Secondary educators guide their students through adolescence and prepare them for a successful life ahead.

This initial teacher education degree prepares you for a rewarding career in secondary school teaching, and enables you to pursue specialist interests. You will develop the critical knowledge and skills of best practice in education to meet the needs of 21st-century learners.

You can specialise in one or two curriculum areas, studying units that provide specialist discipline knowledge and units that develop your pedagogical knowledge.

You will also study units that establish your understanding of teaching practice, such as educational psychology, Indigenous education and teaching students with diverse learning needs.

As part of the course you will complete four professional work experience placements in schools. These placements are undertaken in full-time blocks, regardless of your study mode. You may have the opportunity to undertake a rural, interstate or overseas placement.

Teaching placements

• Year 2: a two-week full-time block and three-week full-time block
• Year 3: a three-week full-time block
• Year 4: a ten-week full-time block (one school term)

BUILD YOUR DEGREE

STEP A: Choose your major

Your major prepares you with the content and pedagogical knowledge you will need to teach across your chosen curriculum area from Years 7 to 12, as well as in your specialist subject area in Years 11 and 12.

Choose your major from:

• English
• HASS* (Geography)
• HASS* (History)
• HASS* (Economics)
• HASS* (Politics and Law)
• Mathematics
• Science (Biology)
• Science (Chemistry)
• Science (Human Biology)
• Science (Psychology)
• Science (Physics)
• The Arts (Drama)
• The Arts (Media Productions and Analysis)
• The Arts (Visual Arts)

* Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)

STEP B: Complete your degree structure

Complement your major with one of the three options below. This step happens after you accept Curtin’s offer for your chosen major, however your choice of second specialisation is dependent upon the education major you select.

Refer to the specific majors for further information about the available second specialisations.

Option 1: A minor teaching area

Expand your scope as an educator by supplementing your major teaching area with a minor teaching specialisation from a different area of the school curriculum.

Option 2: Extend in your major teaching area

With this option you will deepen or broaden your understanding of your specialist subject area by studying additional discipline-specific units. You will also extend your curriculum and pedagogical knowledge in your chosen major.

Option 3: An education specialty

Extend your curriculum and pedagogical knowledge in your chosen major, while furthering your studies by choosing from a selection of education units.

Why study

• There is a current shortage of secondary education teachers in Australia, and consequently there is a high uptake of graduates by employers.
• Curtin’s Education courses were ranked in the top 150 in the world in the 2020 QS World University Rankings by Subject.
• Staff teaching in the Secondary Education program are active researchers and scholars who represent a high level of expertise in their disciplinary fields from across the University.
• Curtin has a long commitment to the area of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) which are key areas of focus in education.
• You will be immersed in a technology-enhanced learning environment where group interaction and collaborative activities will develop your teaching capability.
• This course integrates education theory with classroom practice for all areas – you will undertake 18 weeks of supervised teaching experience in schools throughout your degree.
• The School of Education receives consistently positive feedback from employers, who say Curtin graduate teachers are of excellent quality and well prepared for the education industry.

How this course will make you industry ready

• All units are mapped to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, ensuring you graduate with the relevant competencies required to teach successfully. 
• You will build a professional digital portfolio that showcases your teaching abilities to potential employers.
• You will complete 18 weeks of teaching practice over the course of your studies, including a 10-week internship where you will have responsibility for students’ learning, under the mentorship of a qualified teacher.

Professional recognition

This course is accredited by the Teachers Registration Board of WA, and is recognised nationally as an initial teacher education qualification. Graduates can register as a teacher in Australia and other countries that recognise Australian teaching qualifications.

Careers

• Secondary school teacher
• Policy development officer
• Special programs officer
• Trainer, mentor or coach
• Curriculum designer

Industries

• Education (government and non-government)