Postgraduate Diploma in Instrumental Teaching (GDIM) - PGradDipInstTeach

This program is offered only to continuing students. No new admissions will be accepted. Students who are interested in this study area should contact us.

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 focus

This program is designed to equip Bachelor of Music graduates (or those with equivalent qualifications) with the necessary skills to become effective school instrumental instructors and to satisfy Education Queensland’s requirements for such teachers.

Please Note: This program leads to employment in schools as instrumental teachers but NOT to teacher registration.

Professional accreditation

This program has been designed to meet the requirements as stipulated by Education Queensland for instrumental music teachers. Once approved, the program's graduates will be eligible for permanent employment as instrumental Music Instructors with Education Queensland.

Program aims

The program is designed to equip Bachelor of Music graduates (or those with equivalent qualifications), with the necessary skills to become effective school instrumental instructors and to satisfy Education Queensland's requirements for such teachers.

Program objectives

To produce graduates who can operate as effective school instrumental instructors with the following range of competencies:

• have an understanding of all instruments in the relevant family in addition to percussion (either strings/percussion or wind/brass/percussion)

• effectively teach a range of instruments (either strings/percussion or wind/brass/percussion) both individually and in groups of between three and 10 students

• develop and conduct ensembles (primarily either string orchestra or concert band) from Beginner level to Level 5

• critically assess, select and categorise repertoire for ensembles, chamber and mixed groups and solo instruments

• manage and structure a school instrumental music program including timetabling, student grouping, recruitment, assessment and reporting

• arrange music for school ensembles

• possess skills relevant to teaching mixed instruments in groups

• have an awareness of current issues in instrumental music teaching (such as legal implications, grant procedures, 2010 initiatives)

• interpret and implement Instrumental Music Curriculum documents according to Education QLD department policies

• develop strategies for marketing, evaluating and assessing an Instrumental Music program.

Admission requirements

Applicants must hold a Bachelor of Music.

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

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

The program comprises eight courses (eight units) as follows:

Seven courses from the Faculty of Arts:

• MUS5003 Instrumental Teaching

• MUS5004 Conducting for Instrumental Teachers A

• MUS5005 Conducting for Instrumental Teachers B

• MUS5006 Instructional Strategies for Unfamiliar Instruments

• MUS5007 The School Ensemble

• MUS5008 Management and Organisation of an Instrumental Music

• MUS5009 Current Issues in Instrumental Music.

One course from the Faculty of Education:

• TEA2301 Instruction: Theory and Practice

The courses offered by the Faculties of Arts and Education are complementary. Students enrolled in MUS5003 and MUS5004 must attend a Residential School in January.

Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 4 years to complete this program.

Practice courses

MUS5003, MUS5004 and MUS5005 each involve practical work in the areas of instrumental playing, teaching and maintenance, conducting and ensemble direction.

Practical experience

There are specific practical experience requirements in course TEA2301, which include an approved placement within a school instrumental program.

IT requirements

Computers can play an important role in the studying and learning process, and students are strongly encouraged to make use of up-to-date computer technology in a number of ways to facilitate learning, and in the production of assessment material. An increasing number of courses make use of the Internet through online discussion groups and course web pages.

Some courses require substantial access to a computer because computer software or CDROMs are integral to the material being taught in the course. Therefore, when considering the suitability of current computer and/or the purchase of a new computer, students may need to take into account the number of courses that will be undertaken in external mode, and any special requirements of particular courses. Students may be able to study successfully for many courses with a computer sufficient to run one of the current word-processing and spreadsheet programs. All students, particularly those studying in external mode, are strongly encouraged to have access to the Internet and to have a computer capable of running the latest versions of Internet web browsers such as Netscape Communicator or Internet Explorer.

To achieve this level of capacity, the following standards are recommended as a minimum:

• Pentium or equivalent, 64Mb Ram, 4Gb Hard disk, SGVA with at least 2 Mb video RAM, Windows 98/2000*, mouse, sound card, CDROM drive, 28.8kbps modem, or

• Powermac or equivalent, 64Mb Ram, 4Gb Hard disk, 14 inch Monitor, Mac OS 9, CDROM drive, 28.8kbps modem

• Preferred browser standards are the latest versions of Internet Explorer or Netscape.

* Students with Windows 95 might be able to operate in this program for a short period until an upgrade is acquired.

On-campus students will have access to appropriately equipped laboratories.

Please see the following URL for up-to-date advice on computing requirements http://www.usq.edu.au/ict/students/standards/default.htm.

Residential schools

In order to successfully complete the practical requirements for courses MUS5003 and MUS5004 in this program, attendance at the McGregor Summer School (held annually during the first two weeks of January at the Toowoomba campus) is required.

Exemptions

Exemptions up to a maximum of two units may be considered on a case-by-case basis

Course transfers

Courses MUS5006, MUS5007

, MUS5008, MUS5009

and TEA2301 within this program may be transferred to a BEd (FET).

Recommended enrolment pattern