs associated with travel and possible lost income. Students are generally placed at Brisbane and the south-east corner of Queensland (including the Gold and Sunshine Coasts for secondary teaching) and are also encouraged to consider a rural placement. There may be costs for incidentals such as travel and daily expenses. Students must have a current Blue Card (Working with Children Check) before commencing practicum, and should apply for one through The School of Education three months before their first professional experience. The Teacher Preparation Programs Handbook provides additional information about practicum and school experience requirements and is available from the School of Education.
What you'll study
At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study in this program:
- Indigenous knowledge and education
- Building Inclusive Secondary Classrooms
- Literacy within and across the Curriculum
- Teachers as Educational Innovators and Agents of Change
Career possibilities
Postgraduate study can take you anywhere. Here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:
- Secondary school teacher
- Secondary school maths teacher
- Economics secondary school teacher
- Business secondary school teacher
- Secondary school music teacher
- Head of curriculum
Next steps after graduation
Over 96 percent of UQ Education graduates found employment after study.
(QILT Graduates Outcomes Survey 2018-2019)
Professional memberships
When you graduate, you may be eligible for memberships with the following professional organisations. Contact the organisation to find out how to become a member.
- Queensland College of Teachers
Professional registration
When you graduate, you may be eligible for registration with the following professional organisations. Contact the organisation to find out how to register.
- Queensland College Of Teachers
Program accreditation
The Master of Teaching (Secondary) is accredited by:
- Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
“The Master of Teaching (Secondary) has given me the classroom management skills and knowledge to be successful in my new role. The significant amount of time spent on placement...is one of the best aspects of the program.”
Luke HarmerGraduate, Master of Teaching (Secondary)
“The Master of Teaching has provided me with both the theory and practical knowledge in order to be able to confidently step into the classroom and teach a variety of students.”
Drew CopelandGraduate, Master of Teaching (Secondary)
“I love working with students and the challenge of engaging their interest in science and maths. Working as a teacher allows me to experience young peoples’ enthusiasm and their fresh ideas as they learn about the world and their place in it.”
Helen SmithGraduate, Master of Teaching (Secondary)
“The Master of Teaching (Secondary) has given me the classroom management skills and knowledge to be successful in my new role. The significant amount of time spent on placement...is one of the best aspects of the program.”
Luke HarmerGraduate, Master of Teaching (Secondary)
“The Master of Teaching has provided me with both the theory and practical knowledge in order to be able to confidently step into the classroom and teach a variety of students.”
Drew CopelandGraduate, Master of Teaching (Secondary)
“I love working with students and the challenge of engaging their interest in science and maths. Working as a teacher allows me to experience young peoples’ enthusiasm and their fresh ideas as they learn about the world and their place in it.”
Helen SmithGraduate, Master of Teaching (Secondary)
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UQ people
Meet Linh from Vietnam, studying Education in Australia
Entry requirements
Prerequisites
- a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from an approved tertiary institution that meets the requirements for two teaching areas of the secondary curriculum in Australian schools (see below), and
- to submit a statement addressing non-academic criteria (see below), and
- to complete an online questionnaire to meet the non-academic entry requirement for this program. Once you have submitted your application, you will be directed to the online questionnaire.
Prerequisites
- a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from an approved tertiary institution that meets the requirements for two teaching areas of the secondary curriculum in Australian schools (see below), and
- to submit a statement addressing non-academic criteria (see below), and
- to complete an online questionnaire to meet the non-academic entry requirement for this program. Once you have submitted your application, you will be directed to the online questionnaire.
Related programs
Depending on your previous qualifications and current goals, you might want to consider
one of these related programs:
English language requirements
IELTS score of 7.5 overall; speaking 8; listening 8, reading 7, writing 7. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ.
TOEFL IBT, TOEFL PB, Pearsons, BE, CES, and OET are not accepted.
There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.
Inherent requirements
To complete this degree, you have to meet its inherent requirements by demonstrating essential skills and attributes. Read the inherent requirements before you apply.
Additional application information
From 2018 applicants to education programs in Australia must complete non-academic entry criteria. The process is currently under development - please check QTAC's advice.
The following advice has been provided from the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT):
Transferring students
If a student is admitted as a transfer student into an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program at a new university and they enrolled in their original ITE primary program prior to the implementation of the non-academic selection tool pre-requisite, they are able transfer without meeting the requirement. If a student is being admitted into an ITE program as a new student, the prerequisite will need to be met.
Students accepted into an ITE program who defer the commencement of their study date post Semester 2 2017
A student who has already accepted a placement in an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program and has deferred their study for a period no longer than one year will not need to submit documentation to address the requirements of the non-academic selection tool.
Additional application information
From 2018, all students are required to successfully meet the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) standards prior to graduation. For more information on the test including sample tests, indicative fees, testing institutions and registration information, please visit the School of Education LANTITE website and the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) website.
Student visas
International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Master of Teaching (Secondary) are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).
There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the genuine temporary entrant (GTE) requirement.
Fees and Scholarships
Indicative annual fee
AUD $30,304
Indicative annual fee 2021
This indicative annual fee is the cost of enrolling in the Master of Teaching (Secondary) for the 2021 academic year. It is calculated based on a standard full-time study load (16 units per academic year).
If you enrol in a larger or smaller study load, your fees will be calculated on a proportionate basis. All fees are reviewed annually.
Indicative annual fee
AUD $3,950
Indicative annual fee 2021 Commonwealth supported place
This indicative annual fee is the approximate cost of enrolling in a Commonwealth Supported Place in the Master of Teaching (Secondary). It is calculated based on a standard full-time study load (16 units over two semesters).
Actual fees will vary according to your choice of courses and their unit value. The Australian Government indexes fees each year.
Additional costs
- Students are expected to fund travel and living expenses associated with placements, some of which may be outside the Brisbane metropolitan area.
- From 2018, all students are required to successfully meet the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) standards prior to graduation.
- UQ committed to fund test costs to the end of 2018. From 1 January 2019 this is no longer available and students must cover this cost. The 2018 fee was $185 ($92.50 per test). ACER lists current fees.
- Please contact the School of Education for further details (education@.uq.edu.au) or visit the School of Education office.
- For more information on the test, including sample tests and registration information, please visit the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) website https://teacheredtest.acer.edu.au/
Government assistance
Financial aid
As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.
HECS-HELP
Domestic places in the Master of Teaching (Secondary) are Commonwealth Supported. This means the cost of your education is shared between you and the Australian Government.
Instead of tuition fees, Commonwealth Supported students pay what are called student contribution amounts.
HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.
Centrelink support
The Australian Government offers a number of income-support payments to eligible Australian university students.
Scholarships
Make your university experience more affordable with a scholarship. Opportunities include:
Scholarships
Make your university experience more affordable with a scholarship. Opportunities include:
How to apply
Applying through QTAC
All domestic applications should be submitted to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).
The QTAC code for the Master of Teaching (Secondary) is 742902.
Important dates
The closing date for this program is:
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Important dates
To check the closing date for this program, go to the QTAC website.
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants
For support with applying - or if you have any questions about Uni - get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.
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