Master of Secondary Teaching overview
The Master of Teaching (Secondary) provides students with the opportunity to gain extensive knowledge of the craft, taking two years to complete if undergone full time or up to four years part time. The University of Sydney and similar institutions provide fundamental units in literacy and numeracy teaching like graduate certificates and diplomas, with the added benefit of additional subjects like history curriculum development, languages, special education and gaining experience with teacher internships.
Employment options
The employment options detailed more extensively here are a fantastic way of getting into the secondary education industry. Joining a discipline-specific society like the Australian Science Teachers Association is way to make useful connections, update skills and find employment opportunities that most other graduates would miss. It’s highly recommended to seek these out to improve employment prospects.
Scholarships and funding
There are a variety of scholarships available to students of secondary teaching. The following are some of the best.
- The STGA Postgraduate Award in Education is ideal for secondary education students, providing $4,000 to students of education.
- The Indigenous Australian Graduate Scholarship is for Aboriginal or Torres Strait islander students. It provides $26,682, so long as the successful applicant achieved at least second class honours in prior study. They also must maintain a credit GPA (65%).
- Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships provide $69,5000pa on a merit basis. They’re offered by ANU across all subject areas.
- For those willing to study in the US, Fulbright Scholarships offer $40,000 exclusively to Australian students.
Prerequisites and selection process
Students must either hold a Bachelor of Teaching or a bachelor degree in a cognate discipline to enter. A ‘cognate discipline’ can be any subject taught in secondary schools, such as mathematics, English, science, design and technology, legal studies and more. Some programs also require students to have a credit GPA (65%) to enter, although this is not always the case. This requirement can be circumvented by completing a graduate certificate or diploma, which is often an accepted alternate entry path.