Master of Teaching (Secondary)

The Master of Teaching (Secondary) at Adelaide University is a two-year postgraduate qualification for people who want to teach in Australian secondary schools. It sits at the master's level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, which means it's a graduate-entry degree built on a prior bachelor's degree. You'll study the theory and practice of secondary teaching: how adolescents learn, how to plan and assess lessons, how to manage a classroom, and how to teach your specialist subject areas across the years of schooling. Because secondary teachers specialise, your previous degree determines the subjects you're qualified to teach, and you'll take curriculum and instruction units in those learning areas.

How the degree is structured

Australian master's degrees are usually one to two years full time, and this one runs for two. You'll study across semesters, enrolling in units of study that each carry a set number of credit points. Core units cover educational psychology, curriculum planning, assessment and reporting, inclusive education, and Indigenous education. Alongside those you'll take method units in your teaching subjects. The degree typically finishes with a professional practice or capstone component that draws together your coursework and your classroom experience. Exact unit lists, credit point values and semester sequencing are set by the university, so confirm the current structure on the official course page.

Professional experience and accreditation

Teacher education in Australia is built around supervised professional experience in schools, and this degree includes placements in Adelaide schools and possibly beyond. You'll work alongside a supervising teacher, plan and teach real classes, and be assessed against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. That placement record is what you use when you apply for registration with the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia, and it's what makes the qualification portable to other states and territories through their own registration authorities. The course is listed on CRICOS under code 115963D for international students, and the tuition amount is published on the CRICOS register.

Who it suits

This degree suits graduates who already hold a bachelor's degree in a subject taught in secondary schools, maths, sciences, English, humanities, languages, the arts, health and physical education, or technologies, and who want to move into teaching. It also suits people changing careers later in life. If you're an international student, note that teaching sits at the higher end of English requirements in Australia: expect an IELTS Academic score around 7.0 to 7.5 overall, rather than the 6.0 to 6.5 common for many coursework master's degrees. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the university's own English programmes are accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs also sets its own English threshold for the Student visa, separate from the university's. On a Student visa you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Requirements change, so check the official page and the CRICOS register before you apply.

• Secondary school teacher, teaching your specialist subjects in government, Catholic and independent schools across Australia
• Subject or learning area teacher, maths, science, English, humanities, languages, arts, health and physical education, or technologies
• Relief or casual teacher, short-term and day-to-day teaching work in schools
• Year level coordinator or pastoral care teacher, supporting student wellbeing and year-group programs
• Curriculum developer, writing teaching resources and programs for schools, education departments or publishers
• Education officer, working in museums, galleries, zoos, national parks or community organisations
• Private tutor or learning support teacher, working with students one-to-one or in small groups
• Education policy or program officer, in state and territory education departments and non-government organisations

Teaching is a registered profession in Australia. To work in a school you'll need registration with the relevant state or territory authority, such as the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia. Registration usually requires an approved teaching qualification, a satisfactory criminal history check, and English proficiency at the level the authority sets. Check the registration body's current requirements before you enrol.