Programs of the Faculty of Education
General information about the Faculty of Education
The Faculty of Education caters for a wide range of interests in areas related to education and the environment including undergraduate and graduate teaching programs; TESOL and applied linguistics; outdoor and environmental education; vocational and technical education and training; and specialist graduate programs for professionals at graduate certificate, graduate diploma and Masters degree levels. The Faculty also provides research supervision and training at both Masters and Doctoral level. The Faculty provides professional development activities and programs for teachers on a range of educational issues across all curriculum areas. Students from other Faculties of the University may apply to enrol in individual education subjects.
The Faculty offers programs at Melbourne (Bundoora) and at the regional campuses of Bendigo, Albury-Wodonga, Mildura and Shepparton. Some programs are also offered offshore.
General course enquiries
Enquiries about prerequisites, admission requirements and requests for applications for coursework degrees, by both current and prospective students, should be directed to the relevant campus academic unit using the contact details provided above. Local students apply through VTAC for undergraduate courses.
International students
Admission of international students is coordinated by La Trobe International. For information on application procedures, accommodation, visa requirements, fees, etc. contact the office on +61 3 9479 1199 or write to La Trobe International, La Trobe University, Victoria, 3086, Australia or visit the website: www.latrobe.edu.au/international.
Course regulations
All courses offered by the Faculty of Education are governed by a university regulation that specifies the entrance and other requirements of the course. These are supplemented by information contained in this Handbook and by other Faculty guidelines.
Each course has its own rules of progression and most courses have specific procedures that operate under the authority of the university regulations and faculty guidelines.
Professional placements
Some courses require students to undertake unpaid professional teaching practice placements. Placements may be located in either metropolitan or rural areas. In most courses that require students to undertake placements, the placement involves being assigned to a school, or other approved educational setting, on a full-time basis over a period of days or weeks. In some cases students undertake placement interstate or overseas.
The university maintains insurance policies to protect students undertaking outside practical placement (practicum) as a compulsory course requirement, or fieldwork or other work undertaken off campus as part of a course or approved research work. Further information is available from the La Trobe University Insurance Office (website: www.latrobe.edu.au/insurance/) or the Faculty Office.
Working with children checks
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. Upon first enrolling in teacher education courses, students 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.
Meeting employer requirements
While every effort is made to equip students with qualifications that will meet the needs of prospective employers, it is the individual student’s responsibility to confirm that their studies meet the employment requirements and to confirm that both academic and professional studies are consistent with the requirements of potential employers.
Fees
Both ‘Commonwealth supported’ and ‘fee-paying’ places are available. Australian citizens and holders of Permanent Humanitarian visas offered either a Commonwealth supported place or a fee-paying place are eligible to defer the tuition fees by using the HECS-HELP or Fee-HELP Commonwealth Government loan schemes. Further information on HECS-HELP and Fee-HELP can be found at www.goingtouni.gov.au.
Further information on Faculty of Education courses and fees is available on the website: www.latrobe.edu.au/education/courses and www.latrobe.edu.au/education/courses/fees.
Flexible teaching arrangements
In order to accommodate student needs, some subjects are taught in a mode different from the normal regular weekly classes. For example, modes may include block mode (i.e., intensive weekend or week-long classes), classes taught outside of normal semester dates, classes taught via web-based teaching or a combination of online learning and face-to-face classes.
Subjects offered by the Faculty of Education
Students should refer to the Subject Database for up-to-date information on all subjects: www.latrobe.edu.au/udb_public.
Subject timetable
Subject timetables are available on the La Trobe website: www.latrobe.edu.au/students/timetables.html or from the Education enquiries office on the campus of enrolment.