Master of Primary Teaching

The Master of Primary Teaching at the University of Notre Dame Australia is a two-year postgraduate qualification for people who want to teach in Australian primary schools. It sits at AQF level 9 and is built around the curriculum and instruction demands of the primary classroom, the years from Foundation to Year 6. You study how children learn to read and write, how number and mathematics are taught across the primary years, how science, history, geography, the arts and health and physical education are planned and assessed, and how to manage a class where thirty children bring thirty different needs through the door.

The degree is delivered across semesters. You complete units of study worth credit points, with core curriculum and pedagogy units alongside professional experience units. A capstone or final professional experience placement typically sits at the end of the course, where you take increasing responsibility for a class under the supervision of a mentor teacher and a university supervisor. Assessment mixes essays, lesson and unit planning tasks, presentations, portfolio work and the placement reports that record your progress against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

Notre Dame is known for its teacher education and for placing students in schools early and often. Professional experience is the spine of the degree, you go into Catholic, independent and government primary schools, watch experienced teachers work, then teach yourself. The university's campuses in Fremantle, Broome and Sydney each have their own school partnerships, so where you study shapes where you are placed. Graduates apply for registration with the relevant state or territory teacher regulatory authority, which is what lets you teach in an Australian school.

This course suits people who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field and have decided they want to teach primary-aged children. It also suits practising education support staff, early childhood educators and career changers who want a qualification that leads to registration. If you are an international student, you can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session, and the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available after you finish, depending on your circumstances. English requirements for teaching courses are set higher than for most programs, so check the current published requirement before you apply. Confirm duration, fees, intake dates and English equivalents on the official CRICOS register and the university's course page.

• Primary school teacher in government, Catholic and independent schools across Australia
• Early career classroom teacher working towards full registration with a state or territory teacher regulatory authority
• Relief or casual teacher in primary schools
• Education support or learning support teacher within a primary school setting
• Curriculum or literacy and numeracy support role in a school
• Teacher in rural, regional and remote Australian schools, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community schools
• Primary teacher in international schools overseas, where Australian teaching qualifications are recognised
• Pathways into school leadership, specialist literacy or special education roles with further study