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Bachelor of Education (Secondary)

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Summary
Bachelor of Education (Secondary) (BSED)
OP/Rank
15/68
Study Mode
  • External
  • On-campus
Start
  • Semester 1 (February)
  • Semester 2 (July)
Number of Units
  • 32 units
Duration
  • 4 year/s or part-time equivalent
Campus
  • Springfield
  • Toowoomba
View USQ Handbook
Program Information Set

Year 7 to Year 12

Are you looking for a degree that gives you flexibility, industry engagement, professional development and, most importantly, a lot of confidence? USQ’s Bachelor of Education (Secondary) is designed to prepare graduates who are confident to teach a diverse range of students from Years 7 to 12, in a variety of contexts. 

Your degree will prepare you to teach two secondary subjects. There are over 20 different teaching areas offered from which you can choose. Having two teaching areas makes you a flexible and desirable educator in the Secondary school environment.

Our major and minor subject areas have been explicitly aligned with Queensland’s new senior subject offerings to ensure you gain a competitive edge as you prepare to begin your teaching career.

A key feature of the degree is the opportunity to complete your professional experience at a variety of locations, including rural, remote and international placements. Your placements may include a mixture of mainstream classroom settings as well as opportunities to engage in alternative educational settings. 

You also have the option to fast-track your degree and become a teacher within 3.5 years.

Professional accreditation

Graduates of the Bachelor of Education (Secondary) are eligible to apply for registration as a teacher through the Queensland College of Teachers. To be eligible for registration in Queensland, both domestic and international students must have at least 50% of supervised professional experience in Australian schools.

In addition to completing all requirements for the degree, students need to pass the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) prior to graduation. It's recommended that students pass the LANTITE before the successful completion of 16 courses. Please register for the LANTITE test through the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) website.

Since 2018, another requirement is the completion of a Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA) in the final supervised placement. 

Graduates of the Bachelor of Education (Secondary) will have the skills and experience required to teach students in Years 7 to 12 in two teaching areas. Not sure if you want to work in the country or the city? In Australia or overseas? Teaching offers a lot of flexibility and diversity, with graduates also working as English language teachers and in community settings. 

Teaching skills are also in demand in other areas, including roles with human services and community-based government organisations.

Practical experience

In addition to the courses listed below, you will also need to complete practical experience, where interactive hands-on activities, such as experiments and use of specialist equipment, are undertaken.

All students must be able to meet the physical and other professional requirements of practical experience within this program.

Courses to be studied Units
Core courses 18
2 x major teaching areas (7-unit major) 
 14
plus 80 days of supervised placement and 20 days of unsupervised placement  -
Total 32
Courses to be studied Units
Core courses 18
1 x major teaching area (7-unit major) 
 7
1 x minor teaching area (5-unit minor)
 5
2 x electives/approved courses from a special interest area 2
plus 80 days of supervised placement and 20 days of unsupervised placement  -
Total 32
Courses to be studied Units
Core courses 18
1 x extended major teaching area (9-unit major) 
 9
1 x minor teaching area (5-unit minor)
 5
plus 80 days of supervised placement and 20 days of unsupervised placement  -
Total 32

Refer to the USQ Handbook for courses to be studied and recommended enrolment patterns.

Not all teaching areas are available entirely via external study. Not all teaching areas are made available every year in on-campus mode at USQ Toowoomba and USQ Springfield.

How much will it cost?

Approximate annual costs1 for your first year of study (8 units) in this program are:

Study Mode Cost
Commonwealth supported AUD 6684
Domestic full fee paying AUD 21040

Loan to help you pay your fees

You may not have to pay your course (subject) fees upfront. HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP allows you to defer your fees until your income reaches a certain level.

You may also be eligible to receive financial support from Centrelink.

Scholarships and financial assistance

You may be able to apply for scholarships to help with your study costs.

Professional experience

This program includes a compulsory professional experience component that may involve travel, accommodation and meal expenses.

1 These are indicative annual fees for 2020 and costs will vary depending on the actual courses selected during your study. Fees may also vary from year to year as they are reviewed annually.

15/68
OP/Rank
This is the 2019 adjusted OP / Rank for this program.

The lowest OP/unadjusted Rank* to which an offer was made is 20/59. OP/Ranks based upon all offers made in Semester 1, 2019.

Entry Requirements

  • Subject pre-requisites: English (4, SA), Mathematics A (4, SA) or equivalent
  • Prior study in your selected Teaching Areas.

Note: You must be able to meet the physical and other professional requirements of professional experience placements within this degree.

English Language Requirements

You are required to satisfy the applicable English language requirements. This program requires a minimum of IELTS 7.5 or equivalent.

Admission pathways

A number of other pathways are also available if you haven't been able to study previously or don't meet the requirements for entry into your program of interest.

Further admission information

An adjusted Selection Rank is the result of combining additional ranks through special entry schemes for admission.

Special entry schemes for admissions may help you get into the program of your choice by increasing your Selection Rank, through the allocation of additional ranks in certain circumstances.

An adjusted Selection Rank is the result of combining additional ranks with a student's OP/Selection Rank. An unadjusted Selection Rank is the student's Selection Rank without any rank adjustments.

USQ is committed to greater admissions transparency. Learn more about the education and work experience, as well as average OP/Ranks for this programs' student cohort for Semester 1, 2019.

How to apply

  • Apply via QTAC (Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre) if you:
    1. have never studied with USQ before, or
    2. are a Year 12 student, or
    3. want to transfer to USQ from another university.

Please note down the QTAC codes below to complete your application.

  • Alternatively, you may be able to apply directly to USQ if you:
    1. are a current or previous USQ student returning to study with complete or incomplete qualifications (excluding Head Start students), or
    2. have recently graduated from TAFE.

QTAC codes

Mode Codes
External 908415
Springfield 928411
Toowoomba 908411

Closing dates

Applying directly to USQ:

  • Semester 1, 2020 - applications close Friday 6 March, with semester 1 commencing on Monday 24 February 2020.
  • Semester 2, 2020 - applications close Friday 17 July (QTAC) and 24 July (direct), with semester 2 commencing on Monday 13 July 2020.

If you are applying via QTAC, you will need to check the QTAC closing dates.

Recognition of prior learning or work experience

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help to reduce the number of courses that you need to study to finish your program.

Other options for you

Master of Learning and Teaching (Secondary)
Bachelor of Education (Primary)