Master of Specialist Inclusive Education
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2025 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Specialist Inclusive Education |
| Deakin course code | E734 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts and Education |
| Campus | This course is only offered Online For students who commenced prior to 2025 only |
| Online | Yes |
| Duration | Depending on your professional experience and previous qualifications, the Master of Specialist Inclusive Education is typically between
Deakin courses can also be studied part-time over a longer period. |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9 |
Note: This is not an initial teacher education qualification. Students wishing to enter the profession of teaching should instead consider one of our five Master of Teaching courses or E737 Master of Applied Learning and Teaching (Secondary) | |
The final intake to this course version was in Trimester 3, 2024. From 2025, the Master of Specialist Inclusive Education is offered as E768 Master of Education (Specialist Inclusive Education). Students should contact a Student Adviser in Student Central for course and enrolment information. Further course structure information can be found in the handbook archive. | |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Research information
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Fees and charges
Course overview
The Master of Specialist Inclusive Education equips qualified primary or secondary teachers with advanced knowledge of contemporary education issues and inclusive education practices within school systems.
Are you passionate about enabling all students to reach their full potential through an equitable standard of education?
Deakin’s Master of Specialist Inclusive Education gives you the tools to instil positive teaching practices in the classroom and beyond. You’ll gain highly specialised knowledge and skills to ensure the accessibility, participation and success for students with diverse educational needs.
The course explores the implementation of social justice policy and addresses topics of gender, sexuality, social class, race, ethnicity, disability and the intersections between them. You’ll learn how to provide high-quality, inclusive education to students with disabilities and/or additional learning needs. Plus, you will graduate with advanced level, specialist skills that enable you to mentor other teachers and professionals involved in developing personalised, inclusive educational programs.
We maintain close links with the education sector – like the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET) and Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) – to ensure our courses are developed and reviewed with industry and professional input. You’ll be taught by staff with experience in the sector that are recognised as leaders and innovators in their fields – so you can be confident that what you learn at Deakin will be relevant to your teaching career.
Plus, our strong links to international universities, including the University of Sheffield (UK) and Aarhus University (Denmark), ensure you (and your career) benefit from a globally aligned approach to inclusive education.
Through a combination of theory, research and professional experience you will gain high-level critical thinking and evaluative research skills that are transferable across a variety of educational settings, including both mainstream and specialist schools. With increasingly diverse student populations driving the amalgamation of mainstream and specialist schools, this highly sought-after skill set will truly set you apart from your peers.
Professional recognition
International students and permanent residents
Graduates intending to apply for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) will be required to demonstrate:
- an IELTS average band score of 7.5 across all four skill areas (where there is no score below 7 in any of the four skills areas)
- a score of no less than 8 in speaking and listening.
Read the VIT's Qualification for Teachers Registration policy for full details.
Career opportunities
The contemporary need for teachers to successfully identify and address complex learning challenges in the classroom is growing.
As a graduate, you will be qualified to meet the Department of Education and Training (DET) requirements for employment related to special educational needs across a range of educational settings in Australia and overseas, including:
- specialist schools
- specialist developmental schools
- mainstream primary and secondary schools.
You’ll be well prepared to take a critically reflective, research-oriented approach to your practice and better equipped to pursue leadership positions.
The course also presents a clear pathway for those looking to study a higher degree by research.
For more information go to DeakinTALENT.
Research information
Students are able to undertake one of three options for research training and research in the course. Each option has a common foundation that is based on an introductory unit of one credit point in research design & method. This research study is then further supported by one of the three research options:
Option 1: application of the research training through a one credit point research based project for professional practice;
Option 2: advanced research training of one credit point of either quantitative or qualitative research methods; and Research Paper (2 credit points);
Option 3: advanced research training of one credit point of either quantitative or qualitative research methods; and Minor Thesis (4 credit points).
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Integrate, analyse, evaluate and critically review inclusive education theoretical foundations and practices, and create and apply specialist pedagogies, curriculum and assessments across a range of educational contexts. |
| Communication | Develop personal, professional and scholarly communication strategies for application to varied channels of communication (including oral, written, digital and/or augmented) that effectively supports partnerships between specialist and non-specialist stakeholders of inclusive learning in diverse contexts. |
| Digital literacy | Critically analyse, design, implement and evaluate high quality, credible, adaptive digital resources to support equitable access, participation and engagement in learning for all students. |
| Critical thinking | Analyse the interrelationship between philosophies, theories and practices of inclusive education to inform strategies that advance equitable access and positive learning outcomes for students and complex learning partnerships. |
| Problem solving | Critically analyse, reflect and use professional and ethical judgement to realise creative, positive and inclusive solutions to complex teaching and learning problems across a range of learning partnerships. |
| Self-management | Actively engage in critical reflective practice and ongoing professional learning and support the development of inclusive communities of practice, cross-disciplinary dialogue and scholarship. |
| Teamwork | Collaborate, build, contribute to and lead learning partnerships and multidisciplinary teams across a range of diverse contexts to advance the inclusive learning and development of all learners. |
| Global citizenship | Analyse national and international practice and theory of inclusive education in relation to legal, ethical and policy frameworks to address issues of equity and social justice across diverse communities in a global context. |
Approved at Faculty Board July 2017
Course rules
To complete the Master of Specialist Inclusive Education students must typically pass 12 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
- 3 credit points of core units
- 2 credit points of professional experience units
- one of:
- option 1:
- 2 credit points of research units
- 5 credit points of course electives
- option 2:
- 4 credit points of research units including a research paper
- 3 course electives
- option 3:
- 6 credit points of research units including minor thesis
- 1 course elective
- option 1:
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.
Course structure
Core units
| EIE702 | Teaching and Learning in the Inclusive Classroom |
| EXE732 | Social Justice and Difference |
| EEI715 | Effective Classroom Management: Positive Learning Environments |
Professional experience units
| EEI704 | Advanced Inclusive Practice |
| EEI705 | Practicum: Specialist Inclusive Education |
EEI703 Personalised Program Planning [No longer available for enrolment]
Research Options
Option 1
2 credit points of research units
| EDX701 | Research Design Development and Method |
| EDX707 | Independent Research Project for Professional Practice |
Plus
5 credit points of electives
Option 2
4 credit points of research units including a 2 credit point research paper
| EDX701 | Research Design Development and Method |
| EDX712 | Theory and Methodology in Education Research |
| EDX703 | Research Paper A |
| EDX704 | Research Paper B |
Plus
3 credit points of electives
Option 3
6 credit points of research units which include a minor thesis
| EDX701 | Research Design Development and Method |
| EDX712 | Theory and Methodology in Education Research |
| EDX705 | Minor Thesis A (2 credit points) |
| EDX706 | Minor Thesis B (2 credit points) |
Plus
1 credit point of Course Elective from List A below
Course Electives List A
| ESP701 | Education and Development of Exceptional Learners |
| ECP711 | Creativity and the Arts |
| ECP703 | Child Protection |
| EIE704 | Supporting Communication in Inclusive Classrooms |
| ECM720 | Educational Context, Policy and Leadership in Challenging Times |
| ECM723 | Leading and Managing Innovation, Change and Improvement |
| IND730 | Decolonising Teaching and Learning: Recognition, Relationships, and Reconciliation On Unceded Land |
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.