Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) - PGCertEd

Notes

This program does not qualify you for teacher registration with relevant teaching authorities. If you are interested in a program that enables you to qualify for teacher registration, please refer to the Graduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching.
Individual courses within specialisations are usually offered in one mode only. Hence some specialisations may be available in only one mode and others may require mixed mode study.

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Program focus

This program gives educators/trainers the opportunity to enhance their professional competence through advanced coursework in one of the specialised areas.

We are currently redeveloping our programs for 2009. This area of study will remain available, with greater flexibility.

Program objectives

Students who successfully complete the Postgraduate Certificate in Education should have advanced knowledge of a specialised area of education and be able to demonstrate capabilities and dispositions for

• locating and accessing knowledge of relevant theory and practice

• critically evaluating and building knowledge

• effectively communicating knowledge in the area of specialisation.

Admission requirements

Normal Entry

The normal requirement for entry to the Postgraduate Certificate in Education program is a three year bachelor degree (or equivalent) from a recognised university, which includes at least one year of studies in education.

All applicants must have a good command of the English language. Applicants for whom English is not their first language must meet the specific USQ requirements for English proficiency.

Alternative Entry

Applicants who do not meet the requirements for normal entry may apply for alternative entry if they believe that they can demonstrate that they have qualifications and/or experience that might be considered equivalent to those required for normal entry.

Applicants with a three year degree (or equivalent) but no studies in education may be admitted if they have two or more years of relevant experience.

Those without relevant experience may be granted provisional entry subject to completion of one or more specified courses in the first semester(s) of enrolment.

Method of Application

Applications for entry to the Postgraduate Certificate in Education program should be made using the USQ Direct Entry Application process described on the University website. Applications should be accompanied by the following:

• certified copies of prior qualifications and/or documented studies

• evidence of relevant professional experience where required for alternative entry.

Entry to the Postgraduate Certificate in Education program may be subject to availability of places.

International applicants must have met the University's English language requirements or have completed the University's ELICOS/UNIPREP program.

How to apply

Domestic students

Application for postgraduate programs may be made directly to USQ. You should ensure you submit your application by the closing dates.

International students

This program is offered to international students. An international student is a person who is not an Australian or New Zealand citizen and not an Australian permanent resident. Please refer to USQ International for information about entry requirements, visa arrangements and how to apply.

Program fees

Student contribution amount

For domestic students who are offered Commonwealth supported places, the Government pays some money directly to the University, but students are also required to make a contribution. This contribution is called the ‘student contribution’. For more information about student contribution amounts, including the calculation of fees for a particular program of study, refer to USQ fees.

Tuition fee

Domestic fee-paying places are funded entirely through the tuition/direct fees paid by the student. Tuition/direct fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. For more information about Tuition Fees, including the calculation of fees for a particular program of study, refer to USQ Fees.

International fees

International students pay tuition fees. For details about international student fees, refer to the International Fee Schedule provided by USQ International.

Program structure

To be awarded a postgraduate certificate in the Faculty of Education, a student must have normally completed 4 units at postgraduate level.

To graduate with the Postgraduate Certificate in Education and a nominated specialisation, students must successfully complete a program of study that comprises a total of 4 approved units of postgraduate coursework selected from the set of courses listed against one of the specialisations in the table below.

Students may graduate with a Postgraduate Certificate in Education without a nominated specialisation if they meet the general requirement for a postgraduate certificate by successfully completing any four approved units from courses listed in the recommended enrolment patterns for the specialisations or in the table of additional courses at the end of this Handbook entry.

Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 2 years to complete this program.

IT requirements

Some courses in the Postgraduate Certificate in Education program are offered entirely on the Internet. A few courses require access to specific software. Many courses use electronic mail and discussion groups for communication among students and staff. Most, if not all, courses expect that work submitted for assessment will be prepared using a word processor or other appropriate software. As new courses are introduced and existing courses are revised, it is anticipated that they will make more extensive use of the Internet for communication and for access to course materials and other resources.

Hence, although there are no specific computer hardware or software requirements for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education program in general, it is a general expectation that students will have convenient access to a computer with common productivity software and Internet access. Some courses may require additional software and/or a more capable computer. Information about such requirements is included in the sections about specified majors and in the relevant course specifications.

Courses noted as being offered “online (WEB)” within the recommended enrolment patterns do not provide for delivery of printed materials. Students enrolling in such courses MUST have ongoing convenient and reliable access to the Internet in order to access course materials and participate in activities that will affect assessment. The required levels of equipment may vary from course to course and from time to time.

Articulation

Students completing studies in the Postgraduate Certificate in Education will be able to articulate those postgraduate courses (levels 5 or 8) in various Masters degrees offered by the Faculty of Education, provided that they meet the entry requirements of the particular Masters degree and any requirements of the particular major in which they wish to enrol.

Related programs

The Faculty of Education and other faculties at USQ offer other postgraduate programs that include some courses in common with the Postgraduate Certificate in Education program. Subject to their meeting the appropriate entry requirements, students may be able to transfer between such programs and retain credit for courses that are common to the different programs.

Exemptions

Exemptions for courses in the Postgraduate Certificate program may be granted where applicants can demonstrate that they have successfully completed an equivalent postgraduate course or have otherwise achieved the objectives of the relevant course. Exemptions may be granted on the basis of professional development activities or extensive work experience if it can be demonstrated that through those activities the student has achieved learning outcomes equivalent to those of a relevant postgraduate course. Where a student's program of study includes electives, exemption may be granted for one or more electives where students can demonstrate successful completion of work of a type and standard equivalent to an elective study ..

Students intending to apply for exemptions should consult the University Academic Regulations. . Applications for exemption will be expected to comply with the relevant USQ and Faculty regulations and should demonstrate that the objectives of the course for which exemption is sought have been achieved. Within the framework of those regulations, the following points should be given particular consideration:

• the maximum number of units which may be exempted in the Postgraduate Certificate is two

• students may not claim exemption for work on which they relied for admission to the program

• exemptions will not normally be granted for study completed more than five years prior to submission of the application for exemption

• applications for exemption on the basis of study completed prior to entering the program will NOT normally be accepted beyond the end of the first semester of enrolment in the Postgraduate Certificate.

• credit will not normally be granted for work undertaken concurrently with the Postgraduate Certificate unless the application is submitted and approved before the work is undertaken with credit subject to satisfactory completion of the approved work.

Students should seek advice from the Program Administrator before applying for exemptions. Detailed information about requirements for exemptions may be available for specific courses.

Credit for courses passed in an incomplete program may be transferred where those courses form part of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education.

Other information

Courses in this program may be offered in external mode (printed materials) or by online delivery. It is possible to complete the program via one mode or by a combination of delivery modes. Course selection may vary with mode of delivery. Access to the Internet and an email address are required to study a course offered via the Internet. Study materials for these courses are available at the commencement of the semester and can be accessed via http://usqconnect.usq.edu.au. A username and a password (those giving access to USQConnect) are required for access to the study materials.

In this section:

• Career development - Recommended enrolment pattern
• Curriculum and pedagogy recommended enrolment pattern
• Early childhood - Recommended enrolment pattern
• Educational technology - Recommended enrolment pattern
• Lifelong learning - Recommended enrolment pattern
• Literacy and learning - Recommended enrolment pattern
• Mathematics education - Recommended enrolment pattern
• Online education - Recommended enrolment pattern
• Special education - Recommended enrolment pattern
• Additional courses

Career development - Recommended enrolment pattern

To be awarded a postgraduate certificate in the Faculty of Education, a student must have normally completed 4 units at postgraduate level, of which no more than two can be at level 8. Under exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Program Coordinator, one unit may be completed at level 4.

This specialisation will meet the growing demand from educators, career development practitioners, human resource managers and enterprising lifelong learners interested in their own career development, for knowledge, skills and expertise that will enable them to manage their own careers effectively and support the career planning and development of others. The specialisation has been designed to address core and selected specialist competencies from the Professional Standards for Career Practitioners and will be submitted to the Careers Industry Council of Australia in 2008 for endorsement against the standards. In addition, the recommended first course in the program FET8606 Lifelong Career Development provides an entry pathway for students completing the DEST Australian Career Development Studies course, for which USQ is an approved Examiner.

NOTE: Students intending to articulate intoMaster of Education (8 Units) (Guidance and Counselling) will need to complete either EDU8328 Consultation and Communication: Theory and Practice or EDU8333 Advanced Educational Counselling as their elective for full articulation. Intending students should note that EDU8332 Introduction to Educational Counselling has a compulsory residential school. Please consult the Residential School Schedule for the dates. Enquiries should be addressed to the Examiner.

Curriculum and pedagogy recommended enrolment pattern

To be awarded a postgraduate certificate in the Faculty of Education, a student must have normally completed 4 units at postgraduate level, of which no more than two can be at level 8. Under exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Program Coordinator, one unit may be completed at level 4.

Early childhood - Recommended enrolment pattern

To be awarded a postgraduate certificate in the Faculty of Education, a student must have normally completed 4 units at postgraduate level, of which no more than two can be at level 8. Under exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Program Coordinator, one unit may be completed at level 4.

Educational technology - Recommended enrolment pattern

To be awarded a postgraduate certificate in the Faculty of Education, a student must have normally completed 4 units at postgraduate level, of which no more than two can be at level 8. Under exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Program Coordinator, one unit may be completed at level 4.

These courses are offered entirely through the World Wide Web. No printed materials are provided. The courses make extensive use of the Internet for communication and for access to course materials and other resources. Intending students will require convenient access to a computer with common productivity software and reliable Internet access. Some courses may require additional software and/or a more capable computer.

FET5622 and FET8610 require the skill to develop a web page. It is recommended that students without this ability should first complete FET5621 .

Lifelong learning - Recommended enrolment pattern

To be awarded a postgraduate certificate in the Faculty of Education, a student must have normally completed 4 units at postgraduate level, of which no more than two can be at level 8. Under exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Program Coordinator, one unit may be completed at level 4.

Most of these courses are able to be studied entirely through the World Wide Web. No printed materials are provided for those courses. The courses make extensive use of the Internet for communication and for access to course materials and other resources. Intending students will require convenient access to a computer with common productivity software and reliable Internet access. Some courses may require additional software and/or a more capable computer. See the section on IT requirements for further details.

Literacy and learning - Recommended enrolment pattern

To be awarded a postgraduate certificate in the Faculty of Education, a student must have normally completed 4 units at postgraduate level, of which no more than two can be at level 8. Under exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Program Coordinator, one unit may be completed at level 4.

Some of these courses are able to be studied entirely through the World Wide Web. No printed materials are provided for those courses. Participants in those courses will require a computer and access to the Internet.

Mathematics education - Recommended enrolment pattern

To be awarded a postgraduate certificate in the Faculty of Education, a student must have normally completed 4 units at postgraduate level, of which no more than two can be at level 8. Under exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Program Coordinator, one unit may be completed at level 4.

These courses are offered entirely through the World Wide Web. No printed materials are provided. Participants will require a computer and access to the Internet.

Online education - Recommended enrolment pattern

To be awarded a postgraduate certificate in the Faculty of Education, a student must have normally completed 4 units at postgraduate level, of which no more than two can be at level 8. Under exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Program Coordinator, one unit may be completed at level 4.

These courses are offered entirely through the World Wide Web. No printed materials are provided. The courses make extensive use of the Internet for communication and for access to course materials and other resources. Intending students will require convenient access to a computer with common productivity software and reliable Internet access. Some courses may require additional software and/or a more capable computer.

Special education - Recommended enrolment pattern

To be awarded a postgraduate certificate in the Faculty of Education, a student must have normally completed 4 units at postgraduate level, of which no more than two can be at level 8. Under exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Program Coordinator, one unit may be completed at level 4.

Notes:

1. A recommended schedule of study for students wishing to have an emphasis in their program on Learning Support, Inclusive Education or Behaviour Management and School Adjustment is outlined here:

   • Learning Support:EDU8328 , EDU8326 and EDU8321 plus one course from the list of available Special Education offerings

   • Inclusive Education:EDU8327, EDU8328 and EDU5321 plus one course from the list of available Special Education offerings

   • Behaviour Management and School Adjustment:EDU5322, EDU8322 and EDU5335 Emotional and Behavioural Problems of Children and Adolescentsplus one course from the list of available Special Education offerings.

   
   

Additional courses

To be awarded a postgraduate certificate in the Faculty of Education, a student must have normally completed 4 units at postgraduate level, of which no more than two can be at level 8. Under exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Program Coordinator, one unit may be completed at level 4.

Courses from the following table may be used, in combination with those listed in the specialisations above, by students completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Education without a nominated specialisation.