All study abroad and exchange units

Unit synopsis

In this unit you will explore essential elements of quality early childhood education and care, including leadership, management and advocacy. These are essential when building strong, respectful and meaningful relationships with children, families and staff. Understandings of leadership, management and advocacy from diverse, contemporary and cultural perspectives, enable early childhood educators to work optimally with diverse children, families and communities in varying early childhood contexts. Through exploring leadership and management theories and approaches to advocacy from contemporary research and literature you will expand upon and master your existing skills. Advocacy and its capacity to affect change and growth is integral to the unit. Social justice, ethics, and equity are explored as effective principles for the successful leadership in early childhood services. This unit will support your preparation for the QTPA and includes a Work Integrated Learning project. 

Unit synopsis

This unit prepares you to teach health education (wellbeing) in the primary school context. Student wellbeing is a central focus for learning, with both policy and the Australian Curriculum stating the importance of such teaching and learning. You will develop pedagogical knowledge on anti-bullying frameworks and pedagogies, diversity (including sex, gender, sexuality and culture), respectful relationships, and safe and responsible choices. This unit supports the introduction of the health and physical education curriculum with a focus on the personal, social, and community health strand.

Unit synopsis

In this unit you will explore the use of digital technologies in learning and teaching. You will consider the place of digital technologies in learning and teaching in early childhood, primary school, and secondary school settings, and engage with educational theory and research as well as relevant curricula and policy requirements. Building on reflections of previous professional practice and experience, you will identify opportunities for improvement or innovation, and then design an innovative digital learning experience.

Unit synopsis

This unit explores the complex relationship between our education system and the social and cultural contexts of which it is a part. The unit uses socio-cultural and sociological theory to better understand students and learners, as well as how students' and learners' diverse backgrounds, including the backgrounds Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, shape their experiences with the modern school or early childhood site. The unit will develop reflective and critical understandings of the socially, culturally and historically constructed nature of education and care and of the social identities and socio-cultural practices influencing contemporary early childhood, primary and secondary schooling.

Unit synopsis

This unit is designed to develop your understanding and skill in neuroscience-informed support and education of early childhood and school learners who are living with the outcomes of complex childhood trauma. The behavioural and other concerns experienced by learners who have experienced complex trauma can be significant. By examining the impact of complex trauma on the developing brain and nervous system, you'll develop your understanding of why and how these concerns occur and explore approaches and strategies recommended to address short and longer-term impacts for learners. You'll be informed and prepared for the times you are responsible for the learning and well-being of these learners whilst minimising any negative impact on your own well-being or teaching practice.

Unit synopsis

This unit provides an opportunity to develop fieldwork design skills as well as practical fieldwork skills for gathering data, making observations, and recording information in the field. Fieldwork is carried out in both urban and natural environments within the Greater Brisbane area. Ways of representing and analysing data gathered in the field will provide the opportunity to develop cartographic, graphic and analytical skills. You will propose, design and carry out your own fieldwork and report on your findings. The skills developed in this unit are relevant to a wide range of professions within the geography, science and education fields that rely on project design, data collection and analysis and analytical reporting, including proposing action to identified geographical challenges.

Unit synopsis

This unit focuses on British and American social and political influences on Australian foreign policy and social attitudes since 1900. It investigates Australia's, America's and Britain's relationship. The content examines World War 1, the interwar-years, World War 2 and the post-World War 2 period. A secondary objective is to examine the fight for independence and democracy, particularly in a number of former colonial countries. Before World War 2, reverence for the British Empire and appreciation of its protection influenced Australian attitudes and governmental decision-making. Most Australians seldom questioned this close relationship. During and after World War 2, America became Australia's great and powerful friend - and the influence of Britain diminished. Nevertheless, public affection for the mother country did not dissipate so quickly.

Unit synopsis

Practitioners of the sciences almost always require an ability to define problems, connected with the needs and values of others, formulate justifiable questions, develop investigation methods that are rigorous and evidence-based, interpret data, and communicate findings verbally and in writing. This unit will build on foundational and specialist discipline knowledge gained throughout your units of prior study. This unit prepares you to think critically about an important problem related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and to integrate the knowledge gained through earlier units to provide an effective solution. During this project you will critically analyse and reflect on your work and that of your peers, you will gain a deeper understanding of scientific methods, technology design and/or mathematical modelling and reasoning, and will become confident in applying them.

Unit synopsis

The Early Years Learning Framework and Primary English curriculum provide key contexts for the development of literacy skills and knowledges. Literacy is an area of concern for all early childhood and primary teachers, and comprises the largest proportion of daily learning. In current times it is vital for all learners to understand and work with texts across a variety of modes, therefore oral language, print reading and writing are key components of this unit. There will be a focus on the teaching of phonics, speaking (oral language), listening, reading fluency, reading comprehension, viewing and assessment of these vital English skills, drawing on current learning frameworks and curriculum documents. Elements of this unit interconnect with EUN201. A further aim of the unit is for you to develop your own academic, personal and professional literacy capabilities.

Unit synopsis

The development of mathematics knowledge, skills and applications across a wide range of situations is critical for your development as an early childhood or primary teacher. Mathematics knowledge and skills are included in your course because you will develop theoretical and practical knowledge to support learners as they learn to become numerate. This unit provides you with the foundations of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics - Number and Measurement strands. Dispositions for learning in early numeracy is explored in the Early Years Learning Framework and the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline. You will develop your confidence and capacity to teach Number and Measurement and their interconnections with other curriculum areas, educational contexts and wider society.

Unit synopsis

Science is necessary for understanding and caring for the world around us. From birth onwards, children actively explore their environment and try to make sense of their world. You will enhance your content knowledge in the areas of biology, chemistry, physics and earth and space science, through your participation in inquiry-based and hands-on learning. This learning will be integrated with pedagogical content and curriculum knowledge to strengthen your repertoire of instructional approaches for teaching all learners. This unit will build on theories of teaching and learning from previous units including literacy, numeracy, and digital literacies, and will provide you with the knowledge and skills to develop and implement differentiated science and sustainability learning experiences.

Unit synopsis

Within the current policy and legislative context in Australia, teachers are required to respond to the needs of diverse learners and offer support through a multi-tiered response model, which integrates Quality Differentiated Teaching Practice and levels of adjustments for diverse groups of learners. The Australian Curriculum and The Early Years Learning Framework have been designed to enable flexible access for all learners. This unit will develop your understanding of the fundamental concepts underpinning international and national policy and legislation, and your ability to apply inclusive teaching strategies across all educational contexts, to cater for diversity, including learners for whom English is an Additional Language and/or Dialect (EAL/D), learners with disability and gifted and talented learners.

Unit synopsis

This unit prepares you for your first professional experience and planning for learning. You will develop planning skills to construct lesson plans that include learning goals and a range of teaching strategies. The unit will include planning for classroom management, strategies to support student engagement and a focus on planning for comprehension, text knowledge and literacy. The unit will also include verbal and non-verbal communications strategies to support student engagement in an educational setting. In preparation for placement, you will learn about system, curriculum and legislative requirements for working in educational settings. The unit incorporates a 15 day professional experience in a primary or secondary school setting. 

Unit synopsis

You will explore and continue to build your knowledge and skills to use the strands and their associated topics across a wide range of situations and contexts to enhance your development as a teacher. This focus is included in your course because you will need to teach children how to become numerate and be able to make sound decisions in their lives. This unit provides you with the foundations of two strands of the Australian Curriculum: (i) Mathematics - Mathematics - geometry, algebra, statistics and probability. Dispositions for learning in early numeracy is also explored in relation to the Early Years Learning Framework and the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline. It seeks to build your capacity to recognise the numeracy demands across a range of contexts to assist all children to identify the interconnectedness of mathematical knowledge and its application in everyday life. 

Unit synopsis

In this unit, you will develop knowledge of practical approaches to creating positive and inclusive learning environments that support student learning and well-being. This unit will focus on developing relationships, understanding and getting to know babies and children, communicating expectations and research-based strategies that foster engagement, positive interactions and limit challenging behaviours. In preparation for your second professional experience, you will learn about evidence-based strategies that focus on preventative practices and practical skills to maintain safe, supportive and inclusive environments for the whole group, small groups and addressing diversity. This unit incorporates a 10-day professional experience in an Early Childhood Setting (Birth - 2) and 20-day professional experience in a Kindergarten setting.

Unit synopsis

In this unit, you will develop knowledge of practical approaches to classroom and behaviour management that supports student learning and well-being.  This unit will focus on developing positive and safe learning environments through developing classroom processes and procedures, communicating expectations and research-based strategies that limit the incidence and impact of challenging behaviours.  In preparation for your second professional experience, you will learn about evidence-based classroom strategies that focus on preventative practices and practical skills to maintain safe, orderly and inclusive environments for the whole class, small groups and addressing student diversity. This unit incorporates a 20-day professional experience in a primary or secondary school.

Unit synopsis

STEM provides a disciplinary context through which learners of all ages, in formal and informal settings, can develop what are often referred to as 21st Century Skills, including critical and creative thinking, collaboration, communication, innovation and entrepreneurism, and digital fluency. In turn, the development of these skills supports the development and enhancement of conceptual understanding across the STEM disciplines. This unit, the first in the STEM in Education study area, introduces various conceptual frameworks for understanding STEM in Education that will be further explored in other units of the study area. This unit will prompt you to critically reflect upon your experiences of STEM education and to identify opportunities to further support the learning of STEM and the development of 21st century skills. You will connect with peers who represent a broad cross section of STEM education contexts and who share an interest in advancing STEM education.

Unit synopsis

STEM curricula make various references to types of discipline-specific thinking (e.g., mathematical modelling, scientific inquiry, systems thinking, computational thinking, and design thinking), as well as the more general skills of critical and creative thinking, collaboration and communication. Understanding such types of thinking supports a connected approach to STEM teaching and learning.

Unit synopsis

Productive work in the STEM fields is often associated with some form of question-posing and problem solving, and authentic STEM learning hinges on learners curiously inquiring into the world around them. Pedagogies have been developed that can be used in STEM education to promote such inquiry-oriented learning, including those that make significant use of digital technologies to support learning. Through such learning approaches, learners not only develop understanding about STEM concepts and propose solutions to problems, but they also authentically develop various higher-order thinking skills.

Unit synopsis

Introduction to Criminology and Policing will provide you with an introduction to the disciplines of criminology and policing. This unit will provide you with a foundation for understanding theories, concepts, and issues related to criminology and policing in an Australian and international context. It begins with an exploration of the existing explanations of crime from both an individual and social theoretical perspective and will provide you with a background of policing in Queensland, Australia, and internationally. The remainder of the unit then covers topics of interest to those within the area of criminal justice, policing and criminology, for example, crimes in the home, crime in public, white collar crime, and youth crime.

Unit synopsis

An understanding and appreciation of the complexities of social justice, and particularly their impact on criminal justice outcomes in our society, is a key skill for competent justice professionals. This unit provides the foundational sociological and criminological knowledge that is necessary to understanding justice in a social context, and which is essential for ensuring justice professionals act in socially just and ethical ways.

Unit synopsis

Professionals in many fields including Justice are required to have outstanding academic literacy and professional skills, particularly the ability to source, understand and analyse written sources and synthesise evidence into professional written formats. This unit gives students a thorough grounding in the core academic and professional literacies required during their studies and into their graduate careers.

Unit synopsis

Justice professionals require a thorough foundational understanding of how Australia’s systems of justice operate structurally and how people progress through those systems. This unit provides a critical overview of the Australian Criminal Justice System through examinations of the key arms of policing, courts and corrections and their processes.

Unit synopsis

Unit synopsis

This unit is designed to introduce students to the practice and theorising of politics and policy making. It will provide you with a foundation to understand the people, systems and structures that influence how our government works. Understanding political dynamics and how good policy-making happens helps prepare students to work in government agencies, or to work more effectively in non-governmental roles concerning law and justice. In addition to providing a conceptual overview of the structures and functions of government, this unit introduces students to the practical elements of policy-making enabling you to develop basic political communication skills.

Unit synopsis

The study of deviance engages with fundamental aspects of criminology and justice studies, such as the making and breaking of laws, the analysis of issues pertaining to marginalised social groups and activities, and other important social justice concerns. Drawing on problem solving skills and interpretive traditions in the social sciences, the unit encourages students to think critically about "deviance" (often manifesting as a social problem or contested behaviour), asking why some activities and social groups are considered deviant and others not across various historical and cultural contexts. The unit examines social and legal responses to managing and controlling deviance and engages with important related problems in social justice, such as gender equality and racial discrimination. The scope and concerns of the unit make it broadly accessible to students and the unit's focus on real world social problems will appeal to a broad cross-section of QUT's student market.

Unit synopsis

Research skills are essential for justice professionals and enable evidence-based decision making and effective policy development within the criminal justice system. This unit is designed to provide students with a foundation in applied research practice. At completion of this unit, you will develop skills in various research methodologies, including survey construction, interview techniques, observational methodologies, and experimental designs. You will also be equipped with the skills necessary for rigorous academic inquiry and evidence-based decision making within the justice discipline.

Unit synopsis

In the modern Western context, concerns with crime, victimisation and social harm are key concerns for the citizenry. These issues also make up a significant part of media and political discourse and it could thus be argued that crime and punishment are defining cultural motifs of modern Western societies, forever concerned with security and safety from the 'criminal other'. This unit offers you a critical overview of the evolution of Western responses to crime over the past two centuries. The unit introduces the philosophies and theories that have underpinned the development of penal policy during that period. Using Australian and other case studies, you will be introduced to a range of policies and interventions associated with the construction of the modern penal system. The various stages of the development of penal policy will be covered. The unit will challenge you to think critically about a range of key issues confronting the penal system and policy-makers.

Unit synopsis

This subject addresses the ways in which trauma is important to theory and practice in criminal justice and social justice discourse. Trauma informed practice is explored in ways that introduce students to theory and skills in order to inform their engagement with policy and practice and expand their understanding of professional work in criminal justice. This is particularly important in understanding intergenerational trauma in Indigenous communities. This subject will build on understanding gained in core units to help prepare for careers working in criminal justice agencies and policy development in criminal justice related fields.

Unit synopsis

Technology is becoming increasingly used within society and is an important domain of knowledge and skills for justice professionals. This unit provides students with a grounding in how technology may be used to perpetrate crime and respond to crime problems. Students will learn about different types of crime that may be perpetrated using technology, such as cybercrime, image-based abuse, and technology facilitated coercive control. Students will also learn how technologies may be used in modern policing practices, including the use of body worn cameras, apps and other technologies. At completion of this unit students will be able to consider the implications of technology in the practice of justice.