Graduate Certificate of Adult, Vocational and Further Education
2026 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2026 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Graduate Certificate of Adult, Vocational and Further Education |
| Course Credit Points | 4 |
| Deakin course code | E506 |
| Course version | 2 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts and Education |
| Course Information | For students who commenced from 2026 onwards |
| Campus | This course is only offered Online |
| Duration | 1 year part-time |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2026 This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2026 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8 |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Take your teaching expertise and salary to the next level, with Deakin’s Graduate Certificate of Adult, Vocational and Further Education. This course will equip you with the advanced knowledge and practical skills – and AQF level 8 qualification – to meet the growing demand for teachers within the TAFE and Vocational Education and Training (VET) system.
With a focus on developing your agency in the classroom, this course will equip you with the skills and knowledge to confidently design, teach and assess in TAFE/VET. You’ll explore the methodologies behind creating authentic and inclusive learning experiences for students and investigate the design, development and evaluation of research in education. You’ll also have the opportunity to undertake your own independent research project relevant to professional practice in education.
Ready to boost your VET professional learning to take your teaching career and salary to the next level?
With a supervised professional practice component, you’ll gain the support you need to integrate the innovative practices and approaches you learn about directly into your teaching, enhancing your expertise – and your career. By developing transferable skills, such as critical enquiry, collaboration and strategic thinking, you’ll also be set to skilfully navigate the challenges of VET teaching, now and into the future.
Deakin’s Graduate Certificate of Adult, Vocational and Further Education meets the requirements for an AQF level 8 or above teaching qualification in the Victorian TAFE Teaching Staff Agreement, meaning you’ll graduate qualified to apply for new MEA classifications and associated incremental salary points.
This course is delivered via Deakin’s premium online platform – meaning can get ahead with your career journey while also maintaining work, study and personal commitments. You can also choose to start your course in any of Deakin’s three study periods (trimesters) across the year.
Career opportunities
Graduates of Deakin’s Graduate Certificate of Adult, Vocational and Further Education will have advanced skills, knowledge and expertise to teach in TAFE and the Vocational Education and Training system, including the adult and community education sectors.
For more information go to DeakinTALENT.
Participation requirements
Compulsory learning experiences
A total of 200-hours of teaching practice, teacher observation and teacher professional development and professional activities, including:
• 50 hours of direct supervision, observed and evaluated by a qualified teacher or educator;
• 50 hours of observed teaching practice of other teacher practitioners;
• 50 hours of participation in activities such as attendance at teacher meetings, development of course materials, student interviews, industry liaison and consultation with external authorities and enterprises; and,
• 50 hours of other teaching–related activities may include further directly supervised teaching practice, teaching observations, or participation in other professional teaching activities.
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Critically analyse and apply advanced and specialised knowledge of the principles of contemporary adult vocational education research, curriculum design, inclusive pedagogy and evidence-based assessment and their application for teaching and learning in adult, vocational and further education. |
| Communication | Employ expert oral and written communication skills required of adult, vocational education teaching and scholarship to be able to convey complex knowledge to a variety of audiences and work effectively in teams. |
| Digital literacy | Apply a range of digital technologies and data sources to create, search, analyse, report, evaluate and communicate within the practice and scholarship of teaching of adult, vocational education. |
| Critical thinking | Critically review, analyse and synthesise complex ideas and make informed judgements to improve teaching and learning methodologies, pedagogies and practices in adult, vocational education industries. |
| Problem solving | Apply advanced knowledge of theories of learning and teaching methodologies individual and collaboratively in teams to identify, evaluate and resolve problems of practice and challenges impacting on adult vocational education, including addressing implications for scholarship of teaching and learning (SOTL). |
| Self-management | Apply an evidence-based approach to critical self-reflection in relation to teaching and learning, and evidence of a commitment to ongoing, self-directed lifelong learning and professional development. |
| Global citizenship | Analyse and apply ethical and professional standards in engaging with key challenges in teaching and learning globally, and within diverse socioeconomic, cultural and faith-based contexts, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. |
Approved at Faculty Board September 2019
Course rules
To complete the Graduate Certificate of Adult, Vocational and Further Education you must pass 4 credit points. This includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- 4 credit points of core units.
Most units are equal to one credit point. Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Course structure
Core units
Compulsory 0-credit point units
To be completed in the first trimester of study:
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin |
Units
| EDX701 | Research Design Development and Method |
| EDX707 | Independent Research Project for Professional Practice |
| EEE735 | Designing, Teaching and Assessment in Adult, Vocational and Further Education |
| EEE736 | Contextualising Learning and Teaching in Adult, Vocational, Tertiary and Further Education |
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.
Fees and charges
Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.
Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
Further information
Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.