Objectives
Deakin's Bachelor of Education (Primary) is a highly regarded, undergraduate degree. The course will fully prepare you for a career as a primary school teacher. Graduates meet entry requirements of the teaching profession in Australia and qualify to gain employment as primary education teachers in all states and territories of Australia. You will complete a minimum of 80 days supervised school experience over the duration of the course, providing hands-on experience in a classroom setting. The degree covers the knowledge and competencies required by primary school teachers with particular strength in the learning areas of literacy, numeracy, technology, the arts, science education, humanities, societies and environments, health and physical education. You will learn to determine processes such as how students learn and how to teach them effectively, how to use a range of teaching practices and resources to engage students, and how to plan and assess effective learning. As well as this, you will learn how to understand the content you teach, how to create and maintain safe and challenging learning environments, how to reflect on, evaluate and improve students' knowledge and capabilities and how to be active members of the profession. You will study a discipline units in an area of your choice, such as history, science, human movement, psychology, sociology, politics, philosophy, language, visual and performing arts, as well as elective units chosen from across the University. This combination will provide you with the capacity to build your knowledge base as well as provide a great opportunity to develop diversity in your studies to make you a more accomplished and highly employable primary teacher.
Course description
Fees and charges
Fee paying place - International (IFP)
A Fee paying place is one for which the university does not receive any government funding. As such, students enrolled in these places are required to contribute the full cost of their course.
Fees for international students apply to persons living in Australia with Temporary Resident status, provided that there is no limitation on study and persons living abroad who are not Australian citizens and do not have Permanent Resident status in Australia.
Equivalent Full Time Student Load (EFTSL)
EFTSL is the standard annual full time load. Eight credit points is the standard full time load for one year of study.
* The 'indicative annual course fee' cited has been provided as a guide only. It has been calculated on the basis of a typical enrolment of a student undertaking the course in 2009, and reflects the cost involved in undertaking a full-time quota of units within the specified discipline.
The actual fees charged by Deakin University will depend upon the discipline from which each individual unit is chosen, and may vary from the indicative course fee cited, particularly if units are chosen from a number of disciplines.
Please note that the fees per unit/credit point may increase annually due to rises in the cost of course delivery and service.
Deakin assumes no responsibility for persons relying on 'indicative course fees' to calculate the total future cost of their course.
Career opportunities
Graduates of Deakin's Bachelor of Education (Primary) will be eligible for registration and employment in all states and territories in Australia as primary school teachers at all year levels within state and independent schools and related teaching services.
Graduates have also been able to use the skills and knowledge derived from the course to pursue careers in children's services and education leadership-related areas, in both government and private sectors, including the media and service industries.
Course rules
The Bachelor of Education (Primary) course has a 32* credit point structure of which 26 units are course-grouped. Students complete their school experience placements within an additional 7 practicum units. The course is comprised of 32 credit points in total. The 26 course-grouped units include a compulsory six-unit major sequence in Education studies. The course-grouped units also include 15 primary curriculum studies units related to the learning domains. These units comprise three in language education, three in mathematics education, two in science education, two in social education, two in arts education, and one each in health and physical education, and technology education. The remaining six course-grouped units include two discipline units in each of mathematics and science and one discipline unit in each of language and humanities to support the learning domains of literacy, numeracy, science education and humanities. The remaining non course-grouped units include student's choice of 2 credit points of discipline studies related to primary education learning areas. (Refer to suitable Discipline Studies list in this course entry.) Students must meet any prerequisites required by the offering faculty. The remaining three elective units may be selected from undergraduate units offered anywhere within the university at level 2 or higher. (Refer to Education related electives offered by the School of Education, in this course entry.)
Students completing a 6 unit major discipline study or a Middle Years option are exempt from completing EEH316 which otherwise is a core unit.
*Students undertaking languages other than English (LOTE) will be required to complete ESJ457 Studies in Curriculum 1 in place of ECL410 in trimester 2 year 4.
Course structure
Year 1 - for Burwood and Geelong only
Note: Students enrolled prior to 2007 should contact their enrolment officer for course advice.
Trimester 1
SIT197 Number and Chance
SQA101 Ecology and the Environment
ALL153 Reading Children's Texts
Or
ALW117 Writing for Professional Practice
Discipline Unit 1, one credit point from other Faculties. Refer Discipline Units list.
Trimester 2
SIT198 Patterns in Space
SQA102 The Physical Environment
AIA104 Australian Identities: Indigenous and Multicultural
Or
ALC102 Contemporary Communication: Making Sense of New Media
Discipline Unit 2, one credit point from other Faculties. Refer Discipline Units list.
Year 1 - for Warrnambool only
Trimester 1
SIT197 Number and Chance
SQA101 Ecology and the Environment
ALL153 Reading Children's Texts
Or
AIA103 Australia New World Nation
Discipline Unit 1, one credit point from other Faculties. Refer Discipline Units list.
Trimester 2
SIT198 Patterns in Space
SQA102 The Physical Environment
ALW117 Writing for Professional Practice
Or
AIA104 Australian Identities: Indigenous and Multicultural
Discipline Unit 2, one credit point from other Faculties. Refer Discipline Units list.
Notes:
(i) Warrnambool first year students must select one unit from ALL153 or ALW117.
(ii) Warrnambool first year students must select one unit from AIA103 or AIA104.
Year 2
Trimester 1
EEE207 Understanding Children and Adolescents: Primary
ECL210 Language and Literacy: The Early Years
EEO210 Primary Humanities, Societies and Environments 1
Elective Unit 1, one credit point from any Faculty. Refer Elective Units list below.
EEP201 Primary School Experience 1
Trimester 2
EEE208 Understanding Learners: Primary
ESM210 Children and Mathematics: Developing Mathematical Concepts
EES240 Primary Science Education 1
Elective Unit 2, one credit point from any Faculty. Refer Elective Units list below.
EEP202 Primary School Experience 2
Year 3
Trimester 1
EEE307 Creating Effective Learning Environments: Primary
ESM310 Teachers and Mathematics: Creating An Effective Classroom
EES340 Primary Science Education 2
EEH316 Student Health and Wellbeing *
or
Alternative Unit 3**, one credit point from any Faculty. Refer Elective Units listed below.
EEP301 Primary School Experience 3
Trimester 2
EEE308 Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting: Primary
ECL310 Developing Language and Literacy: The Middle Years
EEO310 Primary Humanities, Societies and Environments 2
Elective Discipline Unit 4, one credit point from any Faculty. Refer Elective Units list below.
EEP302 Primary School Experience 4
Year 4 - Commencing 2010
Trimester 1
EEE401 Professional Relationships
EST400 Primary Technology Education: Creativity and Design
ECA409 Teaching the Arts in Primary Schools
EEH416 Primary Physical Education
EEP401 Primary School Experience 5
EEP402 Primary School Experience 6
Trimester 2
EEE402 Transition to Beginning Teaching
EEA410 Primary Arts Education: Focussed Study
ESM410 Professional Practice and Mathematics: Designing an Inclusive Program
and
ECL410 The Literacy Teacher: The Profession and the Community
Or
ESJ457 Studies in Curriculum 1 ***
and
EEP402 Primary School Experience 6
EEP403 Primary School Experience 7
Notes:
(i) All units unless otherwise noted are of 1 credit point value (see below).
(ii) EEO210, EES240, EEE307, EEE308, EEA410, EEE401, and EEE402 are 0.75 credit point units.
(iii) EEP201, EEP202, EEP301, EEP302, EEP401, EEP402 and EEP403 are 0.25 credit point units.
(iv) ESM410 is a wholly online unit.
(v) Electives may be selected from units offered anywhere in the University at level 2 or higher. The electives offered by the School of Education are listed in this course entry.
(vi) * EEH316 is a core unit for students not completing a 6 unit major discipline sequence or a Middle Years option.
(vii) ** Alternative Discipline Unit 3, one credit point from any Faculty (for students completing a 6 unit major discipline sequence only).
(viii) ***Students undertaking languages other than English (LOTE) will be required to complete ESJ457 Studies in Curriculum 1 in place of ECL410 in trimester 2 year 4.
Bachelor of Education (Primary)
Year 1 Discipline Units
Discipline units are to be taken from faculties other than Education in the Foundation (first) year of the course. A list of possible units is shown below, however students may select from a range of units from across the university. Units may not be offered every year at regional campuses. Students also have the option to build expertise to meet the requirements for teaching in a specialist discipline area in Primary Years (P-6) or the Middle Years (7-10).
Trimester 1 units
ACD101 Introduction to Contemporary Dance Practice A *
ACP101 Principles of Live Performance **
ACV101 Studio Art: Introductory Painting and Drawing A
AIA103 Australia New World Nation
AIB151 Arabic 1A
AIC181 Chinese 1A
AIC281 Chinese 2A
AIC283 Chinese 2C
AIF141 Conversational Indonesian A
AIF241 Formal and Informal Indonesian A
AIH108 The World Since 1945: From War's End to the Early 1970s
AIT121 Italian 1A
ALC101 Contemporary Communication: Making Sense of Text, Image and Meaning
ALJ111 Contemporary Journalism
ALL101 Identity: Australian Fictions and the Global Context
ALL153 Reading Children's Texts
ALW117 Writing for Professional Practice
ASC101 Introduction to Sociology A
ASP105 Philosophy and the Meaning of Life
ELL101 Language: Speech and Sounds
HBS107 Understanding Health
HBS109 Human Structure and Function
HBS110 Health Behaviour
HDS101 Communication and Diversity
HPS111 Introduction to Psychology A
SBB111 Cells, Genes and Diversity
SBC131 Principles of Chemistry
SIT101 Fundamentals of Information Technology
SIT161 Principles of Interactive Media
SIT192 Discrete Mathematics
SQB144 Introduction to Marine and Freshwater Biology
SQB151 Biodiversity: A Global Perspective
SQE121 Environmental Sustainability
SQE136 History of Life
SQP105 Introduction to Aquatic Pollution
* Entry by audition is required for ACD101
** Entry by audition is required for ACP101.
Trimester 2 units
ACD102 Introduction to Contemporary Dance Practice B
ACP177 Modern and Postmodern Drama
ACV102 Studio Art: Introductory Painting and Drawing B
AIA104 Australian Identities: Indigenous and Multicultural
AIB152 Arabic 1B
AIC182 Chinese 1B
AIC282 Chinese 2B
AIC284 Chinese 2D
AIF142 Conversational Indonesian B
AIF242 Formal and Informal Indonesian B
AIH109 Unit description is currently unavailable
AIT122 Italian 1B
ALC102 Contemporary Communication: Making Sense of New Media
ALJ112 Comparative Journalism Studies
ALL102 Narrative and Genre
ALL154 Power Politics in Children's Texts
ASC102 Introduction to Sociology B
ASP106 Freedom and Subjectivity
ELL102 Language: Words and Structure
HBS110 Health Behaviour
HDS106 Diversity, Disability and Social Exclusion
HPS121 Introduction to Psychology B
HSE102 Functional Human Anatomy
SBB132 Biology: Form and Function
SBC152 Chemistry of Life
SIT103 Introduction to Database Design
SIT162 Design of Interactive Media Systems
SIT194 Introduction to Mathematical Modelling
SQB161 Aquaculture and the Environment
SQE114 Introduction to Parks and Wildlife Conservation
Year 2 and Year 3 Elective unit studies to build individual profiles
The electives component of this course provides a great opportunity for students to develop breadth or depth in their studies. Choice of electives should be based on personal interest, existing expertise, getting a broader tertiary education, or developing a subject sequence (see Health and Physical Education, and Visual Arts examples below). Students should use the elective sequence as an opportunity to make themselves a better educated and more accomplished primary school teacher who is very employable in P-6, P-10, or P-12 schools.
The term "elective" means that students may choose units from most of those offered from across the University. School of Education related electives have an orientation towards teaching and education while electives chosen from other Faculties will be oriented to the specific discipline, and all of the School of Education electives are designed to complement and extend the fixed course of study and to give graduates an employment edge. School of Education electives will not clash with professional experience rounds in schools. However, students are encouraged to choose units from other Faculties if these units fulfil the requirements of their chosen goal eg: Teaching LOTE. EEH316 is a core unit for students not completing a 6 unit major discipline sequence or a Middle Years option.
Elective units available 2009
Note: Offering is subject to availability of staff and sufficient students enrolled to meet University requirements.
Aesthetics; Arts Education; Performing Arts Education
ECA310 Discovering Music A
ECA311 Discovering Music B
ECA433 Arts Education Discipline Study 3
ECA434 Arts Education Discipline Study 4
EEA211 Navigating the Visual World
EEA212 Visual Culture: Images, Meaning and Contexts
EEA227 Exploring Cultural Diversity Through the Performing Arts
EEA228 Engaging Community Through the Performing Arts
EEA312 Discovering Music C
EEA313 Discovering Music D
Notes:
(i) ECA433, ECA434 students to check the campus availability for their preferred specialism.
(ii) EEA227 and EEA228 are offered in flexible WEXP mode, ie. units are taken in off campus mode with on campus intensives to be held at the Geelong campus. EEA227 is offered in trimester 1, EEA228 is offered in trimester 3.
Health and Physical Education
EEH315 Teaching Sexuality Education in the Middle Years
EEH316 Student Health and Wellbeing
EEH317 Children in Sport: Issues and Controversies
EEH426 Physical Education and the Curriculum
EEH428 Contemporary Issues in Physical Education
ESH457 Youth and Recreation
ESS420 Outdoor and Environmental Education
Humanities, Societies and Environments
EEC312 Playing with, and Educating for Multiple Futures
EEG402 Teaching in a Global World
EEO331 Teaching in Rural Communities
Note: EEO331 withdrawn from offer in 2009. To be offered in alternate years 2011, 2013.
Information, Communication and Technology Education
EET331 Intel: Teach to the Future
EST430 Educational Software Tools 1
Linguistics
ELL201 Language and Social Contexts
ELL202 Texts Across Cultures
Mathematics and Science Education
ESM415 Problem Solving in the Mathematics Classroom
ESM438 Evaluating Children's Progress
ESS412 Science Experiments You Can Eat
Note: ESM438 offered alternate years 2008, 2010.
Professional Development
ECE310 Transition Case Study
EEC406 Changing Schools and Classrooms
EEC381 Classroom and Behaviour Management
ESE499 Independent Project
ESP437 Teaching for Interpersonal Development
Note: ECE310 is a trimester 3, 2 credit point unit.
Teaching Children with Individual Needs
ECP303 Child Protection
EEI402 Diversity, Difference and Socially-Just Schooling
EEI414 Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners Through Effective Planning
EEI322 Teaching the Learner with Special Needs in the General Education Classroom
ESP401 Student Behaviour Management and Welfare
ESP485 Teaching Thinking Skills
Notes:
(i) ECP303 recommended as a 3rd year elective as prerequisite knowledge of schools and professional issues is required.
(ii) ESP401 subject to enrolment quota.
Elective units available 2010
Notes:
(i) Offering is subject to availability of staff and sufficient student enrolled to meet University requirements.
(ii) An updated list will be provided prior to your re-enrolment in 2009 for 2010.
Humanities, Societies and Environments
EEC411 School-University Partnerships: Collaborations for Knowledge Production
Note: EEC411 commences in 2010.
Information, Communication and Technology Education
EET330 Teaching with New Technologies
EET332 Intel: Teaching Thinking with Technology
Note: EET332 offered alternate years 2010, 2012.
Mathematics and Science Education
ESM438 Evaluating Children's Progress
Note: ESM438 offered alternate years 2008, 2010.
Health and Physical Education Unit Sequence for Primary Years (P-6):
Students wishing to develop particular expertise in the Health and Physical Education area of the primary curriculum should enrol in the following mix of discipline studies and elective units:
First Year
HBS107 Understanding Health
Or
HBS109 Human Structure and Function
And
HSE102 Functional Human Anatomy
Or
HBS110 Health Behaviour
Second and Third Year
EEH426 Physical Education and the Curriculum
EEH428 Contemporary Issues in Physical Education
EEH316 Student Health and Wellbeing
EEH317 Children in Sport: Issues and Controversies
Note: Students must enrol in one of HBS107 and HBS109 and in one of HSE102 and HBS110.
Visual Art Unit Sequence for Primary Years (P-6)
Students wishing to develop particular expertise in the Visual Arts area of the primary curriculum should enrol in the following mix of discipline studies and elective units:
First Year
ACV101 Studio Art: Introductory Painting and Drawing A
ACV102 Studio Art: Introductory Painting and Drawing B
Second Year
EEA211 Navigating the Visual World
EEA212 Visual Culture: Images, Meaning and Contexts
Third Year
ECA433 Arts Education Discipline Study 3
ECA434 Arts Education Discipline Study 4
Notes:
(i) ECA433 students to select the Art as Experience specialism.
(ii) ECA434 students to select the Concepts and Bases of Art specialism.
Detailed course rules
The Bachelor of Education (Primary) may be awarded at pass level.
To be awarded the Bachelor of Education (Primary) pass degree a person shall:
1. be accepted for enrolment in a course of study leading to the
award of a Bachelor of Education (Primary) pass degree and continue to be accepted for enrolment until completion of that course of study;
2. complete a course of study amounting to 32* credit points provided that the course of study:
2.1 shall include units amounting to 26# credit points from those units specified by Faculty Board from time to time as course-grouped units leading to the award of the degree of Bachelor of Education (Primary)
2.2 shall include units amounting to not less than 24 credit points at level 2 or higher, at least 6 credit points of which shall be taken at level 4 or higher
2.3 shall include 6 credit points of course-grouped units in discipline studies as agreed with the Schools of Arts and the Faculty of Science and Technology
2.4 shall include at least 2 credit points selected from identified discipline subject areas.
2.5 shall include at least one unit classified as a level 3 wholly online unit.
3. the course of study shall be completed within a period of not less than four years and except with the permission of the Faculty Board not more than 10 consecutive years from the date the person first enrolled in the course.
4. the course of study shall include satisfactory completion of at least 80 days of supervised school experience.
Students should note that four years of tertiary study inclusive of teacher education is required for employment as a teacher in Victoria.
Notes:
(i) *Students undertaking languages other than English (LOTE) will be required to complete ESJ457 Studies in Curriculum 1 in place of ECL410 in trimester 2 year 4.
(ii) # Students completing a 6 unit major discipline study or Middle Years option are exempt from completing EEH316 which otherwise is a core unit.
Contact Hours
For each unit of study, students are expected to participate in at least three hours of formal contact each week of trimester. A minimum of six hours of study time in addition to the formal contact is also expected for each unit each week.
LOTE requirements
Students wishing to specialise in teaching Languages Other Than English (LOTE) within the Bachelor of Education (Primary) are advised to undertake a six credit point LOTE major sequence offered by the Faculty of Arts, and are also required to undertake the unit of study: ESJ457 Studies in Curriculum 1 (LOTE option) in trimester 2 year 4. Specialist area Guidelines for LOTE teachers can be found on the website of the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT)
Admission requirements - general
General admission requirements for entry into undergraduate courses for international students at Deakin are summarised in the undergraduate admission requirements table (194kb).
Some courses may have additional entry requirements.
Students must also meet the undergraduate English language requirements.
Advanced standing - general
If you have completed previous studies which you believe may reduce the number of units you have to complete at Deakin, indicate in the appropriate section on your application that you wish to be considered for advanced standing. You will need to provide your previous course details so your credit can be determined. If you are eligible, your offer letter will then contain information about your advanced standing.
Your advanced standing is formally approved prior to your enrolment at Deakin during the Enrolment and Orientation Program. You must bring original documents relating to your previous study so that this approval can occur.
You can also refer to the Advanced Standing System which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree.
How to apply
* Applicant Portal: Use our online application system to submit and track your application now.
* Apply through a Deakin International office: Fill out an application form and submit it to a Deakin International office.
* Apply through a Deakin representative: Take your application form to your preferred agent for assistance.
Tracking your application:
If you have already applied and wish to enquire about your application please refer to the relevant area through which you originally applied.
* If you applied online, log back into the Applicant Portal using your username and password.
* If you applied through a Deakin representative please contact your representative.
* If you applied through a Deakin International office please contact that office.
Further study
Students who successfully complete the course will be eligible to apply for admission to the Graduate Certificate of Education and Master of Education courses.
Working With Children Check
The Working with Children Act 2005 (Vic.) requires a person who engages in child-related work, as defined in the Act, to obtain an assessment notice under the Act, known as a Working with Children Check (WWCC). The Act is administered by the Department of Justice: justice.vic.gov.au
School experience placements in schools in the course of a university degree are “child-related work”. Under the Working with Children Act 2005 (Vic.), administered by the Department of Justice, a student teacher must obtain a Working with Children Check (WWCC) before commencing school experience placements in a school. The WWCC must remain current throughout the course. It is an offence under the Act to engage in school experience without holding a WWCC.
Students will not be allowed to commence school experience in any school in Victoria until a Working with Children Check is obtained. The Department of Education has requested that on the application form a student nominates the University as the (or one of the) employers. The University will then be sent a copy of the assessment notice. Because the University needs to assure a school that a student placed at the school has a current Working with Children Check, each student must give their authority to provide the assurance - a student will be required to sign an authority for the University to inform a school that a WWCC has or has not been obtained.
While the University will hold on file documentation relating to the WWCCs obtained by students engaged in school experience, it is each student’s responsibility to ensure that he or she can produce the WWCC card to the school upon request and to keep the WWCC current under the Act.
Students are required to apply for a WWCC through a participating Australia Post outlet (which can be found on the Australia Post website or the Department of Justice website) and provide proof to the faculty that the WWCC has been undertaken.
Should a student fail to obtain a WWCC, practical training in a school will not be provided, and as practical training is a requirement for completion of a teaching degree, the student may be unable to complete the degree. Should such a situation arise, the University will provide advice on options for tertiary study.
It is the responsibility of students undertaking placements outside Victoria to enquire about and, where necessary, to meet any similar legislative or other requirements concerning working with children.
School Experience requirements
Students are required for registration purposes (and for the award of the degree) to have completed over the duration of their course a minimum of 80 days of supervised school experience. Students should ensure they are conversant with the Standards for Graduating Students as required by the Victorian Institute of Teaching. The school experience is organised by the School Experience Office and students do not make contact with schools regarding placements under any circumstances. Students are required to comply with the on-line instructions regarding enrolment/re-enrolment in school experience; failure to enrol/re-enrol jeopardises a student’s school experience placement.
Students should note that it is a requirement of the course that school experience is undertaken in conjunction with their curriculum studies and Education Major studies and during the time tabled dates unless, in exceptional circumstances, alternative arrangements are negotiated and agreed to in writing with the School Experience Office. Students should note that normally any paid or unpaid work undertaken in a school as an unqualified teacher/teacher’s aide will not be recognised for credit as recognised prior learning in supervised school experience for this course. Students may be required to complete the school experience component of the course outside the academic year.
A satisfactory level of teaching competence during supervised school experience is required for award of the degree. An “unsatisfactory” result on any school experience placement will be referred to the Faculty Academic Progress and Discipline Committee.
Graduates of an accredited teaching course should note that teacher registration is required in Victoria and is administered by the Victorian Institute of Teaching under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic.). Prospective students should acquaint themselves with the requirements for registration in Victoria or in any other relevant location. These requirements include the ability to satisfy the Standards for Graduating Students (available at: vit.vic.edu.au)
School Experience enrolment
Students need to carefully follow the instructions correctly when enrolling or re-enrolling online in school experience units. Failure to enrol or re-enrol correctly jeopardises a student’s school experience placement and this could lead to a delay in the award of the degree. Students must follow Faculty rules in relation to the number of days of school experience to be completed for each placement as per the School Experience Handbook (available from the campus of enrolment) which includes the published school experience timetable. Students should note that a ‘day’ constitutes a whole school day (not part thereof).
Students should obtain a copy of the School Experience Handbook each year from the School Experience Office (also available at deakin.edu.au/ats-ed/education/schoolexp) . Information contained in the Handbook is updated annually and is a summary of Faculty rules in relation to school experience.
Schedule of School Experience units
EEP201 Primary School Experience 1
10 days (B), (G), (W)
EEP202 Primary School Experience 2
10 days (B), (G), (W)
EEP301 Primary School Experience 3
10 days (B), (G), (W)
EEP302 Primary School Experience 4
10 days (B), (G), (W)
EEP401 Primary School Experience 5
10 days (B), (G), (W)
EEP402 Primary School Experience 6
15 days (B), (G), (W)
EEP403 Primary School Experience 7
15 days (B), (G), (W)
Note: All School Experience units are 0.25 credit point units.
