Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary)

Course code/s: Bendigo (RGES), Melbourne (EDGES)

The course enables graduates to be accredited for secondary teaching with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) and therefore eligible for employment in government and private schools in Victoria, as well as educational institutions interstate and overseas. The course is also a preparation for the teaching of adults. Applicants should enjoy working with people and have a strong commitment to academic excellence.
Upon course completion each student's academic record is released to VIT for teacher registration purposes. Students who do not want their academic record released to VIT must notify their Course Administrator in writing or email before the end of teaching in their last subject.

Duration

The course commences in February and is normally undertaken by full-time study for one academic year or part-time over two or three years.

Admission requirements

Applicants should have a Bachelor’s degree or 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. In addition, competence in English is required.

English requirement

Applicants whose undergraduate degree is from a university in a non-English speaking country will require an IELTS score of 7.5, with no individual band score less than 7.0 and a score of no less than 8.0 in speaking and listening. Applicants may be interviewed to assess suitability for classroom context.

Special requirements

The Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development requires 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.

Course structure

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.

Core subjects (20 credit points each)


Teaching period	Subject title	Subject code
TE-SEM-1	Understanding Learning	EDU4UL
TE-SEM-1	Professional Practice	EDU4PP
TE-SEM-2	Changing Contexts	EDU4CCE
TE-SEM-2	Integrated Teaching	EDU4INT

Plus two teaching method subjects from those listed below:

Teaching methods offered at the Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus

Each teaching method has a total value of 20 credit points.


Teaching period	Subject title	Subject code
TE-SEM-1	VET Teaching Method¹	EDU4VM1
TE-SEM-1	Methods of Teaching (Technology)¹	EDU4MTT
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	Biology Teaching Method	EDU4BIB
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	Chemistry Teaching Method	EDU4CHB
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	Drama Teaching Method	EDU4DMB
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	English Teaching Method	EDU4EGB
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	ESL Teaching Method	EDU4TSB
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	Geography Teaching Method	EDU4GEB
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	History Teaching Method	EDU4HIB
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	Humanities Teaching Method	EDU4HUB
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	LOTE Teaching Method	EDU4LOB
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	Mathematics Teaching Method	EDU4MAB
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	Media Studies Teaching Method	EDU4MSB
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	Physics Teaching Method	EDU4PHB
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	Science Teaching Method	EDU4SCB
TE-SEM-1 and TE-SEM-2	Student Welfare Method	EDU4SWB

Key: ¹ VET Teaching Method and Technology Method may include weekend and vacation classes.

Teaching methods available at the Bendigo Campus

All students enrol in two teaching methods. Methods offered in any given year will depend upon available staff and student numbers. Quotas may apply in some areas. Visual Art Method 1 and 2 are normally taken as a pair to constitute a double method. VET Teaching Method will be timetabled in block mode during weekends or holiday periods over the semester.