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Master of Teaching (Primary) (MC-TEACHPR)
Masters (Coursework)Year: 2021 Delivered: On Campus (Parkville)
About this course
- Overview
- Entry and participation requirements
- Attributes, outcomes and skills
- Course structure
- Majors, minors and specialisations
- Further study
- Notes
Contact
Melbourne Graduate School of Education
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Contact Stop 1
Future students:
Coordinator
Natasha Ziebell
Overview
Award title | Master of Teaching (Primary) |
---|---|
Year & campus | 2021 — Parkville |
CRICOS code | 093411M |
Fees information | Subject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date |
Study level & type | Graduate Coursework |
AQF level | 9 |
Credit points | 200 credit points |
Duration | 24 months full-time or 48 months part-time |
The Master of Teaching (Primary) prepares graduates to teach in generalist primary classrooms. The course has a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy education and seeks to develop exemplary teacher practitioners who enter the profession ready for the diverse contexts they will experience. Central to the course is the integration of theory and classroom practice and the conceptualisation of teaching as a clinical practice profession. The course also provides a depth of professional knowledge in a chosen discipline area. Study options include a capstone project and elective, or preparation for higher degree research.
Links to further information
Information for future students: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/courses/graduate/master-of-teaching-primary/
Entry requirements
1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
- an undergraduate degree in any discipline; and
- a selection test as determined by the Selection Committee.
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.
2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
- prior academic performance; and
- the results of the selection test. *
3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.
4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for graduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 7+ is required.
Note.
(a) The Academic Board may prescribe minimum grade point averages for undergraduate studies that must be met by applicants eligible for Guaranteed Entry in a given year. Applicants not eligible for Guaranteed Entry will normally be required to have a grade point average for undergraduate studies at least as high as the prescribed minimum for Guaranteed Entry.
(b) All applicants must have a valid Working with Children Check prior to the commencement of the Practicum subjects, and for the duration of the program.
(c) Higher English standards than those normally required for admission to graduate study at the University of Melbourne may be needed for eligibility for Australian teacher registration on graduation. The Selection Committee may require applicants who have not recently completed a full undergraduate degree in Australia or New Zealand to demonstrate English language ability using one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board at performance band 7+, even if their prior study of the English language, or their prior education and assessment in an English language university, would normally exempt them from standard testing.
(d) *All applicants must complete the Teacher Capability Assessment Tool (TCAT) selection test and meet all TCAT benchmarks. Details of the selection test are available on the Melbourne Graduate School of Education’s Teacher Capability Assessment Tool (TCAT) website.
(e) Graduate Degree Package for School Leavers
The University of Melbourne offers Graduate Degree Packages to high achieving school leavers, allowing them to secure places (Commonwealth Supported places for domestic students or International fee places) in the Master of Teaching (Primary) provided that they meet certain requirements.
For a Commonwealth Supported Place or an International Fee Place, the applicant must:
- complete an Australian Year 12 or the International Baccalaureate (IB) in 2018 or later either:
— in Australia; or
— outside Australia and be an Australian citizen;
- achieve an ATAR (or notional ATAR) of at least 95.00;
- apply for a University of Melbourne Graduate Degree Package for commencement in the year following completion of Year 12 or IB via VTAC;
- enrol immediately or be granted deferral in the year following Year 12;
- successfully complete a Bachelor of Arts, Design, Fine Arts, Music or Science at the University of Melbourne including all the specified prerequisite subjects;
- complete the Teacher Capability Assessment Tool during application into the undergraduate degree; and
- commence the Master of Teaching (Primary) within 18 months of completing the undergraduate degree.
Applicants should refer to the University handbook for the additional entry requirements for the undergraduate degrees in the Graduate Degree Packages.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The Melbourne Graduate School of Education welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and Graduate School policy to take reasonable steps to enable the participation of students with disabilities, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the Graduate School’s programs.
The core participation requirements for study in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education are:
In all courses
- The ability to comprehend complex information related to education and the disciplines in which the student is teaching.
- The ability to communicate clearly and independently in assessment tasks a knowledge of the content, principles and practices relating to education and other relevant disciplines.
- Behavioural and social attributes that enable a student to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.
In courses requiring students to undertake practicum placements
- The ability to undertake professional practice placements independently, including:
a. the ability based on personal maturity to establish a professional relationship with students and interact with them appropriately;
b. the ability to communicate to students the subject matter being taught with clarity and in a way that is age-sensitive;
c. the ability to model literacy and numeracy skills independently for students and in all their interactions meet community expectations of the literacy and numeracy skills teachers should have;
d. the ability to demonstrate skilfully and safely activities required in particular discipline areas being taught (e.g. physical education activities, science laboratory techniques);
e. the ability to create, monitor and maintain a safe physical environment, a stable and supportive psychological environment, and a productive learning environment in their classroom;
f. the ability to establish effective relationships with all members of the school community, including colleagues, students, and caregivers;
g. the ability based on mental and physical health to exercise sound judgment and respond promptly to the demands of classroom situations, and the personal resilience to cope and maintain their wellbeing under stress.
Students who feel a disability will prevent them from meeting the above academic requirements are encouraged to contact the Student Equity and Disability Support.
Professional accreditation
This course is accredited at professional level by the Victorian Institute of Teaching according to the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Graduate Standards and Initial Teacher Education Program Standards.
Intended learning outcomes
At the completion of the Master of Teaching, graduates will have attained the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level), and have developed knowledge and competencies associated with the use of the Clinical Teaching Judgement model. In combination, these Master of Teaching learning outcomes will enable graduates to:
- Reflect critically on the ways in which educational theory and research informs teaching practice
- Demonstrate strong subject and pedagogical content knowledge to create productive learning environments that empower learners
- Interpret, design and implement relevant curriculum and pedagogy, integrating digital technologies and differentiating teaching to engage all students in their learning
- Design assessment tools and tasks and interpret data and evidence to make sound clinical judgments about teaching interventions and reflect on the impact of teaching on learning outcomes
- Utilise interventionist teaching practices that promote participation and inclusion to meet the needs of diverse learners
- Demonstrate a high level of 21st century skills and be able to develop these skills in students
- Create and maintain safe and supportive learning environments using knowledge of practical approaches to promote positive behaviours
- Establish and maintain ethical and respectful relationships with students, colleagues and parents, working independently and collaboratively across the school community
- Evaluate the social and political contexts informing education and teaching and interpret the professional standards for teachers
- Demonstrate capacity to reflect upon the effectiveness of teaching practice as well as the impact on student learning
- Demonstrate continuous professional learning through teacher practitioner inquiry and research.
Generic skills
Master of Teaching graduates will develop the following set of key transferable skills:
- Clinical reasoning and thinking
- Problem solving
- Evidence based decision making
- Creativity and innovation
- Teamwork and professional collaboration
- Learning to learn and metacognition
- Responsiveness to a changing knowledge base
- Reflection for continuous improvement
- Linking theory and practice
- Inquiry and research
- Active and participatory citizenship.
Graduate attributes
Graduates of the Master of Teaching will:
- Embody the standards of the teaching profession and support the development of teaching as a profession
- Be practitioners of clinical teaching, who teach for growth for all students using an inclusive, developmental, intervention-based approach that utilizes deep learning and evidence based strategies
- Be culturally and socially aware, able to establish respectful and ethical relationships with students, staff, parents and the broader school communities / early childhood centres
- Be creative, innovative, self-directed and life-long learners, able to link theory and practice and respond to a changing educational landscape.
Course structure
The Master of Teaching (Primary) is a 200-credit point program which may be completed over
- 2 years of full time study; or
- 4 years of part time study.
Teacher Candidates complete:
- 5 core subjects focusing on the theory and practice of education
- 10-12 discipline area subjects
- 3 Clinical Teaching Practice subjects which incorporate the primary school placements, and
- Subjects specific to either the Coursework or Research options.
The Coursework or Research subjects are completed in the second half of the program alongside the core program and comprise:
- Coursework: 1 x 25-point capstone subject and 1 elective; or
- Research*: 50 points of research preparation for entry to higher degree research programs.
* In order to be eligible to apply for the Research Option, Teacher Candidates must achieve a minimum average of H2A (75%) in the first 100 credit points of the program.
All Teacher Candidates must meet the following course progression requirement:
The Australian Commonwealth Government’s Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students (the Test) is administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (independently of The University of Melbourne).
Each Teacher Candidate must satisfactorily complete the Test by the end of the first calendar year of their enrolment in the Master of Teaching (Primary). This is necessary in order for each Teacher Candidate to continue beyond the first calendar year of their course.
Failure to satisfactorily complete the Test by this progression point will result in referral to the Melbourne Graduate School of Education’s Course Academic Progress Committee and may result in exclusion from the course. Excluded Teacher Candidates may be granted an early exit award of a Graduate Diploma in Pedagogy (Primary)* (subject to satisfactory completion of relevant subjects). Alternatively they may be withdrawn from the course.
*Note that the Graduate Diploma in Pedagogy (Primary) is not a qualification for registration to teach in schools.
Full Time 2-Year Plan
- When applying for the course, Teacher Candidates select the full time option
- Undertake four semesters of full time study over 2 years
- Enrol according to the Full Time Plan
Part Time 4-Year Plan
- When applying for the course, Teacher Candidates select the part time option
- Undertake eight semesters of part time study over 4 years
- Enrol according to the Part Time Plan.
Factors to consider when selecting Part Time include:
- It is not possible to complete the Research Pathway Option within the 4-year Part Time plan (see note below on converting to full time to take the Research Pathway Option).
- Teacher Candidates that start in Part Time may request to change to Full Time by no later than the start of Semester 2 of Year 2. They then follow the Standard Full Time second year structure and pursue either the Coursework or Research Pathway Option (subject to meeting eligibility requirements). Changing to Full Time would permit Teacher Candidates to complete their degree in 3 years.
- Applicants / Teacher Candidates should carefully consider suitability of the Part Time plan to their personal circumstances, as well as the study load implications (e.g. on international student visa, or government support).
Specialised Pathways
Teacher Candidates must complete the requirements of one Specialised Pathway, to gain a depth of knowledge in a specific discipline area. The suite includes:
- The Arts
- Health & Physical Education
- Humanities
- Languages
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Science
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
Teacher Candidates nominate their preferred Specialised Pathway in Semester 1 of Year 1. Selection into pathways is confirmed at the end of Year 1, and is determined by Teacher Candidates’ previous experience, performance in relevant Year 1 subjects and the overall demand for each pathway.
Selection into the Languages Specialised Pathway also requires prior completion of a major study of an approved language. Teacher Candidates with other qualifications will need to arrange to be assessed by a language department of an Australian university as being of equivalent proficiency.
To meet the requirements of a Specialised Pathway, Teacher Candidates:
- Must follow the overall course structure, and complete all subjects that are compulsory to the Master of Teaching (Primary) (note that identified compulsory subjects are substituted with extension subjects in the Literacy, Mathematics, Science and STEM pathways);
- Must satisfy a minimum specified credit points of study in the Specialised Pathway focus area;
- In the Coursework Option must take a Specialised Pathway focus in the capstone subject, and may be required to take a Specialised Pathway focus in the elective / place based elective (depending on the pathway);
- In the Research Option, must take a Specialised Pathway focus in the two research-focused subjects.
The Arts, Health & Physical Education, Humanities and Science Specialised Pathways each require a minimum of 50 credit points of study in the focus area. A Specialised Pathway focus must be taken in the capstone and elective/place based elective subjects (Coursework Option); or in the research‐focused subjects (Research Option).
The Languages Specialised Pathway requires a minimum of 62.5 credit points of study in the Languages focus area, and can only be completed in the Coursework Option (i.e. the Research Option is not available). The Languages Specialised Pathway satisfies the Victorian Institute of Teaching specialist requirements for Languages Teachers. A Languages focus must be taken in the capstone subject, and EDUC90543 Languages for Young Learners completed as the elective (which includes a supervised Languages teaching practicum).
The Literacy and Mathematics Specialised Pathways require a minimum of 50 credit points of study in the focus area. All extension subjects (which substitute identified compulsory subjects) must be completed. In the Coursework Option, a pathway focus must be taken in the capstone subject. Teacher Candidates may choose between taking the pathway-focused elective, a Place Based Elective (with or without a pathway focus), or one of the Alternative electives. In the Research Option, a pathway focus must be taken in the research-focused subjects.
The STEM Specialised Pathway requires a minimum of 62.5 credit points of study in STEM. All extension subjects (which substitute identified compulsory subjects) must be completed. In the Coursework Option, Teacher Candidates must take a STEM focus in the capstone subject. Teacher Candidates may choose between taking the STEM-focused elective, a Place Based Elective (with or without a STEM focus), or one of the Alternative electives. In the Research Option, a STEM focus must be taken in the research-focused subjects.
Specialised Pathway-specific details and contributing subjects are provided on the Majors, Minors and Specialisations pages.
Extension subjects
Teacher Candidates wishing to extend knowledge in another discipline may elect to take core extension subjects from another Specialised Pathway (if they meet the subject prerequisites). Note that this will not give Teacher Candidates a second specialised pathway.
Subject options
See subject options for each of the Full Time and Part Time course plans listed under Majors, minors and specialisations.
Majors, minors & specialisations
Subjects are outlined within each of the course plans below:
Name | Credit Points |
---|---|
Full Time Plan | 200 |
Part Time Plan | 200 |
Further study
Graduates who successfully complete the Research option with the achievement of a H2A GPA are eligible to apply for entry to the Doctor of Education program or a PhD. Please note also that graduates of an undergraduate Honours degree may already be eligible for doctoral studies, subject to the same entry and achievement requirements.
This entry shows the course structure for students commencing the course from 2020 onwards. Students who commenced this course in a previous year should refer to the appropriate previous year's Handbook entry for their course structure.
Last updated: 20 April 2024