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Master of Education (Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)) or Master of Education (Full Fee Paying (FFP)) (MEDCorMEDF) - MEd

CRICOS code (International applicants): 095996J

Programs at USQ regularly undergo a comprehensive re-accreditation process to assure their relevance and quality. This program is currently being re-accredited and, as a consequence, is likely to undergo some changes. Full details will be made available when it is approved. If you have any questions, please .
The CRICOS code can only be used when applying for the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) specialisation within this program.

 On-campusOnline*
Semester intake:Semester 1 (February)
Semester 2 (July)
Semester 1 (February)
Semester 2 (July)
Semester 3 (November)
Campus:Toowoomba -
Fees:Commonwealth supported place
Domestic full fee paying place
International full fee paying place
Commonwealth supported place
Domestic full fee paying place
International full fee paying place
Standard duration: 1.5 years full-time (dependent on availability of courses), up to 6 years part-time 
Program articulation:

From: Graduate Certificate of Education. and/or ; Graduate Diploma of Education (Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)) or Graduate Diploma of Education (Full Fee Paying (FFP))

Notes

Specialisations can be either Commonwealth Supported Place or Full Fee Paying. Students who are not eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place will be charged full-fee.
Online mode of study is supported through the USQ ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Desk.
This program does not qualify students for teacher registration with relevant teaching authorities. To qualify for teacher registration in Queensland, please refer to the Master of Learning and Teaching
On successful completion of the Master of Education, students may be eligible for entry into the Doctor of Education or the Doctor of Philosophy, provided necessary entry requirements are met.

Footnotes
*Not all courses are available in every mode in every semester or year. Students are advised to check the course and mode offer listings for each semester/year.

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Contact us

Future Australian and New Zealand students  Future International students  Current students 

Freecall (within Australia): 1800 269 500
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 5315
Email: study@usq.edu.au  

Phone: +61 7 4631 5543
Email: international@usq.edu.au 

Freecall (within Australia): 1800 007 252
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 2285
Email usq.support@usq.edu.au 

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Program aims

The aim of the Master of Education is to provide professionals in education, training and development with Master level coursework that will engage with educational issues that are relevant and meaningful to them and help to sustain their communities and fulfil their lives. The program aims to:

  • facilitate the development and consolidation of knowledge and skills in teaching and learning in community, professional and workplace learning settings that are informed by contemporary learning theory and futures-oriented approaches

  • support the application of knowledge and skills through learner-centred design, flexible delivery and individualised and authentic assessment.


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Program objectives

Students who successfully complete the Master of Education will have acquired advanced knowledge and understanding of key issues and trends within contemporary education and/or of a specialised area of education. Graduates will be able to demonstrate:

  • advanced theoretical and technical knowledge in one or more disciplines or areas of practice

  • the ability to analyse critically, evaluate and transform information to complete a range of activities

  • the ability to analyse, generate and transmit solutions to complex problems

  • the ability to transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to others

  • the ability to apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, well-developed judgement, adaptability and responsibility as a practitioner or learner

  • the ability to plan and execute a substantial research-based project, capstone experience and/or professionally focused project.


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Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission, applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

  • Completion of an Australian university three year Bachelor degree, or equivalent (AQF Level 7), in an education related discipline, from a recognised institution.

  • English Language Proficiency requirements for Category 3.


For applicants who have a Bachelor degree or equivalent (AQF level 7) in a non-related discipline from a recognised institution, USQ’s Graduate Certificate of Education provides a pathway into the Master of Education. Upon completion and achievement of a minimum GPA of 4.0, they will be eligible for entry into the Master of Education.

All students are required to satisfy the applicable .

If students do not meet the English language requirements they may apply to study a ¾«¶«´«Ã½app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, students may be admitted to an award program.

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Program fees

Commonwealth supported place

A Commonwealth supported place is where the Australian Government makes a contribution towards the cost of a students' higher education and students pay a , which varies depending on the courses undertaken. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

Commonwealth Supported students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called .

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. Students 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. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

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Program structure

The Master of Education is a 12-unit program. These guidelines shape the program structure:

  • With the exception of the general pathway, four required courses from the recommended enrolment pattern of the selected specialisation must be completed before enrolling in any research courses

  • Three research courses must be taken (which equates to four units of work)

  • Four courses from the recommended enrolment pattern of the selected specialisation.

  • To be eligible to apply for entry to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students must normally:

    • successfully complete the program with an overall GPA of 5.0 and

    • achieve a GPA of 5.75 for the four unit Research Specialisation


  • Students who enter the Doctor of Philosophy program from the Research Specialisation in the Master of Education program will normally be required to complete two units of research methods and the two-unit confirmation of candidature course in the Doctor of Philosophy program.

  • Students who successfully complete the Master of Education and who are not eligible for entry into the Doctor of Philosophy should check their eligibility for entry into the Doctor of Education.


  On-campus  Online  Requirement  Comment 
Research Specialisation^ 
  1, 2, 3  1, 2, 3  Pre-requisite: The pre-requisite studies for EDR8802 in the Research Specialisation are completion of four (4) units taken from the recommended enrolment pattern of the selected specialisation.   
  1, 2, 3  Pre-requisite:    
  1, 2  1, 2, 3  The two pre-requisite/co-requisite studies for vary according to the research pathway followed and include ( and )   This is a 2 unit course 

Footnotes
^Students who complete the Research Specialisation as part of their program with will be eligible to apply for entry to the PhD program subject to achieving a minimum GPA of 5.75 in the four research units and meeting other PhD entry requirements.

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Required time limits

Subject to the availability of the required courses, full-time enrolment normally requires 1.5 years of study. Part-time enrolment may be extended to 6 years of study.

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Core courses

All specialisations as well as the general pathway have required courses or sequences of courses. Students are advised to note carefully the enrolment requirements for the specialisation and to ensure that they plan their enrolment to allow for completion of the specialisation requirements.

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Specialisation

All specialisations are available for both domestic and international students in the Master of Education. A limited number of specialisations are available as Commonwealth Supported Places for eligible students.

For each of the specialisations students are required to complete the enrolment pattern as outlined in the specialisation requirements.

Specialisations in the Master of Education:

  • Adult, Professional and Workplace Learning

  • Applied Linguistics

  • Career Development

  • Curriculum and Pedagogical Leadership

  • Early Childhood (eligible for Commonwealth Supported Place)

  • Guidance and Counselling (eligible for Commonwealth Supported Place)

  • Leading and Managing Educational Organisations

  • Multicultural Education

  • Online and Distributed Learning

  • Special Education (eligible for Commonwealth Supported Place)

  • Teaching English Language to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (eligible for Commonwealth Supported Place)


Students who wish to study a broader variety of courses and are not seeking a specialisation should follow the general pathway guidelines. Please note this is a full-fee paying pathway.

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Electives/Approved courses

Education postgraduate courses*   Discipline Focus  Projected semester offers  
  Applied Linguistics, TESOL  1,2 
  Early Childhood 
  Online and Distributed Learning 
  Adult, Professional and Workplace Learning 
  Special Education,   1,3 
  Special Education 
  Guidance and Counselling  1,3 
  Guidance and Counselling 
*  Online and Distributed Learning 
   
  Curriculum and Pedagogical Leadership 
  Curriculum and Pedagogical Leadership 
  Curriculum and Pedagogical Leadership  1,3 
^  Adult, Professional and Workplace Learning, Early Childhood, TESOL; Applied Linguistics  1,2 
  Early Childhood 
  Early Childhood 
  Online and Distributed Learning 
  Online and Distributed Learning 
  Online and Distributed Learning 
  Leading and Managing Educational Organisations 
  Leading and Managing Educational Organisations, Curriculum and Pedagogical Leadership 
  Leading and Managing Education Organisations 
  Guidance and Counselling, Career Development 
  Leading and Managing Educational Organisations 
  Leading and Managing Education Organisations  2 (commencing 2018) 
  Special Education 
  Special Education 
  Career Development, Guidance and Counselling  2,3 
  Guidance and Counselling, Career Development 
  Career Development, Guidance and Counselling 
  Guidance and Counselling 
  Special Education 
  Leading and Managing Educational Organisations, Adult, Professional and Workplace Learning, Curriculum and Pedagogical Leadership 
  Career Development, Curriculum and Pedagogical Leadership 
   
  Multicultural Education 
  Multicultural Education 
  Multicultural Education 
  Guidance and Counselling  2,3 
  Special Education 
  Adult, Professional and Workplace Learning, Curriculum and Pedagogical Leadership 
  Multicultural Education 
  Special Education 
  Curriculum and Pedagogical Leadership, Leading and Managing Educational Organisations 
  Special Education 
  Multicultural Education 
  Early Education, Special Education 
  Online and Distributed Learning 
  Adult, Professional and Workplace Learning, Career Development 
  Multicultural Education 
  Special Education 
  Special Education 
  Special Education 
  Curriculum and Pedagogical Leadership 
  Leading and Managing Educational Organisations 
  Applied Linguistics, TESOL  1,2 
  Applied Linguistics; TESOL 
  Applied Linguistics, TESOL  1,2 
  Applied Linguistics, TESOL  1,2 
  Applied Linguistics, TESOL 
  Applied Linguistics, TESOL  1,2 
  Applied Linguistics, TESOL  1,2,3 
  Applied Linguistics, TESOL  2,3 
  Applied Linguistics, TESOL 
  Applied Linguistics, TESOL 
PRL8007 Community Participation‡   

Footnotes
*Subject to approval of the Program Coordinator and provided necessary pre-requisites are met.
^Professional Experience is a required component of this course, please refer to the Course Specification regarding sector specific requirements.
‡This course is offered in even-numbered years only.

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IT requirements

Students must have reliable and ready access to email and the Internet. See minimum computing standards for more information.

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Articulation

The Master of Education articulates from the Graduate Certificate of Education. and/or Graduate Diploma of Education (Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)) or Graduate Diploma of Education (Full Fee Paying (FFP)) . On completion of the Master of Education, students may be eligible for entry into the Doctor of Education or the Doctor of Philosophy, provided necessary entry requirements are met.

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Exit points

Students who successfully complete a minimum of four units of the Master of Education program will be eligible to exit with a Graduate Certificate of Education.
Students who successfully complete eight units of study may exit with a Graduate Diploma of Education with either a named or unnamed specialisation depending on courses completed.
Students wishing to exit with one of these awards are advised to contact the Faculty of Business Education Law and Arts.

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Credit

Credit may be granted on the basis of completed equivalent postgraduate study from a recognised institution. In order for credit to be granted, the claim must meet the following specific requirements:

  • the course was passed within five years prior to the application (courses up to ten years old may be considered if evidence is provided that the applicant has been employed in that field)

  • the course passed is sufficiently equivalent in objectives, content and weightings to a course prescribed in the Master of Education, or alternatively, the course is suitable as a discipline course

  • the maximum credit granted is no greater than six units for the Master of Education

  • credit approved in the Master of Education will not automatically apply to other programs offered by the USQ


Claims for credit should be submitted prior to or at the time of enrolment in a course. Each claim will be assessed on individual merit in line with USQ policy. Please contact the Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts for further information.

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Enrolment

Students will enrol in the Master of Education on either a full-time or a part-time basis.
Note: Minimum enrolment numbers apply to all courses. Should enrolments not meet the minimum number required students may need to choose alternative courses. Students will be advised of the change prior to semester start.

Recommended enrolment patterns

In this section:

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Early Childhood

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Master of Education (Commonwealth Supported) (MEDC)

Commonwealth Supported Places available for eligible students.

The Early Childhood specialisation is designed to meet the needs of early childhood professionals and other multi-disciplinary practitioners involved in work with young children and their families. It is expected that these students will normally hold an undergraduate degree (or equivalent post-compulsory qualifications) in a discipline other than Early Childhood Education and are keen to enhance their skills, knowledge and ability in relation to the Early Childhood sector. This qualification will also meet the needs of experienced educators who are seeking to further develop their knowledge and skills to gain a specialisation in Early Childhood Education and Care.
Students will complete 60 days of professional experience in an Early Childhood Education and Care setting. Up to 25 days may be completed in the work setting if the student is currently employed. The remaining days must be completed in a different setting with a different age group.


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirementsComments
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Required Courses

     2
     1Required 15 days Professional Experience.
     1
     2
     3
     1,2Professional Experience is a required component of this course, please refer to the Course Specification regarding sector specific requirements.

Complete two USQ postgraduate courses.

Complete all three courses in the Research specialisation. Find more details within the of this degree


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Guidance and Counselling

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Master of Education (Commonwealth Supported) (MEDC)

Commonwealth Supported Places available for eligible students.

The Master of Education (Guidance and Counselling) is registered with the (ACA) as an entry-level qualification for membership of the ACA.
The Master of Education (Guidance and Counselling) is an appropriate qualification for entry-level membership of the (QGCA).
Students planning to work as a Guidance Officer in Education Queensland's state schools usually require registration as a teacher in addition to the Master of Education (Guidance and Counselling). Counselling roles in schools in the Independent or Catholic sectors in Queensland may have different requirements. You should check the requirements with your prospective employer.
Students planning to work outside Queensland and who are intending to use the Master of Education (Guidance and Counselling) for employment in schools in a guidance and counselling role, should consult relevant registration bodies, the Australian Counselling Association, and/or state branches of the .


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Required Courses

     1
     2Pre-requisite:
     1,3
     2
     1
     2,3
     1

Complete one of the following approved courses:

     2,3
     2

Complete all three courses in the Research specialisation. Find more details within the of this degree


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Special Education

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Master of Education (Commonwealth Supported) (MEDC)

Commonwealth Supported Places available for eligible students.


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Required Courses

     1,3

Complete seven of the following approved courses:

     2
     1
     3
     2Pre-requisite: or
     1
     1
     3
     3
     2
     1
     2Pre-requisite: or Equivalent Co-requisite: or Equivalent

Complete all three courses in the Research specialisation. Find more details within the of this degree.


Notes

Some courses require access to workplaces.

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Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Master of Education (Commonwealth Supported) (MEDC)

Commonwealth Supported Places available for eligible students.


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirementsComments
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Required Courses

     1,21,2
     1,21,2
     1,21,2
     11,2
     21,3

Complete three of the following approved courses*:

     2
     1,2Professional Experience is a required component of EDU5760. Refer to the Course Specification regarding sector specific requirements.
     2
     11,2
     2
     3

Complete all three courses in the Research specialisation. Find more details within the of this degree.


Footnotes
*Subject to the approval of the Specialisation Coordinator, one of these courses can be replaced by a course outside the list.

Notes

Some courses require access to workplaces.

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Adult, Professional and Workplace Learning

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Master of Education (Full-Fee Paying) (MEDF)


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirementsComments
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Required Courses

     1
     1,2Professional Experience is a required component of this course, please refer to the Course Specification regarding sector specific requirements.
     31,3Students require first-hand knowledge of, and access to, a teaching situation in school, post-compulsory, community education or training context.
     3
     2Participants MUST have access to a mentee.
     2

Complete two of the following approved courses:

1
2
1

Complete all three courses in the Research specialisation. Find more details within the of this degree.


Notes

Some courses require access to workplaces.

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Applied Linguistics

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Master of Education (Full-Fee Paying) (MEDF)


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirementsComments
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Required Courses

     1,21,2
     11,2
     1,21,2
     2
     22,3

Choose three of the following approved courses*:

1,2Professional Experience is a required component of EDU5760. Refer to the Course Specification regarding sector specific requirements.
2
1,21,2
11,2
21,3
2

Complete all three courses in the Research specialisation. Find more details within the of this degree.


Footnotes
*Subject to the approval of the Specialisation Coordinator, this course can be replaced by a course outside the list.

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Career Development

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Master of Education (Full-Fee Paying) (MEDF)

The Career Development specialisation meets the professional learning needs of professionals working in teaching, counselling, training, employment, community development, or information management roles who support the career planning and development of students, clients, and organisations. The Career Development specialisation addresses core and selected specialist competencies from the Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners, and it has been officially endorsed by the as a qualification for the status of professional career development practitioner under the Professional Standards.


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Required Courses

     1
     2
     1
     2
     1
     2,3

Complete two postgraduate courses.

Complete all three courses in the Research specialisation. Find more details within the of this degree


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Curriculum and Pedagogical Leadership

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Master of Education (Full-Fee Paying) (MEDF)


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirementsComments
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Required Courses

     3
     1
     31,3Students require first-hand knowledge of, and access to, a teaching situation in school, post-compulsory, community education or training context.
     2
     2Participants MUST have access to a mentee.
     2

Complete either two of the following approved courses OR two other USQ Postgraduate courses:

     1
     3
     3

Complete all three courses in the Research specialisation . Find more details within the of this degree


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Leading and Managing Educational Organisations

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Master of Education (Full-Fee Paying) (MEDF)


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirementsComments
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Required Courses

     1
     2Pre-requisite:
     1
     1,3
     2
     2commencing 2018

Select one of the following:

     2Australian students only.
     2 Participants MUST have access to a mentee.

Complete one of the following approved courses or one other approved relevant USQ postgraduate course:

     2
     2Participants MUST have access to a mentee.

Complete all three courses in the Research specialisation. Find more details within the of this degree


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Multicultural Education

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Master of Education (Full-Fee Paying) (MEDF)


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Required Courses

     1
     1
     2
     3
     1
     2
     EDU8514 2

Complete one USQ postgraduate course.

Complete all three courses in the Research specialisation. Find more details within the of this degree


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Online and Distributed Learning

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Master of Education (Full-Fee Paying) (MEDF)


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Required Courses

     3
     2
      1
      2
     1
     1

Complete two USQ postgraduate courses.

Complete all three courses in the Research specialisation. Find more details within the of this degree


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General Pathway

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Master of Education (Full-Fee Paying) (MEDF)

For students choosing this pathway, no named specialisation will appear on their Testamur.


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Complete four Education postgraduate courses not previously completed.

Complete four postgraduate courses.

Complete all three courses in the Research specialisation. Find more details within the of this degree.