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Pursue your passion for Education with extensive hands-on placement experience that will develop your expertise in creating supportive learning environments for students in primary schools. Enhance your real-world classroom skills and be prepared to teach in state, Catholic and independent schools.

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80 days of placement

Accelerate your learning with extensive hands-on experience

#1 in Queensland

for full-time employment Good Universities Guide 2023, PG Education

Enhance your expertise

Build the skills to progress your career

Online: February
Townsville: February
Cairns: February

$4,124.00⁺

$23,240.00^{^}

⁺estimated annual Commonwealth Supported Fee for a full-time study load

^{^}estimated annual tuition fee for a full-time study load

Plus Student Services and Amenities fee
Fee deferral and scholarships available if eligible

2 years full-time

or part-time equivalent

AQF level 7 degree or equivalent that includes the equivalent of one year appropriate study in primary school curriculum

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What to expect

Looking for a career change into Education? Gain the qualifications and knowledge necessary to enter the teaching profession. Be prepared to respond to the diverse learning needs of primary school students in both urban and rural communities with the Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary) at JCU.

The Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary) is designed to equip you with the capacity to design, implement and critically reflect on teaching, to enhance learning outcomes for all students. This education degree has a strong focus on delivering education through pedagogy appropriate to a diverse range of students and settings. You will be particularly equipped to work in tropical, rural, remote and Indigenous contexts, with a strong knowledge of learning styles and pedagogical frameworks relevant to each setting.

Benefit from 80 days of placement. Throughout this Education degree, you will have opportunities to maximise your professional experience with Work Integrated Learning and mentoring from expert academics committed to your success. You will also have opportunities to experience the unique challenges of Northern Queensland and the Tropics with practical involvement in rural and remote communities.

Tailor your degree to suit your career goals by choosing from six specialisations: English/Literacy; Mathematics/Numeracy; Science; Technology; Humanities and Social Science; and Health and Physical Education.

Upon completion of this Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary), you will be prepared to be a teacher with increased capacity to direct curriculum, assessment and differentiated learning opportunities. You will contribute to enhanced learning outcomes for all students, including those from diverse cultural, linguistic and socio-economic backgrounds and with specific learning needs.

Consult the handbook for admission requirements and further information.
Additional information

Master of Teaching and Learning Primary

Do you want to help shape and teach future generations? Become a primary school teacher at James Cook University. The JCU primary school teaching master’s qualifies you to teach in primary school and equips you with all the skills you need to succeed in this rewarding career. Benefit from flexible study options and learn through work placements and high-quality teaching, and graduate as a teacher with the ability to enhance learning outcomes for all students. You’ll be prepared to work in state, independent and Catholic schools and confident in directing curriculum, assessment and differentiated learning opportunities. This degree is fully accredited and sets you up for success as a primary school teacher.

Why Become a Primary Teacher?

If you feel passionately about shaping the young minds of tomorrow, teaching seems like the perfect career path for you. The reasons people become teachers are many, but here are just some of them.

It’s a rewarding career and a vocation where you can feel you truly contribute to something greater than yourself
It’s also challenging on occasion, always offering opportunities for problem-solving and developing your own skills and ways of teaching
You will support a wide range of children and help your students along their journey through primary school and into secondary school
You can utilise your passion for a subject by teaching it every day and sharing it with your students
Teachers are always in high demand and there are excellent benefits and salaries available, plus job security
There are also clear career progressions allowing you to advance in your career as much as you want
Teaching is the perfect choice for those with children or who plan to have them, since you’ll largely have the working hours that your children will be at school as well as the same holidays that they do

Learning at JCU

If you want to study for a Master of Teaching Primary in Queensland, JCU is one of the best options available to you. Primary teaching students benefit from 80 days of placement during their studies, allowing for practical work experience before they have even graduated. You can also choose between six different specialisations depending on your own interests: English/literacy, mathematics/numeracy, science, technology, humanities and social science, and health and physical education. There will be multiple opportunities for Work Integrated Learning and mentoring from expert academics. The Master of Teaching Primary at JCU is nationally accredited by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) in association with the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT).

Flexible Study Options for the Master of Teaching Primary at JCU

At JCU, you can make studying work for you. Choose to study this master’s or the Master of Teaching Secondary at one of the JCU campuses in Townsville or Cairns or do it online. Full-time and part-time options are available for study options that fit around your other commitments. JCU will support you to learn in a way that fits your life, whether you need to work part- or full-time alongside your degree, you have children, or you need to study online. Apply for the Master of Teaching and Learning Primary through the online application portal.
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Inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University’s learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please review the inherent requirements for the Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary).

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary) are prepared to work in Australian, international, rural, regional and remote schools. You could go on to work as a primary teacher with specialist skills in Indigenous education, diverse student needs and regional teaching experience.

JCU Teaching and Learning (Primary) graduates benefit from JCU’s strong connections to communities and are prepared to teach in primary schools across Australia. The Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary) is nationally accredited through the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) in association with the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT).

Handbook

Handbook year	Information valid for students commencing in 2023
Course code	114004
Course type	Masters Degree (AQF Level 9)
Professional accreditation status	This course is nationally accredited through the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) in association with the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT). Graduates of this course are eligible for teacher registration in Australia.
Owner	Academy
College	Arts, Society and Education

Award Requirements

Admission Requirements

Course prerequisites	An appropriate AQF level 7 bachelor degree or equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution which includes the equivalent of full year of study in areas appropriate to curriculum demands of a specialisation in primary teaching in Australian schools; that is subjects that link to the national school curriculum (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)) content in either English, or technologies, or mathematics, or science, or humanities and social sciences or health and physical education. At least three of the subjects completed within the full year of study must be appropriate to the demands of a particular specialisation.
Minimum English language proficiency requirements	Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of an overall score of 7.5 in Academic IELTS (or equivalent) with sub-scores no less than 8 for Speaking and Listening and no less than 7 for Reading and Writing. The cost of the testing will be met by the applicant. English test results must be no more than two years old at the commencement of the course. Applicants are advised that the Queensland College of Teachers requires graduating teachers to have evidence of English language requirements as stated above to demonstrate their English language proficiency prior to registration. Further information is available on the Queensland College of Teachers website.
Additional entry requirements	All applicants for initial teacher education courses must satisfy both academic and non-academic entry criteria. Applicants’ non-academic capabilities will be assessed by way of an instrument applied by QTAC and developed in consultation with the Queensland Council of Deans of Education.
Post admission requirements	Professional Placements: This course includes prescribed professional experience placements in primary schools, including blocks in each of the first three phases of the course for a total of 60 placement days. In addition to the 60 placement days students must undertake 20 integrated coursework days across the first three phases of the degree in schools. Students are also required to undertake a 20 day community-based service learning experience in phase four. It may be required that students undertake such placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled, at their own expense. Further information about placements can be found at Coursework Enrolment Procedure. This course includes prescribed professional placements that may involve contact with children under 18 years of age. Students are required to obtain a Suitability to Work with Children Card (which involves a criminal history check undertaken by the Queensland Police) before the start of the first placement. Students must retain a current Suitability to Work with Children Card for the duration of their course, as failure to do so will result in the termination of their enrolment in the course. For more information, refer to: Blue Card Services All students are expected to attend a two day online induction prior to the beginning of the course. For students enrolled in the External delivery option, computer and internet access are essential.

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Credit points

48 credit points as per course structure

Additional completion
requirements

Satisfactory completion of all professional experience service learning experience.

Successful completion of Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) is an expected requirement of the Australian Ministers for Education for all graduates. Therefore all students enrolled in an initial teacher education course (either undergraduate or postgraduate) will be expected to sit and meet the test standard prior to graduation.

All students must sit and meet the standard of the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students (LANTITE) prior to graduation. The cost of the testing will be met by the applicant. Refer to https://teacheredtest.acer.edu.au/

All students must successfully complete a final-year teaching performance assessment (Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment [GTPA]) embedded in a professional placement of no less than four weeks in the final year of the degree, prior to graduation that is shown to:

be a reflection of classroom teaching practice including the elements of planning, teaching, assessing and reflecting;
clearly assess the content of the Graduate Teacher Standards; and
demonstrate an understanding of moderation processes that support consistent decision-making against achievement criteria.

The GTPA is built into course requirements and assessments.

All students must possess dispositional attributes deemed suitable for the profession of teaching.

Course learning outcomes

Upon completion of the Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary), graduate teachers will be able to:

Apply an advanced and integrated understanding of teacher professional knowledge, practice and engagement in urban, regional, remote and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school-community environments
Analyse critically, reflect on and synthesise complex information, data, problems, concepts, theories and recent developments in the fields of teaching and learning in professional practice and research contexts
Design, implement and evaluate curriculum, assessment and differentiated learning opportunities, with a view to enhanced learning outcomes for all students, including those from diverse cultural, linguistic and socio-economic backgrounds and with specific learning needs
Demonstrate professional numeracy and literacy content mastery, the ability to apply strategies for teaching numeracy and literacy in a variety of curricular contexts, and evaluate the success of such application
Reflect on current dispositions, skills, knowledge and attitudes to manage their professional learning needs and performance, autonomously and in collaboration with others
Critically review regulatory requirements, ethical principles and, where appropriate, cultural frameworks, to work effectively, responsibly and safely in diverse contexts
Demonstrate autonomy, expert judgement, agency, adaptability and responsibility in planning, decision-making, solving complex problems and leading curriculum and community engagement initiatives
Communicate knowledge, skills and ideas through engagement with specialist and non-specialist audiences using advanced speaking, reading, writing, listening, numeracy and advocacy skills
Apply knowledge of research principles, methods, techniques and tools to plan and execute a substantial research-based project, capstone experience and/or piece of scholarship.

Inherent Requirements

Inherent Requirements	Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University's learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please visit: Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary).
Reasonable adjustments	All JCU students have the opportunity to demonstrate, with reasonable adjustments where applicable, the inherent requirements for their course. For more information please visit: Student Disability Policy and Procedure.

Course Structure

CORE SUBJECTS

ED5950:03 Learning for Diverse Learners in Primary School Contexts

ED5915:03 Language and Literacy Education for Primary Teachers

ED5916:03 Mathematics and Numeracy for Primary Teachers

ED5952:03 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education in Primary School Contexts

ED5953:03 The Arts for Primary Teachers

ED5960:03 Teaching for Learning in Diverse Primary School Contexts

ED5961:03 English Education for Primary Teachers

ED5962:03 Mathematics Education for Primary Teachers

ED5963:03 Digital and Design Technologies for Primary Teachers

ED5970:03 Teachers as Leaders for Learning and Change

ED5971:03 Humanities and Social Science Education for Primary Teachers

ED5972:03 Health and Physical Education for Primary Teachers

ED5973:03 Science and Sustainability Education for Primary Teachers

ED5974:03 Final Graduate Professional Experience

ED5980:03 Teachers as Researchers for Learning and Change in Primary School Contexts

ED5981:03 Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Classrooms and Communities

Location

COURSE AVAILABLE AT	NOTES
JCU Cairns
JCU Townsville
External

Candidature

Expected time to complete	2 years or part-time equivalent
Maximum time to complete	5 years
Maximum leave of absence	1 year

Progression

Course progression requisites	Students must successfully complete LANTITE prior to their placement and GTPA assessment in their final year of study.
Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)	Professional Practicums and Internships: This course includes a prescribed professional placement in Primary schools in each of the first four phases of the course for a total of 60 placement days including a 20-day extended capstone in the final phase. In addition to the 60 placement days, students must undertake a one-day-a-week placement in schools to a minimum of 20 days across the degree. It may be required that students undertake such placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled, at their own expense. Students must successfully complete LANTITE prior to their placement and GTPA assessment in their final year of study. Further information about placements can be found at Coursework Enrolment Procedure.
Special assessment requirements	Suitability to Work with Children Care (blue card): This course includes prescribed professional or clinical placements that may involve contact with children under 18 years of age. Students are required to obtain a Suitability to work with Children Card (which involves a criminal history check undertaken by the Queensland police) before the start of the first placement. Students must retain a current Suitability to Work with Children Card for the duration of their course, as failure to do so will result in the termination of their admission to the course. For more information, refer to: Blue Card Services Students who do not complete the required number of days of a professional experience subject or a professional component of a subject, without the approval of the Director of Professional Experience, will be deemed to have failed the subject. Refer to Review of a Student’s Suitability to Continue a Course Involving Placement policy.
Professional accreditation requirements	Successful completion of all core subjects contributes to the graduate teacher entry requirements for the Queensland College of Teachers. Please also see `Additional Completion requirements’ in reference to the GTPA
Supplementary exam for final subject	A candidate who has failed a subject required towards the award and who gained 40% or more of the marks for that subject, may be granted a supplementary examination in that subject. However, if that subject is required for accreditation, then the criteria specified by that accreditation will apply. If a practicum has been failed, a further opportunity will be granted for successful completion of this requirement. Any further opportunity subsequent to a second failure is at the discretion of the Dean of the College.

Credit

Eligibility	Students may apply for a credit transfer for previous tertiary study or informal and non-formal learning in accordance with the Credit Transfer Procedure
Maximum allowed	12 credit points
Currency	Credit will be granted only for subjects completed in the 3 years prior to the commencement of this course. Policy document changes in education within the past three years, especially with the national curriculum and the AITSL professional standards require any previous coursework to give attention to these changes.
Expiry	Credit gained for any subject shall be cancelled 8 years after the date of the examination upon which the credit is based if, by then, the candidate has not completed this course.
Other restrictions	Nil

Award Details

Award title	MASTER OF TEACHING AND LEARNING (PRIMARY)
Approved abbreviations	MTeachLearn(Primary)
This is a joint degree	No
Inclusion of majors on testamur	Not applicable - this course does not have majors
Exit with lesser award	Not applicable
Course articulation	Candidates who complete this course at an appropriate level of academic standing may be eligible for entry to Doctoral studies in Education.
Special Awards	Students may receive an Award of Recognition in accordance with the Recognition of Academic Excellence Procedure

Fees and scholarships

Estimated annual Commonwealth Supported fee: $AUD4,124.00

Estimated annual tuition fee: $AUD23,240.00

A Student Services and Amenities fee is payable per subject up to a maximum amount per year.

A variety of Scholarships are available to suit different student types.

Pathways to JCU

Consult the admission requirements section in the Handbook for prerequisites and pathways into this course.

An appropriate bachelor degree (AQF Level 7) or equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution which includes the equivalent of full year of study in areas appropriate to curriculum demands of primary teaching in Australian schools; that is subjects that link to the national school curriculum (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)) content in English, technologies, mathematics, science, humanities and social sciences, The Arts, health and physical education.

How to apply

Complete an online application through our Online Application Portal.

Note the course QTAC code for the location you've chosen. You'll need to enter it as part of your QTAC application.

All applicants for initial teacher education courses (pre-service teachers) must satisfy both academic and non-academic entry criteria.

Your academic criteria is measured against previous study. You must have successfully completed at least 8 subjects (at least one year of full-time-equivalent study) in your undergraduate degree that are relevant to one or more learning areas of the primary school curriculum: English, technologies, mathematics, science, humanities and social sciences, and health and physical education. At least three of the subjects completed within the full year of study must be appropriate to the demands of a particular specialisation.

English language requirements

Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the following English language proficiency requirements:

An overall score of 7.5 in Academic IELTS (or equivalent) with no sub-score less than 8.0 for Speaking and Listening and no sub-score less than 7.0 for Reading and Writing.

Student

Mark Malone

Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary)

This course was ideal for me to change careers, and connect with peers and future employers. With an emphasis on real life examples and experiences, the dedicated and enthusiastic JCU staff have inspired me further to be a part of the teaching vocation and have a positive impact on learners for many years to come.
Alumni

Kristal Bruniera

Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary)

By spending 11 weeks on my placement before completing my studies, the school and the staff really got to see what I was like as a teacher and how I constructed my classroom. That really helped me obtain employment with the school after graduation and it gave them the opportunity to see if I fit with their values.
Lecturer

Dr Subhashni Taylor

College of Arts, Society and Education

The Masters of Teaching and Learning (Primary) at JCU allows students to build on their prior experiences to improve their practice as a teacher. The school based experience that is embedded in the course allows students to apply their knowledge in an authentic setting.
Employer

Colette Wasson

Director, Human Resources Business Partnering, Education Queensland

The Department of Education finds JCU students to be equipped with the knowledge, skill set and willingness to make a difference in Queensland State Schools. Graduates leave JCU with a well-rounded ability to succeed in the classroom, while also stepping outside their comfort zone to begin their professional careers.
Employer

Jacqui Francis

Executive Director, Townsville Catholic Education

JCU graduates come to us ready to take on the role of guiding and teaching our wonderful students. We recognise their enthusiasm, energy and their willingness to continue in professional development that further enhances their skills. JCU graduates enhance our organisation and add value to our students’ lives.