Primary educators focus on helping children reach their full potential, inspire a love of learning, and guide them in the development of foundational skills in areas such as literacy and numeracy, and physical, arts, social and emotional competencies. Psychology professionals seek to understand how the mind works and the behaviour of people.

The Bachelor of Education (Primary) component of this double degree will provide you with the equivalent of two years full-time professional study in teacher education, preparing you to teach K-6 in both government and private schools. The Bachelor of Psychology component will develop your scientific understanding of the psychological processes that underlie behaviour, preparing you to work in psychology-related areas. In the classroom, an advanced understanding of human behaviour, especially of young children, is a highly desirable skill in teaching and will set you apart from your peers.

Key Features

• Entry to this degree is based on achieving the required selection rank and successfully completing a non-academic survey for teaching. Having met these requirements, irrespective of the number of Band 5 results you achieve in the HSC, you’re able to enrol in this degree as you’ll undertake a full-year sequence of discipline studies (what you teach) prior to undertaking curriculum and pedagogical studies, and supervised professional experience placement (how to teach).
• You’ll learn to apply Key Learning Area subject content knowledge to design learning experiences that reflect evidence-based best practice, and you’ll develop practical strategies for creating rapport with students. You’ll also acquire the skills to effectively embed technology and implement curriculum, assessment and reporting requirements.
• You’ll be taught by academics who are researching the latest approaches in both teaching and learning, and psychology. Macquarie is a leader in educational research with a particular focus on information and communication technology, mathematics and science teaching, English and inclusive education.
• This degree includes the opportunity to develop a teaching specialisation in maths, science and technology, or English.
• Macquarie’s unique model of professional experience ensures engagement with the profession starts early in your studies. From your first year, you’ll engage in classroom contexts, with observations in early childhood, primary and secondary settings. Professional experience placements begin in your second year with opportunities for local and regional placements, as well as overseas placements in countries such as India, Malaysia and Mexico. These experiences ensure you’ll be classroom ready upon completion of your studies.
• In your third year, you’ll have the opportunity to gain relevant workplace experience in a professional or community setting that’s relevant to psychology.
• You’ll attend dedicated workshops in your final year to support your transition from university into the teaching profession.
• Your learning will be further enhanced through our deep relationships with Macquarie University hub and partner schools, which facilitate ongoing engagement with teachers and classrooms, and with our on-campus Mia Mia Child and Family Study Centre, our Macquarie University Special Education Centre (MUSEC) – a school for children with special needs – and the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC).
• After you graduate, you’ll have access to ongoing professional learning and cutting-edge professional development through our Academy of Continuing Professional Development in Education.
• Macquarie is ranked among the top 100 institutions in the world and third in New South Wales for psychology, and in the top 100 in the world for education (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2018).
• Macquarie is ranked number one in Sydney for overall employability in psychology (QILT, 2017). 

ACCREDITATION

Graduates are eligible to teach in government and non-government schools. This course is accredited by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), and is recognised nationally and internationally by education providers.

Such accreditation requires that all students completing an initial teaching degree must demonstrate suitability for teaching. You’ll therefore be required to complete a short survey about your learning approaches and disposition as a future teacher.

This program is also accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).

• Primary teacher
• Education officer within a range of public and private institutions
• Educational adviser to government or other agencies
• Educational policy planner
• Educational researcher
• Employment in psychology-related areas (but not under the title of psychologist)
• Research assistant, report writer or academic in educational institutions