Programs accredited for teacher registration in Victoria

Graduate Diploma in Education (Middle Years) – Shepparton (EGEMYP)

The course provides a qualification to teach in both primary and secondary schools with a special focus on the middle years of schooling (Grade 5 to Year 10). Students with appropriate undergraduate sub-majors/majors also will be eligible to teach Years 11 and 12. Students interested in working with young adolescents (age 11 – 16 years) will be well suited to this course. The course provides practical and intellectually rigorous teacher education delivered through five weeks of intensive face to face classes in three blocks and supported by online distance learning throughout the year. While the University will endeavour to place students for practicum experience in venues accessible from their home, this cannot be guaranteed. In some cases, residence ‘away from home’ may be required to complete practicum requirements. The course is accredited with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT). Graduates will be eligible for employment in government and private schools in Victoria, as well as educational institutions interstate and overseas.

Duration

The course commences in February and normally will be undertaken by full-time study for one academic year.

Admission requirements

Applicants should have a Bachelor’s degree or approved equivalent with sequences of studies in relevant subjects that satisfy the prerequisites specified for the particular teaching method. This is normally at least a sub-major in each of two recognised subject areas taught in secondary schools.

However, applicants with discipline studies in only one secondary school curriculum area are also eligible to apply. Further information on eligibility can be found at www.vit.vic.edu.au/ (follow the links to Teacher Education and Specialist Area Guidelines). In addition, competence in English is required. Please refer to the English requirement below. Mathematics is recommended to at least Year 11 of secondary schooling.

English requirement

Applicants who do not have a satisfactory result in any standard Year 12 English subject in Australia (including applicants with overseas qualifications) are required to have a score in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) of at least 7.0 overall, with no individual band (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing) of less than 7.0. Failure to obtain either a suitable IELTS result, or an exemption from the IELTS test, will mean that an application will not be considered.

IELTS test information and application processes

Details about the IELTS test and IELTS testing centres can be obtained from www.ielts.org/, including the contact details for testing centres in Melbourne and in other places in Australia and overseas. These centres are independent of La Trobe University.

Students with a satisfactory IELTS result must provide the course selection officer with their VTAC ID number and contact details when they supply evidence of their IELTS score. These applicants will be required to complete an interview to assess their capacity to use spoken English in the Graduate Diploma in Education course, including teaching practice placements.

Special requirements

The Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development require a satisfactory criminal record check for all teacher education students undertaking practicum requirements in Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development schools. It is expected that equivalent requirements will exist for all other Victorian schools. Students upon first enrolling in teacher education courses will be required to complete a ‘Working with Children Check’ form available at Australia Post offices. Students must provide a certified copy of their valid Working with Children card prior to undertaking teaching placements. Confirmation of a criminal record may jeopardise a student’s ability to gain access to a suitable, or any, practicum placement(s) and may therefore delay or prevent completion of the course.

Application procedures

Local candidates must apply through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) by 30 September. Late applications (at an additional cost) close mid-November. Application is via the VTAC website.

Selection Criteria: Priority for selection to a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) will be given to those with higher Grade Point Averages (GPAs). Applicants wishing to maximise their options for selection through VTAC are encouraged to indicate preferences for both Commonwealth supported and fee-paying places and are encouraged to tick the ‘any other methods’ box to be considered for secondary methods other than their preferred methods. Mathematics to at least Year 11 of secondary schooling is recommended. Priority for selection may be given to those who have completed Mathematics at senior secondary school level or equivalent.

Late direct applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis at the conclusion of the VTAC selection process if places are still available.

An information meeting for prospective candidates is held at the La Trobe University Open Day in August at the Shepparton Campus. For further details about the course see the Faculty of Education website.

Course structure

The course will be delivered by a combination of intensive block mode classes and online learning. The course consists of 120 credit points and is planned around three major areas of study:

approaches to teaching and learning
methodology and curriculum
practical teaching.

A pass in all components of subjects and 80% attendance is required for successful completion of the award.

Core subjects


Teaching period	Subject title	Subject code
TE-SEM-1	Issues in Education A – Teaching and Learning	EDU4IMA
TE-SEM-1	Methods A – Curriculum in Focus	EDU4MLA
TE-SEM-1	Teaching Practicum A	EDU4TPA
TE-SEM-1	School-based Middle Years Project	EDU4SMP
TE-SEM-2	Issues in Education B – Teaching Middle Years	EDU4IMB
TE-SEM-2	Context of Education	EDU4COE
TE-SEM-2	Methods B – Integrating Curriculum	EDU4MLB
TE-SEM-2	Teaching Practicum B	EDU4TPB

Note: LOTE in Middle Years (EDU4LMA/EDULMB) is an optional additional method and can be taken at an additional cost by those with the appropriate undergraduate qualification in the Language Other than English.

The following secondary teaching methods are available in the Middle Years program:

Single Methods

Accounting, Art and Craft, Biology, Business Management, Business Studies, Chemistry, Commerce & Business Studies, Dance, Drama, Economics, English, Environmental Science, Geography, Health, History, Home Economics, Humanities (previously Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE), Humanities Additional, Information Technology/Computing, Legal Studies, LOTE, Mathematics, Media Studies, Music, Outdoor Education, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Science, Science Additional, Technology, Visual Arts.