Bachelor of Science / Master of Teaching (Secondary)

2021 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2021 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]
Year

2021 course information

Award granted

Bachelor of Science / Master of Teaching (Secondary)

Course Map

This course map is for students commencing from Trimester 1 2021.

Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.

CampusOffered at Burwood (Melbourne)
Duration

4-years full-time or part-time equivalent   

VTAC Codes1400510311 - Burwood (Melbourne), Commonwealth Supported Place (HECS)
CRICOS course code089567C Burwood (Melbourne)
Deakin course codeD304
Approval status

This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework.

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition

The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7/9.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Translate your passion for the study of sciences into a career that inspires others, with a Bachelor of Science/Master of Teaching (Secondary) at Deakin. Create unique course combinations with science specialisations and graduate as a qualified secondary school educator. 

This industry-led double degree allows you to fast-track your studies and graduate with two degrees, including a postgraduate teaching degree, in just four years. You’ll explore a broad range of science disciplines before focusing on a specialisation. 

At the same time, develop the attributes, discipline-specific knowledge and professional behaviours required to practise as a secondary school teacher in Australia. Learn by doing and build practical experience through hands-on lab work, professional placements, work-integrated learning and international study experiences. 

Are you ready to join Australia’s largest profession? 

Start with Deakin’s Bachelor of Science, and alongside your core units, choose two science majors that will lead to your postgraduate specialisations. Create unique course combinations that when paired with teaching, customise your degree and boost your employability. Study disciplines including:

  • animal biology
  • cell biology
  • environmental science
  • genomics
  • human biology
  • mathematical modelling
  • plant biology.

During your postgraduate studies, Deakin’s Professional Experience Program is a key part of your course, ensuring you have the practical skills needed from day one of your teaching career. Working with more than 1400 schools across Australia, we’ll arrange at least 60 days of placements for you in schools where you’ll learn from experienced teachers. Students also have access to specialised teaching spaces on campus to prepare for teaching.

Take part in our study abroad and work-integrated learning programs and gain invaluable experience you won’t find in the classroom. You’ll have the opportunity to be a part of our Global Science and Technology Program or develop industry-relevant skills through our professional learning placements.

Before beginning your Master of Teaching, prospective education students need to successfully complete the Casper test – an online, video scenario-based test that lets you demonstrate your suitability for a teaching career.

Professional recognition

This course is accredited by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) as an initial teacher education program against the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) program standards and the Australian professional standards for graduate teachers. Graduates of this course who are intending to apply for registration in Victoria or interstate may be required to provide further information. Applicants are advised to check the registration requirements in their state or territory, carefully. 

Career opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science/Master of Teaching (Secondary) are qualified to teach in secondary schools within Victoria, in the private, independent or public education sectors. Your specialisations and advanced knowledge will also open doors to roles in:

  • community services
  • government agencies
  • not-for-profit organisations

For more information go to DeakinTALENT

Participation requirements

Professional Experience Placements are a compulsory component of the course and a requirement for registration as a graduate teacher. Placement can occur at any time, including during the standard holiday breaks listed here: https://www.deakin.edu.au/courses/key-dates.

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. Click here for more information.

Students are required to check the placement calendars published on the Professional Experience Office website each year. Placement takes priority over employment and placement periods are generally block placements of 5 full time days per week over 2-5 weeks.

Course delivery is blended and students are required to dedicate time to weekly engagement with located or cloud teaching and learning activities and resources. This is recommended at combined total 8-10 hours per week per unit including active learning/engagement either face to face or online, and independent study.

Some units will require students to attend schools or institutions for site-based learning and teaching experiences. Some units will require students to attend schools or institutions for site-based learning and teaching experiences. Some units can only be completed face to face at Burwood or as Cloud study. Students are advised to check the unit delivery options for each required unit. 

Mandatory student checks

Teacher Education Graduation requirements

Students undertaking an initial teacher education course must pass an approved literacy and numeracy test in order to be eligible to graduate and apply for teacher registration. Learn more about the literacy and numeracy test.

Working with Children Check

Applicants will be required to hold a valid Working with Children (WWC) Check prior to undertaking professional placements as part of this course. Learn more about Working with Children Checks.

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year and your study load. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website or our handy Fee estimator to help estimate your tuition fees.

Course Learning Outcomes

Please refer to the Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) of the single degree.

Course rules

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Science/Master of Teaching (Secondary), students must complete a total of 36 credit points of units comprising of:

Bachelor of Science studies

Students must complete: 

1.  7 credit points of core science units

2.  2 credit points of units as follows: 

  • Students who have not completed Year 12 Chemistry or equivalent take SLE133 and SLE155
  • Students who completed Year 12 Chemistry or equivalent take SLE155 and 1 credit point elective (must be Science course grouped)

3.  One approved Bachelor of Science major sequence of at least 6 credit points selected from:

  • One of Animal Biology, Cell Biology, Genomics, Human Biology or Plant Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Environmental Science
  • Mathematical Modelling

4.  5 credit points of Science course grouped elective units chosen from a second Bachelor of Science major listed above*

5.  Students must complete all three compulsory 0-point units:

AAI018 Academic Integrity (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in order to graduate from their course.

SLE010 Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program (0 credit point compulsory unit) and;

STP010 Career Tools for Employability (0 credit point unit)

6.  4 credit points selected from:

  • EDU201 Educational Psychology
  • EDU202 Educators and Learners
  • EDU203 Literacy, Numeracy and Education
  • EDU303 Education, Communication and Technology
  • EDU301 Culture, Diversity and Participation in Education
  • EDU302 Education and Humanitarian Development

Following successful completion of the first 3 undergraduate levels of the course, students with a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) above 60 progress to the postgraduate level of the course. Students cannot progress to the postgraduate level of study without completing all 24 credit points at undergraduate level. A WAM of less than 60 results in an alternative exit from D304 with award S320 Bachelor of Science

A Working with Children Check and completion of Casper selection is required before commencing school experience in Trimester 3 of Year 3.

* Students wishing to pursue studies in Geography should discuss unit selections with their enrolment officer

Master of Teaching (Secondary) studies

Students must complete:

  • 7 core units (8 credit points)
  • 2 curriculum study units in first teaching method area
  • 2 curriculum study units in second teaching method area

This course includes 60-days of supervised professional experience, and students must successfully complete the Deakin Teaching Performance Assessment.

Students are also required to complete below two zero (0) credit point units ELN010 and ELN011 as part of the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) andAAI018 Academic Integrity (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in order to graduate from their course.

Course structure

Bachelor of Science structure

Core Units

SLE103Ecology and the Environment

SLE111Cells and Genes

SLE123Physics for the Life Sciences

SIT191Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis

SLE200Communicating Science Ideas

SLE209Science and Society

SLE352Community Science Project

SLE010Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program (0 credit points)

STP010Career Tools for Employability (0 credit points)

Plus 2 credit points as follows:

SLE133Chemistry in Our World

SLE155Chemistry for the Professional Sciences (^)

Or

SLE155Chemistry for the Professional Sciences (^)

And

1 elective unit (science course grouped)

^ Note: Students who have not completed Year 12 Chemistry or equivalent take SLE133 and SLE155. Students who completed Year 12 Chemistry or equivalent take SLE155 and a one credit point elective unit (science course grouped).

Major sequences - Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability

Students must complete 6 credit points from one of the following:

One of Animal Biology , Cell Biology , Genomics, Human Biology, or Plant Biology

Chemistry

Environmental Science

Mathematical Modelling

Plus 5 credit points of Science course grouped elective units chosen from a second Bachelor of Science major listed above*

*Note: Students wishing to pursue studies in Geography should discuss unit selections with their enrolment officer.

Plus 4 credit points selected from: 

EDU201Educational Psychology

EDU202Educators and Learners

EDU203Literacy, Numeracy and Education

EDU301Culture, Diversity and Participation in Education

EDU302Education and Humanitarian Development

EDU303Education, Communication and Technology

Secondary Curriculum Study Units

All Secondary candidates will have 2 methods (disciplines) as reflected in their undergraduate major and minor sequences related to the Australian Curriculum.

Candidates undertake 2 curriculum studies units (as prescribed) per method (4 units for dual/double), across 1 or 2 learning areas.

Note: D304 permits a choice between learning areas 2 or 3 from the Secondary Curriculum learning areas of 1:English, 2:Mathematics, 3:Science, 4:Humanities, 5:Languages, 6:Health and PE, 7:The Arts.

Learning Area 2: Mathematics

Single method: Mathematics

ESM724Mathematics Curriculum Inquiry

ESM725Mathematics Curriculum Inquiry Senior Years

Learning Area 3: Science

Single method: One of Science, Biology, Chemistry, Env. Science

ESS744Science Curriculum Inquiry

Plus one of

ESS767Biology Curriculum Inquiry Senior Years

ESS768Chemistry Curriculum Inquiry Senior Years

ESS742Environmental Science Curriculum Inquiry Senior Years

ESS755General Science Curriculum Inquiry Senior Years

Dual method: Two of Science, Biology, Chemistry, Env. Science

ESS744Science Curriculum Inquiry

ESS741Sustainability and Environmental Education

Plus two of

ESS767Biology Curriculum Inquiry Senior Years

ESS768Chemistry Curriculum Inquiry Senior Years

ESS742Environmental Science Curriculum Inquiry Senior Years

ESS755General Science Curriculum Inquiry Senior Years

Master of Teaching structure

ELN010Australian Literacy Test (zero (0) credit points)

ELN011Australian Numeracy Test (zero (0) credit points)

7 core units (8 credit points)

EEE754Language, Literacy and Learning

EEE755Numeracy, Social Justice and New Pedagogies

EEE756Health, Wellbeing and Inclusive Education

EEH730Promoting Student Wellbeing

Professional Experience Placement Units*

EPR731Orientation to the Teaching Profession

EPR732Building Capacity in Professional Experience

EPR735Reflecting On Practice in Professional Experience (2 credit points)

*please note unit rules for order in which these must be completed

Plus two Secondary Curriculum Studies units in a first teaching method area

Plus two Secondary Curriculum Studies units in a second teaching method area


Professional Experience Placement

Students are required to apply for a Working with Children Check before commencing school experience in Trimester 3 of Year 3. Apply online as a volunteer at https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/

For further information contact the School of Education, Professional Experience office.

Course duration - additional information

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

Other learning experiences

Experiences in community and school or early childhood settings are embedded in some curriculum units beyond the professional experience placements. Students are also encouraged to volunteer in these settings. Wherever possible, academic staff work alongside education professionals and preservice teachers in these authentic learning experiences.

Research and research-related study

Independent research and practitioner research and training components are embedded across a number of units. Preservice teachers are expected to apply an integrated, critical and advanced understanding of complex bodies of knowledge and research skills in education in their practice.