Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education (Senior and Middle Schooling) (BSSM) - BSc BEd(Senior and Middle Schooling)

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 prepare teachers for employment in both compulsory (secondary) and post-compulsory education sectors in two of the following areas: Biology, Chemistry, Climatology, Computing, Mathematics or Physics.

Career opportunities

Graduates of this program can apply for teaching positions in secondary schools, middle schools, senior schools/colleges, or adult and post-compulsory education and training organisations throughout Australia.

Professional accreditation

Graduates who successfully meet all program requirements will be eligible to apply for registration as a teacher in Queensland.

On successful completion of the required courses in the Physics major, some graduates may be eligible to apply for membership of the Australian Institute of Physics.

Note: The Queensland College of Teachers (formerly the Board of Teacher Registration , Queensland) is required to conduct national criminal history checks on all new applicants for teacher registration in Queensland.

Program aims

The Bachelor of Science and the Bachelor of Education (Senior and Middle Schooling) is a four-year full-time on-campus program designed to prepare students for employment in a range of sectors that serve the needs of post-primary (adolescent and adult) learners. Graduates from this program typically seek employment in secondary schools, middle schools, senior schools/colleges, or adult and post-compulsory education and training organisations. Additionally, some graduates may wish to seek employment as professionals (if appropriate) in the area of their major Science discipline.

This level of award is required for eligibility to apply for teacher registration in Queensland. Applicants from other states or countries should check local requirements before enrolling in this program.

Program objectives

The Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education (Senior and Middle Schooling) seeks to:

• provide students with a range of teaching and learning skills and theoretical foundations of successful practice, to enable them to design, implement and evaluate programs and practices across a range of adolescent and adult teaching and learning environments accommodating a broad range of learner characteristics

• allow students the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills and expertise in their Science discipline areas to advanced levels

• encourage commitment and motivation such that Science education graduates will engage in ongoing professional development and continuous improvement

• enable some suitably qualified Science education graduates to seek employment as professionals (where appropriate) in their chosen Science discipline

• enable some suitably qualified Science education graduates to apply for professional accreditation (where appropriate) in their chosen Science discipline

• enable successful Science education graduates to be eligible to apply for teacher registration in Queensland

• satisfy attributes of a USQ graduate.

This program seeks to prepare Science education graduates who:

• are reflective and ethical practitioners

• are innovators and navigators of change

• have a strong sense of self and place in the world

• are flexible and creative problem solvers

• are transformative intellectuals

• are socially just and empowering

• value diversity and inclusiveness

• are passionate learners and inspire learning in others

• are keen to accept responsibility, able to identify and optimise opportunities

• demonstrate a current pedagogical content knowledge base

• identify, enable and create opportunities for others to construct meaning and develop capacities to manage their own learning

• are engaged and collaborative members of a learning community

• are compassionate advocates for education.

Admission requirements

Normal Entry (ONC – full-time)

Applicants who have completed year 12 at a Queensland secondary school (or its equivalent) are eligible for consideration under the standard admission requirements. The overall position (or its equivalent) is used as the general basis for selection. Applicants must have obtained at least 'Satisfactory Achievement' or equivalent over four semesters in English and Mathematics B.

Alternative Entry (ONC – full-time)

Subject to the policies and regulations of the University of Southern Queensland and the Faculties of Education and Sciences, applicants who do not hold formal recognised qualifications as mentioned above, but who have extensive relevant industrial, commercial and/or professional training and work experience, may be considered for alternative entry into the program.

Duration

Four years full-time study (ONC) or equivalent through flexible ONC up to a maximum duration of nine years.

Mode of Delivery

On-campus.

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 four-year combined Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education (Senior and Middle Schooling) degree in the Faculty of Education, students must have normally completed 34 units of credit at undergraduate levels 1-4 comprised of four core Education and Science units, 14 Science content units comprising at least one eight-unit major and either a sequence of six Science content units from a second area or a sequence of four Science content units from a second area and up to two other Science content units, plus 16 professional education units which include one professional education elective.

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

Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education (Senior and Middle Schooling)

Required time limits

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

Core courses

Responsibility for meeting program requirements rests with individual students. Students should ensure that they adhere to the recommended enrolment patterns (included in the Handbook), appropriate to their intended areas of teaching.

To be eligible for graduation, all students must successfully complete the theoretical and practical requirements of the following core courses:

Major studies objectives

Science content studies are such that students develop appropriate tertiary level understanding of both the specialised as well as applied related areas of content they will teach into. This will include the central concepts, relevant knowledge, the structure of the discipline, and characteristic modes of inquiry. Content studies in Science will provide the avenue for developing high levels of content knowledge with an emphasis on academic competence in two specialist areas.

Minor studies

Majors

A major in Science in the combined Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education (Senior and Middle Schooling) program is a set of designated courses with a value of eight units taken from a recognised discipline area from the Bachelor of Science. At least two of the courses in a Science major must be at Third Level and normally require prior study at the First and Second Levels of the program (Please note: Mathematics requires four at Level 3 and Computing requires three at Level 3). Major studies are available in the areas of Biology, Chemistry, Computing , Mathematics, and Physics.

Content studies

A sequence of up to six additional content studies in Science will allow students to complement their specialist major studies. This can comprise six courses or a sequence of four from a second specialist area plus two additional courses in associated fields. This will ensure that all students will gain competencies in the full range of sciences they will be expected to teach. For example:

• students undertaking a Biology major plus Physics, Computing or Mathematics will be required to undertake at least one course in Chemistry

• students undertaking a Chemistry major plus Biology, Mathematics or Computing will be required to undertake at least one course in Physics

• students undertaking a Physics major plus Chemistry or Mathematics or Computing be required to undertake at least one course in Biology.

Courses available in the biology major

Courses available in the physics major

Courses available in the chemistry major

Courses available in the mathematics major

Courses available in the computing major

Practical experience

Students enrolling in combined programs are required to undertake 110 days professional experience. At least 80 days must occur in approved educational environments under direct supervision. Mentor teachers must have academic qualifications and experience appropriate for Teacher Registration in Queensland. Some experiences occur outside the Darling Downs region.

Working with children check

A person wanting to work in regulated employment, as a paid employee, a volunteer, or a person carrying on a regulated business, will have to fill out an application form consenting to a criminal history check prior to their engagement. The new law requires the Commissioner to:

• assess a person's suitability to work with children based on his or her criminal history, if any

• contact a person who has a criminal history which may make him or her unsuitable for child-related employment

• invite him or her to make a submission to the Commissioner regarding the information in his or her criminal history or his or her suitability for child-related employment within the time specified

• issue to an applicant and his or her employer with a notice stating that the person as either 'suitable' or 'unsuitable' to work in child-related employment

For more information check the Commission for Children and Young People website http://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/employment/.

IT requirements

Students will be expected to have access to a computer with common productivity software (e.g. word processing, email, web browser).

Residential schools

As part of their elective or Science content studies, students may enrol in courses that have residential school components. Students who choose to enrol in such courses will be expected to meet the residential school requirements associated with the chosen course.

Exit points

Students who are unable to complete the full 34 unit requirement of this program may, subject to Program Coordinator approval, be eligible to exit this program with the following qualifications. The relative number of professional education units and content units are detailed for each qualification. Students who wish to exit at these points must meet the requirements outlined in the following table.

Other information

Method of application

Applications for normal entry should be made through the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC). Refer to Applying to USQ for further information.

Entry to the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education (Senior and Middle Schooling) may be subject to availability of places.

In this section:

• Recommended enrolment pattern - mathematics and computing
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Mathematics and chemistry
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Mathematics and physics
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Mathematics and biology
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Physics and computing
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Physics and mathematics
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Physics and chemistry
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Physics and biology
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Chemistry and computing
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Chemistry and mathematics
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Chemistry and physics
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Chemistry and biology
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Biology and computing
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Biology and mathematics
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Biology and chemistry
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Biology and physics
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Computing and biology
• Recommended enrolment pattern - Computing and chemistry

Recommended enrolment pattern - mathematics and computing

Mathematics and computing electives

Eight elective units must be chosen from the following list with regard to pre-requisites and even and odd-numbered years. At least four Mathematics and three Computing must be Level 3 courses:

Recommended enrolment pattern - Mathematics and chemistry

Mathematics and chemistry electives

Five elective units must be chosen from the following list with regard to pre-requisites and even and odd-numbered years. At least four must be Level 3 courses:

Recommended enrolment pattern - Mathematics and physics

Mathematics and physics electives

Five elective units must be chosen from the following list with regard to pre-requisites and even and odd-numbered years. At least four must be Level 3 courses: