StudyQA — Master: Education — University of New England (Page 76)

Description Contents Requirements

The Master of Education is a course designed for professional educators who shall be admitted on the basis of their prior qualifications and who, in most cases, will be working in school settings. Successful completion of this course will deepen students' knowledge in a range of educational disciplines and engage students with contemporary practice and theory in those disciplines.

The course is comprised of eight units of study. The course has, in addition to an undesignated program pathway with a large range of curriculum options, ten specialisations which are designed to meet the needs of educators in a variety of professional contexts. These specialisations are: Comparative Education, Education Leadership, eLearning, Gifted and Talented Education, Indigenous Australian Education, International Schooling and Development, School Leadership, Special Education*, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Language and Literature and New Literacies.

The design of the Master of Education includes a nested program of Graduate Certificates that provide optional mid-course exit points. The course, with its focus on the needs of busy professionals, is available in part time mode using a variety of online learning technologies.

*Graduates of this course who also hold relevant teaching qualifications may be accredited as special education teachers by the NSW Department of Education & Communities.

Career Opportunities
Professional enrichment of educators and education decision-makers; re-orienting chosen teaching allocation; specialisation pathways.

Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

* build on existing knowledge of education as an academic discipline;
* demonstrate an understanding of current and relevant research literature in their field of study;
* apply knowledge of discipline to a relevant professional situation; and
* develop a personal theory of education as it relates to their field of study.

Graduate Attributes
Knowledge of a Discipline

Knowledge of discipline is taught in all units. It is assessed in different ways including online assessment tasks, essays, quizzes and exams. It is practiced in some units in professional experience activities.

Communication Skills

Communication skills are an important part of most units. Written and oral skills are taught, assessed and practiced through a variety of online and face-to-face activities.

Global Perspectives

Several units have a specific focus on global perspectives in a range of educational disciplines. In these units students are taught to explore different perspectives and are assessed on their understanding of those perspectives.

Information Literacy

Information literacy is explicitly taught, assessed and practiced in some units. In other units, students use a variety of online tools to engage with learning material and respond to assessment tasks.

Life-Long Learning

Students in this postgraduate course are expected to build on their existing professional knowledge and skills and to explore ways to apply that knowledge throughout their professional life. This is taught through learning activities which have a focus on individuals' professional contexts.

Problem Solving

Problem solving is taught, assessed and practiced in some units. Most units require students to practice problem-solving techniques to develop responses to assessment tasks.

Social Responsibility

Some units in this course have a specific focus on social responsibility as it relates to the discipline of education. In these units social responsibility is taught, assessed and practiced.

Team Work

In most units, students will explore aspects of team work as it applies to their field of study. In some units, features of effective team work will be taught and students will be assessed on activities involving a requirement to work in teams.

A candidate shall: (a) hold a four year pre-service teaching qualification of a recognised University or tertiary institution; or(b) hold a bachelor degree and a one or two year pre-service teaching qualification of a recognised University; or(c) hold the the Graduate Certificate in eLearning or the Graduate Certificate in Education Studies (Literature and New Literacies) or the Graduate Certificate in Education Studies (Career and Transition Education) or the Graduate Certificate in Gifted and Talented Education or the Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Australian Education or the Graduate Certificate in International Schooling, Education and Development or the Graduate Certificate in School Leadership or the Graduate Certificate in Special Education or the Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages of the University of New England or equivalent*; or(d) hold the Graduate Certificate in Education Studies of the University of New England; or(e) hold a four year degree of a University approved by the School**; or(f) satisfy the School by means of other qualifications and relevant experience of adequate preparation for candidature**; and(g) comply with the University's English Language requirements.*Candidates admitted under (c) shall specialise in the same area as their Graduate Certificate or not specialise.**Candidates admitted without a pre-service teaching qualification shall not be permitted to undertake the following specialisations: Indigenous Australian Education; International Schooling, Education and Development; Literature and New Literacies; School Leadership; TESOL.