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Notes

This program is only available to International, Permanent Residents or Australian off-shore students.
Compulsory Induction: A compulsory induction must be undertaken prior to your first semester of study. This is held in February for semester 1 commencement or June for semester 2 commencement. The induction is offered in online mode for both semesters.

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Program focus

The Graduate Diploma of Teaching is focused on allowing its graduates to complete a pre-service teacher education qualification which may satisfy the requirements for qualified teacher status, or equivalent, in a range of jurisdictions around the world. Importantly, however, this program’s graduates will not be required to undertake a professional experience placement in an Australian school and hence will not be eligible for registration as a teacher with the Queensland College of Teachers. The focus of this program is on graduating global educators for contemporary learning communities. Thus the program’s purpose relates to working with its students to develop a global perspective, a futures orientation and a commitment to contributing to communities of learning. In this sense, pre-service education is only one stage in on-going professional learning. The program is also focused on graduating students who demonstrate a number of attributes critical for success in the work of contemporary educators:

• A commitment to critical reflection on changing teaching and learning contexts (and the willingness and capacity to act and respond in professionally appropriate ways);

• A solid foundation of knowledge and understanding of contemporary pedagogy and curriculum (and the willingness and capacity to adapt this to particular educational contexts);

• Skills in a range of approaches to the management of complex learning environments (and the willingness and capacity to adapt this to particular educational contexts);

• A willingness and commitment to establish and maintain positive relationships with other participants in the educational process (and the awareness and sensitivity to engage in such relationships in culturally-appropriate ways); and

• A commitment to ethical practice (and to professional self-renewal through purposeful, continual professional learning).

Students in the Graduate Diploma of Teaching prepare for work as a teacher in one of three sectors: Primary Schooling, Middle Years of School, and Secondary Schooling.

Career opportunities

Completion of this program does not satisfy the academic requirements for registration as a teacher in Queensland. However, students who complete the Graduate Diploma of Teaching program will be eligible to apply for registration for employment as teachers in schools in many jurisdictions, as well as in a range of alternative education settings.

Other career opportunities exist in the many emerging fields where the teaching-related skills of communication and educational management are critical, in conjunction with the appropriate specific discipline knowledge. Examples of such careers include sport and leisure centre management, personal training, life coaching and human services.

There are further career opportunities available in industry, particularly in the roles and functions related to training.

Program aims

The Graduate Diploma of Teaching program aims to graduate students who demonstrate:

• the knowledge, skills, practices and values inherent in the Queensland College of Teachers’ ten Professional Standards for Queensland Teachers (as representative of the professional standards applicable to teachers’ work in most global contexts): see www.qct.edu.au/standards

• the qualities and skills required of a USQ graduate (see

• the attributes of a Faculty of Education graduate

• high levels of facility with personal and professional literacies

• a particular awareness, understanding and positive orientation towards redressing the educational disadvantages experienced by many students of minority backgrounds.

Admission requirements

Domestic students

Australian citizens and permanent residents who are currently residing overseas are eligible to apply for this program.

Any such intending students should note that this program does not lead to eligibility for registration through the Queensland College of Teachers. All intending students are advised to check the eligibility requirements that apply to their local jurisdictions should they intend to seek teacher registration, qualified teacher status, or equivalent.

A minimum of a recognised three-year bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in a discipline other than education is required.

All applicants must show how their prior studies meet these requirements by submitting a completed with their application.

International students

As for domestic students, above.

PLUS

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: in particular an IELTS score of 6.5 with no component below 6.00 is required.

How to apply

Domestic students

may be made directly to USQ.

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 for information about entry requirements, visa arrangements and how to apply.

Program fees

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 .
Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called provided they meet the residency and citizenship requirements.
Australian citizens, Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders, Permanent Resident visa holders and New Zealand citizens who will be resident outside Australia for the duration of their program pay full tuition fees and are not eligible for .

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 .

Program structure

The one-year Graduate Diploma of Teaching requires 8 units at undergraduate level. A minimum of two semesters of study must be undertaken.

Program completion requirements

Depending on whichever sector-based pathway is chosen, in order to complete the Graduate Diploma of Teaching, a student must complete 8 specified units of study. See the table below:

Students must also complete all requirements associated with an initial 30-hour Induction Program prior to the first semester of study.

Major studies

All students must select one of three available areas of specialisation in the form of an identified sector of education/schooling, as follows:

• Primary (understood, in Queensland, as the school years Prep – 7)

• Middle Years of School (understood, in Queensland, as the school years 5 – 9)

• Secondary (understood, in Queensland, as the school years 8 – 12)

Major studies objectives

Primary

In addition to the whole-of-program aims described above, the Primary specialisation aims to prepare graduates with sound levels of knowledge and understanding appropriate to working as educators with children around five to twelve years of age.

Middle Years of School

In addition to the whole-of-program aims described above, the Middle Years of School specialisation aims to prepare graduates with sound levels of discipline and pedagogic content knowledge in their nominated teaching areas and across the Key Learning Areas and who will thus be able to apply a range of teaching and learning approaches to support the development of students around ten to fourteen years of age within a variety of school structures.

Secondary

In addition to the whole-of-program aims described above, the Secondary specialisation aims to prepare graduates with sound levels of discipline and pedagogic content knowledge in their nominated teaching areas and who will thus be able to apply a range of teaching and learning approaches to support the development of knowledge, understanding and skills that will help students around thirteen to eighteen years of age to reach their full potential through secondary schooling.

Practical experience

The Graduate Diploma of Teaching program requires students to complete a minimum of 75 days of professional experience.

Within each sector strand, the professional experience components of the program are all tied to four courses, so that students undertake two professional experience placements in both semesters of full-time enrolment.

It is highly recommended that for the GDTO enrolment pattern students do the first professional experience course in their first semester so they will be able to decide if teaching is for them.

In order to undertake the courses to which professional experience placements are attached in the second half of the program, it is a requirement that students will have satisfactorily completed the professional experience courses in the first semester of the full-time enrolment pattern. For there is the further requirement that any students undertaking the embedded placement will require USQ approval of the proposed arrangements for that placement and will need to ensure that they comply with any additional requirements of their local jurisdiction.

For further information, see .

IT requirements

Students must have reliable and ready access to email and the Internet. Broadband would be a significant advantage. See for more information.

Other program requirements

The major program requirements are the satisfactory completion of 8 specified units and 75 days of approved professional experience.

A 30-hour online induction program, compulsory for all students regardless of location, is held prior to commencing formal studies in the first semester of enrolment. For the Semester 1 intake each year this induction program is held in February. For the Semester 2 intake each year the equivalent induction program is held in late June/early July.

Exemptions

There are no exemptions available from courses completed in the degree that formed the basis for the student’s admission to the program, but students who have completed degrees or diplomas in addition to the degree that formed the basis of their admission to the program may apply for any credit that may be applicable from that source.

Students may seek exemption from courses on the basis of documented prior study at ¾«¶«´«Ã½app level or equivalent qualifications and experience. Such applications will be considered on their merits in relation to the extent to which the documentation supplied by the student demonstrates a clear match with the objectives of the course for which the exemption is sought. A maximum of four units of credit may be allowable.

Students who have documented evidence of satisfactory work in the role of teacher (or similar) may be eligible to seek credit for some of the required days of professional experience on the basis of recognition of current competence. Such applications must be supported by formal documentation from a school principal on school letterhead. The maximum credit available in such circumstances shall not exceed 20 days.

In this section:

• Primary
• Middle Years of School
• Secondary

Primary

Students shouldn't make changes to this pattern without first discussing it with the Student Support Office or the Program Coordinator.

It is highly recommended that for the GDTO enrolment pattern students do the first professional experience course in their first semester so they will be able to decide if teaching is for them.

Students following a non-standard enrolment pattern should consult the to ascertain if a course is offered in another term.

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.

Middle Years of School

Students shouldn't make changes to this pattern without first discussing it with the Student Support Office or the Program Coordinator.

It is highly recommended that for the GDTO enrolment pattern students do the first professional experience course in their first semester so they will be able to decide if teaching is for them.

Students following a non-standard enrolment pattern should consult the to ascertain if a course is offered in another term.

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.

Secondary

Students shouldn't make changes to this pattern without first discussing it with the Student Support Office or the Program Coordinator.

It is highly recommended that for the GDTO enrolment pattern students do the first professional experience course in their first semester so they will be able to decide if teaching is for them.

Students following a non-standard enrolment pattern should consult the to ascertain if a course is offered in another term.

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.