Bachelor of Education (Primary) (BEPR) - BEd(Primary)

This program is offered only to continuing students. No new admissions will be accepted. Students who are interested in this study should consider the Bachelor of Education (BEDU) which, subject to approval, will be offered from Semester 1, 2009.

Contact us

Current students

Telephone 1800 007 252 (within Australia freecall), +61 7 4631 2285 (from outside Australia), email usqassist@usq.edu.au or submit a question via USQAssist.

Program aims

The Bachelor of Education (Primary) is a four-year full-time on-campus program designed to prepare teachers typically for employment in primary schools.

Program objectives

General Program Objectives

It is an expectation that graduates will acquire, at a level appropriate to their stage of professional development, a knowledge and understanding of:

• relevant legislation, policy and guidelines underpinning educational programs and services

• how humans develop and learn

• relevant curriculum content and structure

• learning as a lifelong endeavour

• human relationships

• education theory and its interpretation in practice

• a variety of education systems

• the curriculum documents in current use and under consideration in Queensland educational environments

• broad education discipline areas - their concepts, content knowledge, structure, relationships and characteristic mode of inquiry

• the role of the whole community in the learning process.

It is an expectation that graduates demonstrate, at a level appropriate to their stage or professional development, the personal qualities of:

• commitment to the welfare of learners as a group and as individuals

• commitment to continuing professional and personal growth

• responsibility and obligation to the profession

• flexibility and adaptability in diverse and changing environments

• confidence based on realistic self-evaluation

• effective communication in the range of roles and contexts occurring within the immediate educational environment and the wider community

• initiative as an individual and team member

• independent judgement and informed decision making

• critical and reflective professional practice

• sensitivity to diverse modes of human experience, expressions, creativity, values and ideas

• appreciating the consequences of their own behaviour

• developing awareness of the reality and challenge of a changing society.

It is an expectation that graduates will demonstrate, at a level appropriate to their stage of professional development, the professional qualities relating to:

• the development of a personal philosophy of, and a professional code of ethics for, education

• the planning, implementation and evaluation of direct and indirect curriculum using a variety of strategies appropriate to the context

• the establishment and management of an emotionally and physically safe and healthy environment for learning

• the provision for individual learners in context

• the effective use of educational technology and resources

• educational evaluation and basic methods of inquiry and assessment in education

• organisation and management in education settings

• working with the whole community including the home, school, work, and community services.

Specific Program Objectives

The Bachelor of Education (Primary) additionally seeks to prepare graduates to develop:

• a thorough knowledge and understanding of the changing nature of Primary education and the impact these changes will demand of beginning teaching in skills, content knowledge and attitude

• a knowledge and understanding of current 1-10 syllabi requirements

• an awareness of the role of significant non-employer bodies such as the Queensland College of Teachers (formerly the Board of Teacher Registration, Queensland), Queensland Studies Authority and Queensland Teachers' Union.

Underlying these objectives is the important principle that teacher education is a continuing process embracing both pre-service and in-service education. Accordingly, graduates of the Bachelor of Education (Primary) program will be competent beginning teachers able to assume a continuing responsibility for their own professional and career development.

Admission requirements

No new admissions, continuing students only

Program fees

Commonwealth supported place

A Commonwealth supported place is where the Australian Government makes a contribution towards the cost of your higher education and you as a student pay a student contribution amount, which varies depending on the courses undertaken. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.

Commonwealth Supported students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called HECS-HELP.

Program structure

To be awarded a four-year Bachelors program in the Faculty of Education, a student must have normally completed 32 units at undergraduate levels 1-4. At the discretion of the Program Coordinator, up to 4 units may be completed at postgraduate level.

Note: Minimum enrolment numbers apply to all courses. Should enrolments not meet the minimum number required, students may be transferred to a different mode or offering and advised of this change prior to semester start.

Areas of Study

• core studies

• education studies

• teaching and learning studies and professional experiences

• curriculum and teaching studies

• honours, majors, minors and electives.

Areas of Study and Related Courses

Major/Minor/Electives

Fraser Coast does not offer all Majors. Please consult with Program Coordinator.

In the Bachelor of Education (Primary), students choose either:

• major (6 units) + electives (3 units)

• minor (4 units) + minor (4 units) + electives (1 unit), or

• electives (9 units).

Major Studies (6 units)

Availability of majors/minors is subject to quotas.

Students may choose to major in one of the following areas (all majors will be subject to quota):

• Information and Communications Technologies in Education

• Special Education

• Second Language Teaching

• Physical Education

• Primary Education

• Expressive Arts.

• Music Education (Springfield campus only).

Note: Entry into the major strands is subject to quotas and/or an interview and/or application and/or audition process. This extra qualification will allow graduates broader employment prospects.

Note: All majors, minors and electives offered from within the Faculty are subject to economic viability assessments and may change with student demand.

Enrolment patterns for major studies are listed below.

Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 9 years to complete this program.

Information and communications technologies in education major study

Note: Minimum enrolment numbers apply to all courses. Should enrolments not meet the minimum number required, students may be transferred to a different mode or offering and advised of this change prior to semester start.

Special education major study

Entry for Education students into the Special Education major requires an application and an interview and is subject to quota.

Note: Minimum enrolment numbers apply to all courses. Should enrolments not meet the minimum number required, students may be transferred to a different mode or offering and advised of this change prior to semester start.

Second language teaching major study

Note: Minimum enrolment numbers apply to all courses. Should enrolments not meet the minimum number required, students may be transferred to a different mode or offering and advised of this change prior to semester start.

Students studying this major with a view to becoming specialist teachers of Languages Other Than English (LOTE) are advised to study (as electives) two additional units (a total of 6) in their chosen foreign language.

Primary education major study

Note: Minimum enrolment numbers apply to all courses. Should enrolments not meet the minimum number required, students may be transferred to a different mode or offering and advised of this change prior to semester start.

Complete six courses from the following:

Physical education major study

Entry for Education students into the Physical Education major/minor requires an application, interview and is subject to a quota.

Note: Minimum enrolment numbers apply to all courses. Should enrolments not meet the minimum number required, students may be transferred to a different mode or offering and advised of this change prior to semester start.

Expressive arts education major study

Note: Minimum enrolment numbers apply to all courses. Should enrolments not meet the minimum number required, students may be transferred to a different mode or offering and advised of this change prior to semester start.

Music Education (Springfield campus only)

Note: Minimum enrolment numbers apply to all courses. Should enrolments not meet the minimum number required, students may be transferred to a different mode or offering and advised of this change prior to semester start.

Students wishing to undertake a Music Minor at Springfield campus can choose to complete four of the following courses: EDU2453, EDU4451, EDU3455 ,EDU3456 , EDU2452, EDU3457.

Minor studies

Minors will be offered in Information and Communication Technologies in Education, Expressive Arts Education, Mathematics Education, Children's Literature, Early Childhood Education, Primary Education, Religious Education (offered through the Australian Catholic University) and Content Studies (any four unit minor package offered by another Faculty at USQ).

Students who choose a minor study from one of the other Faculties within the University will complete four units within a particular discipline area. The courses offered are listed in the Option Studies section of this Handbook.

The Religious Education minor is offered cross-institutionally through the Australian Catholic University. This minor gives students a sound basis with which to apply for teaching positions in Catholic schools. This four unit minor comprises the following courses: Religious Education 1, Religious Education 2, Introduction to the World and Literature of the Bible, The Sacramental Life of the Church.

Elective courses

Electives may be selected from among any undergraduate courses (including those which form part of the majors and minors listed) for which students have successfully completed any pre-requisite courses provided that, when courses are levelled, no more than four electives may be selected from Level 1 courses.

Other information

A range of exit possibilities exists. Intending applicants should consult with relevant Program Coordinators regarding this information.

Recommended enrolment pattern (commencing final year)

Students should not deviate from this pattern without first discussing it with the Program Administration Office or the Program Coordinator.

EDU1122 may be taken in Semester 3 and will allow credit for FOE1002 .

Note: Minimum enrolment numbers apply to all courses. Should enrolments not meet the minimum number required, students may be transferred to a different mode or offering and advised of this change prior to semester start.