Master of Education (MC-ED) // Course structure

Course structure

2 Year Program (200 credit points)

The course requires the completion of 200 credit points of study over two years full time (or part time equivalent). The compulsory subjects completed in the first semester of the course provide a foundation in education studies. Students can choose to complete up to two specialisations in an area/s of interest, or tailor the course from a wide selection of subjects.

In the final semester of the course, students undertake a capstone professional project; or may choose to complete a research pathway option (conditional upon meeting the eligibility criteria).

In Year 1, Semester 1 (or the first 50 points of study), students must complete:

• 4 x compulsory subjects (50 points).

In Year 1, Semester 2 (or the second 50 points of study), students must complete:

• 4 x electives/specialisation subjects (50 points)

 In Year 2 (or the final 100 points), students must complete:

• 6 x electives/specialisation subjects (75 points); and
• 1 x capstone professional project subject, in the final semester of the course (25 points)

Alternatively, students who meet the eligibility criteria may enrol into the Research Pathway* option. For those students, the Year 2 structure comprises:

• 4 x electives/specialisation subjects (50 points); and
• 2 x research pathway subjects, taken in the final semester of the course (50 points)

 1 Year Program (100 credit points)

Students with 100 points of advanced standing complete 100 points of study over one year full time (or part-time equivalent).

Students must follow the 'Year 2' course structure, taking either the Capstone Professional Project option or the Research Pathway option.

Specialisations

Students can obtain a specialisation by satisfactorily completing Specialisation subjects in that area (totalling 50 points). Up to two specialisations can be obtained in the 200-point program.

• Arts Education
• Assessment and Pedagogy
• Equity, Diversity and Social Change
• Leadership and Management
• Literacy Education
• Mathematics and Science Education
• Policy in a Global Context
• Student Wellbeing

Electives

Electives may be chosen from:

• Education Level 3 Electives (up to 25 points, and taken in Year 1 of the 200-point program only);
• General Electives;
• Specialisation subjects (subjects listed within a specialisation may be taken as a single elective subject).

Students may also complete up to 25 points of the following types of subjects as part of their elective study component, with the permission of the Master of Education course coordinator:

• Relevant postgraduate subjects from one of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education specialist master degrees for which the student meets the requisites (with permission of the relevant subject coordinator, and the Master of Education course coordinator);
• Relevant postgraduate subjects from another Faculty/Graduate School for which the student meets the requisites (with permission of the relevant subject coordinator, and the Master of Education course coordinator).

Capstone Professional Project

Students complete an independent investigation of a topic that they regard as directly related to their own professional practice and/or within their area of specialisation in the 25-point Capstone Professional Project subject. The subject must be taken in the final semester of the course.

*Research Pathway

This pathway is designed for students intending to pursue further research, such as a PhD. It provides a grounding in educational research methodology and design.

The two research pathway subjects must be undertaken in the final semester of the course, and the following eligibility criteria must be met to enrol in the subjects:

• Students in the 200-point program must achieve an average of at least H2A (75%) in the first 125 points of the course;
• Students in the 100-point program must achieve an average of at least H2A (75%) in their first 50 points of their course.

Alternative Exit

Students may exit this course early and apply to graduate with:

• A Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies (GD-EDST), if they have satisfied the requirements for that award during their enrolment in this master's course (i.e., successfully completed the prescribed first 100 credit points of study of the 200-credit point master degree); or
• A Graduate Certificate in Education (GC-EDGEN), if they have satisfied the requirements for that award during their enrolment in this master degree course (i.e.  successfully completed 50 credit points of study).

Subject options

2 Year Program (200 credit points)

YEAR 1 / FIRST 50 POINTS

Compulsory subjects

4 x compulsory subjects

YEAR 1 / SECOND 50 POINTS

Electives/Specialisation subjects

4 x subjects chosen from:

• Specialisation subjects (Students who wish to obtain a specialisation must complete 4 Specialisation subjects as prescribed in that area, totalling 50 points); and/or
• Education Level 3 Electives (up to 25 points); and/or
• General Electives.

Specialisation subjects

Refer to Majors, minors & specialisations.

Education Level 3 Electives

General Electives

YEAR 2 / SECOND 100 POINTS

Students can undertake either of the following two pathways:

Capstone Professional Project Option

6 x subjects chosen from:

• General Electives; and/or
• Specialisation subjects (Students who wish to obtain a specialisation must complete 4 Specialisation subjects as prescribed in that area, totalling 50 points);

and

• EDUC90989, which must be taken in the final semester of the course.

Research Pathway Option

The research pathway must be taken in the final 50 points of the course, and the eligibility requirement must be met to enrol (refer to Course Structure).

4 x subjects chosen from:

• General Electives; and/or
• Specialisation subjects (Students who wish to obtain a specialisation must complete 4 Specialisation subjects as prescribed in that area, totalling 50 points);

and

• The research methodology (EDUC90419) and research design (either EDUC90558, or EDUC90931 & EDUC90932) subjects, which can be taken in order, or together.

1 Year Program (100 credit points)

Students in the 1 Year Program (100 credit points) follow the 'Year 2' course structure above, taking either the Capstone Professional Project option or the Research Pathway option. Students who wish to undertake the Research Pathway must have at least an H2A average (or equivalent) in the first 50 points of the course.

Electives may be chosen from Specialisation subjects or General Electives. Students who wish to obtain a specialisation must complete Specialisation subjects as prescribed in that area (totalling 50 points).

Last updated: 11 December 2024