Bachelor of Education Studies

The Bachelor of Education Studies at Adelaide University is a three-year Australian bachelor degree for people who want to work in education but who are not seeking teacher registration. It sits in the curriculum and instruction field, so most of what you study is how learning is planned, taught and assessed. Expect units on child and adolescent development, curriculum design, assessment and reporting, educational psychology, inclusive education, and the sociology of schooling. You will also study the Australian Curriculum and how schools and other education settings put it into practice.

How the degree is structured

Australian bachelor degrees are made up of units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. You normally enrol full-time across two semesters a year, though some institutions run a trimester calendar and most offer a mid-year start. Over three years you accumulate the credit points required for the award, usually 144 points at Adelaide. The first year builds foundations in learning and development. The middle year goes deeper into curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, with room for electives. The final year typically includes a capstone unit where you bring your learning together in a substantial project, plus professional experience in an education setting. Because this is an education studies degree rather than an initial teacher education degree, the placement is usually shorter and broader, it might be in a school, a community learning centre, a museum education team or a training organisation, and it is not the supervised teaching practicum that leads to registration.

Skills you build

You learn to write curriculum documents, design assessment tasks, interpret student data, and explain educational ideas to parents, colleagues and committees. You also build the research skills to read and evaluate evidence about what works in classrooms. Group work and presentations are common, because education is a people-facing field. By the end you should be able to plan a unit of work from scratch, justify your choices, and adapt materials for students with different needs and backgrounds.

Who it suits

This degree suits school leavers and career changers who are interested in education but not sure they want to be a classroom teacher, or who want a pathway into a master's degree that does lead to registration. It also suits people already working in schools as education support officers, in early learning centres, in TAFE or in community programs who want a degree to move into curriculum, coordination or policy roles. If your goal is to register as a teacher in Australia, check the pathway options carefully before you enrol, because registration requires an accredited initial teacher education qualification and this degree is not one.

Studying in Australia

Adelaide University is in South Australia, and the city has a concentrated education sector with public and independent schools, early learning providers and a growing international education market. As an international student you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. After you finish, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may let you stay and work in Australia, depending on your circumstances. English requirements for this course are set at IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for most undergraduate programs, with equivalents accepted; teaching, nursing, medicine, law and social work ask for 7.0–7.5. Check the official CRICOS entry and the university's course page for current fees, intake dates and exact entry requirements.

• Education support officer or teacher aide in South Australian government and independent schools
• Curriculum or learning resources assistant with education publishers and edtech companies
• Program coordinator in community learning centres, libraries and museum education teams
• Early childhood educator or room leader in long day care and preschool settings
• Training and assessment support officer in TAFE, registered training organisations and corporate learning teams
• Student services or admissions officer in schools, universities and pathway colleges
• Education policy or research assistant in government departments and not-for-profit organisations
• Pathway to a Master of Teaching for graduates who later decide to pursue teacher registration