Master of Teaching (Secondary)/Graduate Certificate in Religious Education
Course information for - 2023 entry
- Study mode
- Online
- Duration
- 2 years full-time or equivalent part-time
- Fees (first year)*
$7904 CSP
- Start dates
- Not on offer, Not on offer
Entry to this course is governed by the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy. The selection of course entrants is based on academic merit and satisfaction of non-academic capabilities for entry to initial teacher education. In accordance with the mission of ACU, the Faculty of Education and Arts is committed to providing access to education for a diversity of students. ACU provides a range of access and equity schemes which consider additional or alternative factors in assessing applicants, including applicants of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent.
An accelerated option to complete this degree in 18 months is available at some campuses.
Overview

Transform your work and life experience into a teaching career. Graduate ready to design and implement engaging and flexible learning experiences to inspire and positively influence young people. This is a graduate entry, initial teacher education course for those who want to teach in secondary schools. Whether you are looking for a complete career change or are a recent graduate, your undergraduate degree will form the foundations for your specialist teaching areas in this course. This course will prepare you to teach in one or two specialist teaching areas, depending on your undergraduate degree and campus of study. Learn the craft of teaching from highly experienced mentor teachers in a range of educational contexts.
The following senior secondary level teaching areas are available (with some variations from state to state), with students also able to teach in the corresponding subjects in the junior levels:
Physical Education, English, Mathematics, History, Business, Economics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Religious Education/Studies of Religion.

Professional experience
Students must complete a minimum of 60 days of professional experience, during which time they are required to be available full-time. See sample program map.
Work placement
Supervised professional experience is at the heart of all our pre-service teacher education courses and the faculty will find appropriate placements to suit the needs of your course. Professional experience units are planned as a specific sequence allowing for progressive development of both classroom-based proficiency and an understanding of the relevance of theory to practice and practice to theory. These units apply skills, techniques and processes taught in the Foundations Studies and Professional Studies units.
The practicum will be supported by other forms of in-school experiences, such as school-based tutorials and workshops.
Placements will usually be arranged for the scheduled placement period in the professional experience calendar though this may not always be possible. The Professional Experience program consists of a minimum of 60 days of teaching rounds, usually broken into three blocks.
Professional recognition
Graduates are eligible for registration as secondary school teachers in government, independent, Catholic, and other faith-based schools.

Careers
Our graduates have pursued careers in:
- government, independent and Catholic Schools
- government, private, and not-for-profit organisations
- education, training, and research
- education consultancy
- adult learning
- community and advocacy agencies
- youth agencies
Course details
Course structure
To complete the Master of Teaching (Secondary), a student must complete 160 credit points (cp).
Sample program map
Year - Study period | Unit 1 | Unit 2 | Unit 3 | Unit 4 | Unit 5 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year 1 ACU Online Term 1 | EDET590 Effective Teaching 1: Professional Practices data-versionlabel=2 > | EDES591 Foundations of Teaching 2: The Nature of Learning data-versionlabel=2 > | LNTE110 Literacy and Numeracy Diagnostic | THBS501 Biblical Studies | |
ACU Online Term 2 | EDXX599 (TA1) Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 1 (TA= Teaching Area) | EDXY599 (TA2) Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 1 (TA= Teaching Area) | LNTE100 LANTITE - Literacy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students AND LNTE101 LANTITE - Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students | ||
ACU Online Term 3 | EDET690 Effective Teaching 2: Engaging Learners data-versionlabel=2 > (20 days placement) | Elective unit 1 10cp | THCT565 Reflecting on Faith, Recontextualising Tradition | ||
ACU Online Term 4 | EDES601 Special Education and Inclusive Practice data-versionlabel=2 > | EDES690 Literacy and Numeracy across the Secondary Curriculum data-versionlabel=2 > | EDRE699 Religious Education Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment II | ||
Year 2 ACU Online Term 1 | EDXX699 (TA1) Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 2 Pre: EDXX599 (TA= Teaching Area) | EDXY699 (TA2) Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 2 Pre: EDXY599 (TA= Teaching Area) | |||
ACU Online Term 2 | EDET692 Applied Educational Assessment Across the Secondary Curriculum data-versionlabel=2 > | EDES590 Foundations of Teaching 1: Understanding Adolescents data-versionlabel=2 > | EDRE516 Learning and Teaching for Religious Education | ||
ACU Online Term 3 | EDES600 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories, Cultures and Education | EDES691 21st Century Skills across the Secondary Curriculum data-versionlabel=2 > | |||
ACU Online Term 4 | EDET691 Effective Teaching 3: Teacher Inquiry and Evidence-based Practice data-versionlabel=2 > (25 days placement) | Elective unit 2 10cp |
This is a sample program only and units will vary depending on your campus and mode of study. Please refer to the handbook for the prerequisite units and the current listing.
ACUO Term 1 Intake
AQF framework
Exit Points
A student who has successfully completed the following requirements may exit from the course with that qualification:
- *Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies: 80 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings of the Master of Teaching (Secondary).
- *Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies: 40 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings of the Master of Teaching (Secondary).
- *Graduate Certificate in Religious Education: 40 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings of the Graduate Certificate in Religious Education.
- Master of Teaching (Secondary): 160 cp from the Schedule of Unit offerings of the Master of Teaching (Secondary).
*Note that none of these qualifications qualifies a student to teach in Australia.
A student who does not meet the LANTITE requirements may exit with the Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies or Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies if they meet the requirements of those awards.
Additional course information
Students can enrol in units to be studied online and this course may be completed in accelerated mode in 18 months at some campuses.
Literacy and Numeracy Test in Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE)
Students will be required to demonstrate they have achieved approved benchmarks in literacy and numeracy as demonstrated through the Literacy and Numeracy Test in Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE). Successful completion of LANTITE is a requirement for course completion.
If you have started your ITE course at another institution and wish to transfer to ACU to complete your studies, please be sure that you have read and understand the requirements for receiving credit for previous studies and those on completing LANTITE.
Entry requirements
An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.
To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must:
- have successfully completed a Bachelor degree or equivalent qualification, with:
- a major study in one teaching area; and
- a separate minor study in a second teaching area, that may be separate from or related to the major study area;
- be able to select from teaching areas that are available within the course and meet the requirements of the applicant's local state/territory registration authority, and
- the combination of teaching areas identified would usually prepare the applicant to teach across all year levels of secondary schooling.
- demonstrate suitability for teaching as evidenced by completion of an assessment available in the relevant State at the time of application
Applicants who completed Bachelor degrees outside Australia should review Admission to Coursework Programs Policy to determine if they are required to meet additional English Language Proficiency requirements for entry into the course.
Applicants seeking teacher registration in Australia should check with state registration bodies to confirm English Language Proficiency requirements for teacher registration.
International applicants need to meet the English Language Proficiency requirements as defined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.
Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2023 Admission.
English language requirements
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- No score less than 7 in reading and writing. No score less than 8 in listening and speaking.
Pearson Test of English (PTE)
- A minimum of 65 in reading and writing and a minimum of 79 in listening and speaking
Test of English as a Foreign Language – Academic (TOEFL)
- No score less than 24 in reading, 27 in writing, 28 in listening and 26 in speaking
ACU English Language Test
- A++ (85 or above)
Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)
- A minimum of 185 in reading and writing and 200 in listening and speaking.
Inherent requirement
There are essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the capabilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of that course or unit. You will need to be able to meet these inherent requirements to complete your course.
Learn more about inherent requirements for your course and how they affect you
Pathways
Further study
Graduates of this course may be eligible for entry into further postgraduate coursework degree programs. Master of Teaching (Secondary) is a pathway to doctoral studies.
Fees
Course costs
$7904 CSP
All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a full-time study load of 40 credit points (normally 4 units) per semester.
A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:
- the number of units studied per semester;
- the choice of major or specialisation; and
- elective units.
The University reviews fees annually.
Payment options
You should be able to concentrate on getting good marks instead of worrying about how you’ll pay your fees. We have a number of options that can help you ease the financial burden, including government assistance, scholarships and income support.
Scholarships
You could be eligible for one of the hundreds of scholarships we award each year to help students from across the university with the cost of studying, accommodation or overseas study opportunities. Some of our scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, but these aren’t just for the academically gifted; ACU also recognises excellence in community engagement and leadership. We also offer a range of scholarships for those who may be struggling financially or who have faced other barriers to accessing education.
Testimonial

“I chose ACU because it gave me the opportunity to study an area I felt passionately about. I see the need for education to develop young minds and give them options to excel in the real world. My first practical experience was at Murrumba State Secondary College. The experience was incredible, and I really felt like I was giving back to the local community.”