Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) - PGCertEd

Notes

Full articulation is only available when there are no undergraduate courses completed as part of the Postgraduate Certificate.
Articulation to the Master of Applied Linguistics is subject to the completion of courses forming part of that program.

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Program focus

This program gives educators/trainers the opportunity to enhance their professional competence through postgraduate coursework. The program is set in the context of societies becoming increasingly reliant on the efforts of “knowledge workers”. Educators at all levels have important roles to play in developing the capacity of citizens to work effectively with knowledge. New approaches to education focussing on relevant contemporary issues, emphasising knowledge-building rather than transmission can contribute to preparing citizens to participate more fully in the “knowledge economy” and “information society”. The Postgraduate Certificate in Education program aims to develop in its graduates the capabilities and dispositions to work as engaged professional educators in knowledge-building communities.

Career opportunities

The Postgraduate Certificate in Education program is designed to develop in its graduates the capabilities and dispositions to work as engaged professional educators in knowledge building communities. Graduates from the Postgraduate Certificate in Education program will demonstrate key knowledge and understanding, important for success in a variety of roles across the broad field of education.

Program objectives

Students who successfully complete the Postgraduate Certificate in Education should have made significant progress in the process of acquiring advanced knowledge and understanding of key issues and trends within contemporary education and/or of a specialised area of education. Graduates should be able to demonstrate capabilities and dispositions for:

• locating and accessing knowledge of relevant theory and practice;

• critically evaluating and building knowledge;

• interpreting and applying knowledge to the solution of significant problems;

• effectively communicating knowledge; and

• identifying and participating in relevant communities of practice.

Program aims

The Postgraduate Certificate in Education program aims to develop in its graduates the capabilities and dispositions to work as engaged professional educators in knowledge-building communities.

Traditional approaches to education have sometimes resulted in educators having limited opportunities for professional interaction with colleagues. In such circumstances, where educators work alone with a group of learners, they may develop a form of “privatised practice” which isolates them from the wider professional community. There is mounting evidence that educators can be more effective when they view their work as a collaborative effort in which they interact with other educators within and beyond their workplace and adopt stances that may be described as “engaged professionalism”.

New Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) offer enhanced opportunities for professional engagement and will be an important tool for educators in the twenty-first century. The Master of Education program will model the use of ICTs to support professional interaction and learning.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Education program thus aims to develop in its graduates the capabilities and dispositions to work as engaged professional educators in contemporary knowledge building communities.

Program objectives

Students who successfully complete the Postgraduate Certificate in Education should have made significant progress in the process of acquiring advanced knowledge and understanding of key issues and trends within contemporary education and/or of a specialised area of education. Graduates should be able to demonstrate capabilities and dispositions for:

• locating and accessing knowledge of relevant theory and practice;

• critically evaluating and building knowledge;

• interpreting and applying knowledge to the solution of significant problems;

• effectively communicating knowledge; and

• identifying and participating in relevant communities of practice.

Admission requirements

The requirements described in this section are generic requirements for entry to the Postgraduate Certificate in Education program.

The majority of courses in the Postgraduate Certificate in Education program are offered entirely through the World Wide Web and have specific requirements for frequent and ongoing Internet access. Most courses include Internet access as an important, or essential, component. Intending applicants should ensure that they have the necessary computer and Internet access before applying. Further information is provided in the IT requirements section below and in specifications of individual courses.

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.

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, particularly an IELTS score of 6.5 with no component below 6.0.

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.

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

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.

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.
Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called FEE-HELP.

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, via distance education/online. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.

Program structure

The program consists of 4 units of postgraduate study, with all 4 courses being at Level 5 or above. These courses may be selected from any courses available to postgraduate coursework students in the Faculty of Education – see Elective courses. :

Program completion requirements

To be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Education in the Faculty of Education, a student must have completed four approved education-related units at postgraduate level.

Required time limits

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

Elective courses

Coursework

Courses will normally be selected from postgraduate courses in education listed previously in the table of Faculty of Education Postgraduate Elective Courses.

Opportunities for Workplace Learning: Supervised Independent Study

Many of the courses in the Postgraduate Certificate of Education provide opportunities for students to address issues of particular personal interest, by undertaking approved independent work, which may include approved workplace professional development activity. Such projects, approved in advance at the discretion of the program coordinator are covered by enrolment in EDU5760 Professional Study.

Research

There is no research pathway available to students in this program.

IT requirements

Some courses in the Postgraduate Certificate in Education program are offered entirely on-line. Courses use email and discussion forums for communication among students and/or staff. All courses expect that work submitted for assessment will be word processed and submitted electronically. Further, a small number of courses require access to specific 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. This will apply to courses offered on-campus as well as in other modes.

Although there are no specific computer hardware or software requirements for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education program in general, it is a clear expectation that students will have ready 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 relevant course specifications.

Courses offered online (WEB) 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 participation, learning and assessment. See http://www.usq.edu.au/ict/students/standards/hardware.htm

Other program requirements

Residential schools may be offered for selected courses. In such cases, the residential schools may be compulsory. Where residential schools are required students may elect to attend the on-campus version or to participate in the equivalent online activities. Students enrolling in courses with compulsory residential schools should ensure that they are able to meet the residential school requirement before completing their enrolment. Students should refer to the course specification for details of any such requirement.

Articulation

A student who has completed the requirements of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (4 units) may articulate directly into the Master of Education, Master of Learning and Development, or Master of Applied Linguistics (subject to the completion of particular courses that may be required in those programs).

Related programs

The Postgraduate Certificate in Education is nested within the Master of Education program.

Exemptions

Exemptions for courses in the Postgraduate Certificate in Education 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 documented professional development activities or extensive work experience only where 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 the student can demonstrate and document clearly successful completion of work of a type and standard equivalent to an elective study.

Students intending to apply for exemptions should consult Section 3.5 of the Enrolment Policy. 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 in Education program is two

• students may NOT claim exemption for work on which they relied for admission to the Postgraduate Certificate in Education.

• 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 Postgraduate Certificate in Education program will NOT normally be accepted beyond the end of the first semester of enrolment; and

• exemption will NOT normally be granted for work undertaken concurrently with the Postgraduate Certificate in Education unless the application is submitted and approved before the work is undertaken, with credit subject to the documentation of satisfactory completion of the approved work.

Students should seek advice from the Administration Coordinator – Student Support before applying for exemptions. Detailed information about requirements for exemptions may be available for specific courses.

Recommended enrolment pattern for TESOL specialisation