Bachelor of Education (Secondary)

QUT will ensure you can step into the classroom with confidence and continue to adapt to ongoing workforce changes and future opportunities. Some key inclusions in the course are:

• a deep understanding of child and adolescent development
• curriculum and pedagogy knowledges and practices
• creating positive learning environments
• inclusion and diversity
• building positive relationships with parents, carers, communities, and education stakeholders
• digital technologies
• entrepreneurial thinking and leadership
• innovation and creativity
• evaluation and assessment
• developing your professional identity
• global perspectives
• resilience.

Flexible delivery

Choose the part-time or full-time course to suit your circumstances and lifestyle.  Part-time students should note that daytime attendance is required. Some lectures and tutorials may have evening sessions.

This course is based at Kelvin Grove campus, however, depending on your teaching areas, you may need to complete some units at Gardens Point campus.

Real-world facilities

Experience the new Education Precinct at the heart of Kelvin Grove campus. With five levels dedicated to world-class teaching, you’ll have access to imaginatively designed face-to-face and online interactive learning spaces. A centrepiece of the Precinct is the Sphere, a digital LED globe suspended over two floors with a changing menu of innovative visual content.

To prepare you to be an inspiring, innovative and confident teacher for the future, you’ll be able to experiment and innovate in preparation for professional experiences in schools. The spaces facilitate just the right balance of collaborative learning, interaction and quiet individual research.

Our expert teaching staff will inspire you to push boundaries, be curious and innovate. Qualities you will in turn foster in the students you teach.

Customise your degree

Choose two teaching areas from this list to give you a broad background and to maximise your employment opportunities. If you can’t decide, the best advice is to follow your passion and select senior subjects you enjoyed at school.

You can take any combination of two teaching areas, except for the following:

• Mathematics and Mathematics Extension
• two science areas, including Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Earth & Environmental Science.

Biology

Biology teachers have the opportunity to appeal to students’ curiosity about nature. You can teach students how the natural world works, and how to grow and protect it.

Chemistry

Chemistry teachers play a central role in developing students’ scientific literacy as chemistry is the enabling science fundamental to many other scientific disciplines including biotechnology, environmental science, geosciences, materials science and food science.

Earth and Environmental Science

Earth and environmental science teachers help students to become active citizens who understand that the Earth is an amazing place. You can help them understand the natural processes acting in and upon our planet, and its history, along with providing in-depth knowledge of the mechanisms, natural processes and human impacts that shape environmental systems.

English

The English teaching area prepares future English teachers to creatively and competently put into practice the knowledge of the English discipline, which covers literature, screen and media studies, and language. As an English teacher you will assist students in becoming multiliterate citizens and creative thinkers, writers, speakers and shapers.

Geography

Geography fosters students’ sense of wonder, curiosity and respect for places, people, cultures and environments. As a geography teacher you can help students become informed, responsible and active citizens who can contribute to the development of a socially just and environmentally and economically sustainable world.

Health and Physical Education

Healthy, active living benefits individuals and societies in many ways. As a teacher of health and physical education you have the opportunity to work with students to enhance their own and others’ health, wellbeing and physical activity participation in a range of varied and changing contexts.

History

Studying history teaches students critical inquiry skills. History teachers lead students to actively investigate the past and ask meaningful questions. You will learn to present sources as evidence and guide students in their investigation, analysis and interpretation of the past so they can become informed citizens.

Mathematics

Mathematics teachers play a central role in developing students’ essential scientific and numeracy capabilities. Students develop fundamental skills across number and algebra, measurement and geometry, and statistics and probability. Mathematics teachers have the opportunity to prepare students for learning in a range of disciplines and provide them with the skills they will need in their personal life and career.

Mathematics Extension

Mathematics extension teachers can engage and extend advanced learners to help them develop thorough and rigorous skills, which can be applied to a range of other disciplines.

The mathematics extension teaching area assumes sound achievement in Maths Methods or Specialist Maths (or equivalent). 

Physics

Physics teachers play a central role in developing students’ scientific literacy. Physics deals with the natural laws and processes, and the states and properties of matter, energy, space and time. You will help students to understand physics and the roles it has played in recent advances in information technology, medicine and biotechnology, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics and relativity.

Option Units

In the final year of the course you can choose two option units in areas that you are interested in.

Double degrees

A double degree with secondary education can deepen your specialisation, and allow you to expand your career opportunities. You can combine secondary education with:

• Business  
• Fine Arts
• Information Technology

Careers and outcomes

Graduates will have a solid foundation of knowledge to teach in secondary schools. Your career will be guided by, but not limited to, your chosen teaching areas. Your qualification can also allow you to work across Australia and overseas.

Teachers develop a range of skills, knowledges and practices as a result of their own unique combination of work experiences and personal qualities. You will be empowered to shape your own career path and explore the many ways to make an impact. You can explore careers outside the classroom, including:

• education policy and program implementation
• training and development roles in private and public organisations
• education and outreach roles
• developing products for the education services industry
• learning designer
• entertainment industry roles
• consultancy
• education research.

Professional recognition

This course meets professional teaching standards for the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership and Queensland College of Teachers. Graduates are eligible to apply for teacher registration.