Master of Teaching (Secondary)

The Master of Teaching (Secondary) at the University of the Sunshine Coast is a two-year postgraduate qualification for people who want to teach in Australian secondary schools. It's an initial teacher education course, which means you come out eligible to register as a teacher, you don't need a teaching degree beforehand. What you do need is a bachelor's degree with enough subjects in the area you want to teach, because secondary teaching is built around curriculum specialisations. You'll typically qualify in two teaching areas, such as English and History, Maths and Science, or Health and Physical Education and Biology, depending on your prior studies.

How the degree is structured

Like most Australian master's degrees, this one runs over two years of full-time study, usually across semesters. You'll complete units of study worth credit points, core education units in areas like adolescent development, classroom management, assessment and reporting, and curriculum and pedagogy, plus units in your chosen teaching specialisations. The course includes supervised professional experience placements in Queensland secondary schools, which is a requirement for teacher registration in Australia. You'll spend time in real classrooms with a supervising teacher, gradually taking on more responsibility for planning and teaching lessons. There's also a capstone element, often a research or professional inquiry project in your final year that ties together what you've learned about teaching and learning.

What you'll actually learn

You'll study how teenagers learn and develop, how to plan and teach lessons that match the Australian Curriculum, how to manage a classroom, and how to assess student work fairly. You'll learn to work with students from different backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and students with diverse learning needs. The placement component is where it comes together, you'll practise explaining concepts, running discussions, giving feedback, and handling the everyday realities of a school. By the end, you should be able to walk into a classroom and teach with confidence.

Who it's for

This course suits people who already have a bachelor's degree in something else, arts, science, business, health, whatever, and have decided they want to teach. It's also for career changers who've been working in industry or research and want to move into schools. If you're organised, patient, and genuinely enjoy working with teenagers, it's a good fit. You'll need to meet the English language requirement for teaching, which is higher than for most other courses: IELTS Academic 7.0–7.5 overall is the standard, because you'll be teaching in English. International students should check the current requirements on the official page. While you study, your visa lets you work up to 48 hours per fortnight during term. After you graduate, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia. Confirm all details, including tuition, on the CRICOS register and the university's official course page.

• Secondary school teacher, teach your specialisation subjects in government, Catholic, and independent schools across Australia.
• Head of department or year level coordinator, later roles that combine teaching with leadership and curriculum planning.
• Curriculum developer, work with education departments, publishers, or edtech companies to design teaching resources and programs.
• Education advisor or consultant, support schools and systems on pedagogy, assessment, and student wellbeing.
• Private tutor or education business owner, run your own tutoring practice or educational service.
• Community education officer, deliver programs in museums, galleries, youth organisations, or TAFE.