Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Secondary)

Under normal progression, a student shall undertake and successfully complete all units of study to the value of 24 credit points per semester as prescribed for the course. Students are required to attend all lectures, tutorials and other activities prescribed for their units of study. Except with the permission of the Dean, a candidate must complete all unit of study requirements specified for each year, including professional experience units, before proceeding to the next year.

In response to COVID-19, the University of Sydney has reviewed the availability of courses to be delivered remotely for students commencing their studies in 2021 and 2022.

Students commencing this course in 2021 and 2022 can commence their studies remotely whilst the Australian border remains closed due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Remote study is not available for some units of study and/or placements essential to this course and you will be required to attend in-person on campus from Semester 1, Year 2.

About this course

The Bachelor of Education/Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Secondary) is a five-year combined degree that will give you a professional qualification to teach in secondary schools in the areas of humanities and social sciences, mathematics and science.

You will gain a strong practical and theoretical preparation for teaching. The course covers professional teaching, Aboriginal education, special and inclusive education, international education, and information and communications technology.

School observations and work-based training, worth a total of at least 560 hours, are integral components of the professional experiences in this degree. Professional teaching experiences and internships are offered in partnership with participating schools and will provide you with the opportunity to develop your teaching skills and professional understanding of how to work in schools.

In your first year you will engage in a broad tertiary education, studying units from the Sydney School of Education and Social Work, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences or the Faculty of Science.

You may choose a teaching major from one of the following areas: Aboriginal studies, Commerce, Economics, Geography, English, Drama, History (Modern or Ancient), Languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew (modern or classical), Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Modern Greek or Spanish, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry or Physics. You may also do a minor in a second teaching area.

For language studies: Pathways are available for applicants with no prior language experience, as well as for those with prior experience in the respective language of study.

In the final year of your degree, you have two options, Advanced Coursework OR Honours:

• Advanced Coursework: Enhance your leadership, critical thinking and problem-solving skills and increase your employment prospects. You will undertake challenging coursework and a substantial real-world project individually or in collaboration with other students.
• Honours: Develop deep analytical skills and prepare yourself for further research opportunities, such as pursuing a PhD. You will undertake a supervised but independent research project as well as connected discipline-based and/or research-focused coursework. Admission to the honours pathway is subject to meeting the specified WAM and additional entry requirements. Check with your faculty for details.

This course is offered full-time or as structured part-time mode, day-time only. All professional experience placements are only undertaken full-time.

Admission to this course is on the basis of the following criteria:

• a secondary education qualification such as the NSW Higher School Certificate (including national and international equivalents), or approved higher education study, including approved preparation courses.
• Applicants to all undergraduate education degrees (except Early Childhood) will be required to complete a brief personal statement. For more information, visit our personal statement FAQ page.
• English language requirements where these are not demonstrated by sufficient qualifications taught in English.

Admission pathways are open to domestic applicants on the basis of equity or other adjustment factors, including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants. For details, visit admission pathways.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites for NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)

Band 5 in three HSC subjects (or equivalent) one of which must be English (English Standard or English Advanced or ESL/EALD).

Similar requirements will be applied to the IB and other Australian Year 12 qualifications. For other secondary qualifications applicants will need to achieve the minimum scores provided as a guide as well as achieve good results in English (not ESL). Applicants who must meet English proficiency requirements through an English proficiency test such as IELTS must meet those requirements separately. Applicants must also meet any additional requirements as set by regulatory bodies or accrediting agencies.

Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students (LANTITE)

The requirement to complete the LANTITE applies to all students enrolled in the BEd (Primary); BEd (Health and PE); BEd (Secondary); BEd/BAS (Secondary); and all Master of Teaching programs except MTeach (Early Childhood).

All BEd students are expected to sit and pass the test within the first two years of candidature.

Register to take the LANTITE.

For information about teacher-accreditation requirements in NSW, including the testing, visit the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).

Inherent requirements for degrees in education
To assist students to make informed choices about their study, the Sydney School of Education and Social Work has identified inherent requirements this degree. In order to successfully complete such a course, students must possess these qualities and skills (PDF).