Graduate Certificate of Education (GCEF) - GradCertEd
QTAC code (Australian and New Zealand applicants): Online: GCEF03
Programs at USQ regularly undergo a comprehensive re-accreditation process to assure their relevance and quality. This program has recently been re-accredited and, as a consequence, is undergoing some changes. If you have any questions, please .
On-campus | Online | |
Start: | Semester 1 (February) Semester 2 (July) | Semester 1 (February) Semester 2 (July) Semester 3 (November) |
Campus: | Toowoomba | - |
Fees: | Domestic full fee paying place | Domestic full fee paying place International full fee paying place |
Standard duration: | 1 semester full-time (student-led pathway only), up to 2 years part-time | |
Program articulation: | To: Graduate Diploma of Education (Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)) or Graduate Diploma of Education (Full Fee Paying (FFP)) or ; Master of Education (Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)) or Master of Education (Full Fee Paying (FFP)) |
Notes
This program does not qualify students for teacher registration
in Queensland. To qualify for teacher registration in Queensland,
please refer to the Master of Learning and Teaching.
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.
All modes of study are supported with the USQ 精东传媒appDesk. It
is possible to complete the program via a combination of delivery
modes.
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.
Contact us
Programs at USQ are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain professionally-relevant, in order to enhance the graduate outcomes of our students. This program is currently under review and is as a consequence likely to undergo some changes. Full details will be available when it is approved. If you have any questions, please directly.
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 |
Professional accreditation
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.
Program objectives
Students who successfully complete the Graduate Certificate 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:
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synthesise and apply advanced theoretical and technical knowledge to contemporary and emerging educational issues, ideas, policies and debates with regard to professional practice,
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analyse, evaluate complex educational contexts to critically reflect on cultural norms and practices in educational settings nationally and globally,
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communicate effectively in academic, professional and community contexts via multiple modes,
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communicate ways of working respectfully and collaboratively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities, and culturally and linguistically diverse peoples and communities.
Program aims
The aim of this program is to provide professionals in education, training and development with graduate-certificate 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:
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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
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support the application of these knowledges and skills through learner-centred design, flexible delivery and individualise an authentic assessment to enhance quality of services for their learners.
Australian Qualifications Framework
The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a single national, comprehensive system of qualifications offered by higher education institutions (including universities), vocational education and training institutions and secondary schools. Each AQF qualification has a set of descriptors which define the type and complexity of knowledge, skills and application of knowledge and skills that a graduate who has been awarded that qualification has attained, and the typical volume of learning associated with that qualification type.
This program is at AQF Qualification Level 08. Graduates at this level will have advanced knowledge and skills for professional or highly skilled work and/or further learning.
The full set of levels criteria and qualification type descriptors can be found by visiting .
Admission requirements
To be eligible for admission, applicants must satisfy the following requirements:
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3-year Bachelor degree from an Australian university or equivalent.
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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,
the Graduate Certificate of Education provides a pathway into the
Master of Education. Upon completion and achievement of a minimum
GPA of 4.0, students will be eligible for entry into the Master of
Education.
Students who complete the Graduate Certificate of Education
and maintain satisfactory academic standing (GPA 3.5) but do not achieve
a GPA of 4.0 can articulate into the Graduate Diploma of Education.
On successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Education, students
can articulate into the Master of Education provided other program
entry requirements are met.
All students are required to satisfy the applicable .
If students do not meet the English language requirements they may apply to study a 精东传媒app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, students may be admitted to an award program.
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. 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 .
Program structure
The Graduate Certificate of Education consists of 4 units of postgraduate study in an education-related field.
Specialisations
The following specialisations are available in the Graduate Certificate of Education:
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Career Development
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Counselling in Educational Contexts
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Educational Leadership
-
STEM Education
-
Special and Inclusive Education
-
Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages (TESOL)
-
Tertiary Teaching
-
General (no named specialisation will appear on the Testamur)
Program completion requirements
To be awarded a Graduate Certificate of Education, a student must have completed four approved units of postgraduate study in the specialisation, or in the general pathway.
Students will enrol in the Graduate Certificate of Education on either a full-time or a part-time basis.
IT requirements
Students must have reliable and ready access to e-mail and the Internet. See for more information.
Articulation
Upon successful completion of the Graduate Certificate of Education with a minimum GPA of 4.0, a student may articulate into the Master of Education (Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)) or Master of Education (Full Fee Paying (FFP)). Alternatively, upon successful completion of the Graduate Certificate of Education with a minimum GPA of 3.5, a student may articulate into the Graduate Diploma of Education (Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)) or Graduate Diploma of Education (Full Fee Paying (FFP)).
Credit
The maximum credit granted will be no more than half of the program units (two units). Within this limit, credit will be granted for relevant studies successfully completed at postgraduate level in the last ten years. In consideration of these guidelines, the following points warrant particular consideration:
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transfer of credit from other incomplete USQ award programs may be permitted where there is similar or appropriate content
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advanced standing for other formal awards from recognised educational institutions will be assessed using the Recognition of Prior Learning principles
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other completed and assessed professional development and workplace learning may credit into the program when assessed by the Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts as equivalent to a full USQ course.
Students should contact the Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts before applying for credit, and follow the guidelines for .
Recommended enrolment patterns
In this section:
- Career Development
- Counselling in Educational Contexts
- Educational Leadership
- STEM Education
- Special and Inclusive Education
- Teaching English Language to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
- Tertiary Teaching
- General Pathway
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.
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.
Course | Year of program and semester in which course is normally studied | Enrolment requirements | Comments | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
On-campus (ONC) | External (EXT) | Online (ONL) | ||||||
Year | Sem | Year | Sem | Year | Sem | |||
Required courses: | ||||||||
1 | ||||||||
2 | ||||||||
1 | ||||||||
Complete one of the following approved courses: | ||||||||
1, 2 | Professional Experience is a required component of this course, please refer to the Course Specification regarding sector specific requirements. | |||||||
2,3 |
Counselling in Educational Contexts
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.
Students will have the opportunity to undertake a course in Mental Health Promotion and Intervention or responses to child abuse and neglect.
Course | Year of program and semester in which course is normally studied | Enrolment requirements | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
On-campus (ONC) | External (EXT) | Online (ONL) | |||||
Year | Sem | Year | Sem | Year | Sem | ||
Required courses: | |||||||
2,3 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
2 | Pre-requisite: | ||||||
1,3 | Enrolment is not permitted in if has been previously completed. |
Educational 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.
Course | Year of program and semester in which course is normally studied | Enrolment requirements | Comments | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
On-campus (ONC) | External (EXT) | Online (ONL) | ||||||
Year | Sem | Year | Sem | Year | Sem | |||
Required courses: | ||||||||
1 | ||||||||
2 | ||||||||
2 | ||||||||
1, 2 | Participants MUST have access to a mentee. |
STEM 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.
Course | Year of program and semester in which course is normally studied | Enrolment requirements | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
On-campus (ONC) | External (EXT) | Online (ONL) | |||||
Year | Sem | Year | Sem | Year | Sem | ||
Required courses: | |||||||
1 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
1 | Pre-requisite: | ||||||
EDU8133 Developing Contemporary STEM Education Programs | 2 |
Special and Inclusive 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.
Course | Year of program and semester in which course is normally studied | Enrolment requirements | Comments | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
On-campus (ONC) | External (EXT) | Online (ONL) | ||||||
Year | Sem | Year | Sem | Year | Sem | |||
Complete four (4) of the following approved courses: | ||||||||
2 | ||||||||
1,3 | ||||||||
1 | ||||||||
3 | ||||||||
1 | ||||||||
3 | ||||||||
2 | ||||||||
1 | ||||||||
2 | Professional Experience is a required component of this course, please refer to the Course Specification regarding sector specific requirements. |
Teaching English Language 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.
Course | Year of program and semester in which course is normally studied | Enrolment requirements | Comments | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
On-campus (ONC) | External (EXT) | Online (ONL) | ||||||
Year | Sem | Year | Sem | Year | Sem | |||
Required courses: | ||||||||
1 | 1,2 | |||||||
1 | 1,2 | |||||||
1 | 1,2 | |||||||
Complete one of the following approved courses: | ||||||||
2 | ||||||||
1,2 | Professional Experience is a required component of this course, please refer to the Course Specification regarding sector specific requirements. | |||||||
2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | |||||||
3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | |||||||
3 |
Tertiary Teaching
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.
Course | Year of program and semester in which course is normally studied | Enrolment requirements | Comments | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
On-campus (ONC) | External (EXT) | Online (ONL) | ||||||
Year | Sem | Year | Sem | Year | Sem | |||
Required courses: | ||||||||
2 | Students require access to learning and teaching environments in a higher education setting. | |||||||
1 | ||||||||
2 | ||||||||
Complete any elective from the list of approved courses or 精东传媒app approved courses. |
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.
For Students choosing this pathway, no named specialisation will appear on their Testamur.
Complete four Education postgraduate courses.