Course

Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary)

Approved Abbreviation: BA

Western Sydney University Course Code: 1652.6

AQF Level: 7

CRICOS Code: 061013A

Students should follow the course structure for the course version relevant to the year they commenced. This version applies to students whose commencement year for this course is 2015 or later.

Commencement Year 2013 and 2014 - 1652.5 Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary)

Commencement Year 2012 - 1652.4 Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary)

Commencement Year 2010 and 2011 - 1652.3 Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary)

Commencement Year 2009 - 1652.2 Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary)

Commencement Year 2008 - 1652.1 Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary)

Graduates of this degree are eligible for direct entry into the Master of Teaching (Secondary) via Transition to Teaching pathway. Completion of both the Bachelor’s and Master’s courses provides a teaching qualification for Secondary. Eligible students will receive advice during their final study session in the Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary) regarding how to accept an offer into the Postgraduate course to attain a teaching qualification.

The BA (Pathway to Teaching Secondary) is a three year degree specially designed to lead into the Master of Teaching (Secondary), an accredited postgraduate teaching qualification. Together, the two degrees provide direct access to a teaching career in four years and improved prospects for career advancement. The Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary) component provides focussed study in a teaching discipline, such as English, History, a Language Other than English or Human Society and Its Environment, as well as opportunity to study an Education Studies Sub- Major that develops understandings of contemporary education issues, teaching and learning. As well as being equipped with all the necessary elements of an initial teacher qualification, Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary) graduates are prepared for a wide range of alternate employment opportunities with strong communication and people skills, creativity and capacity for independent thought, flexibility and adaptability in new situations, all increasingly demanded by employers. For further information concerning the requirements for secondary teaching, students are advised to consult the Subject Content Requirements for Primary and Secondary Teaching NSW (Abridged) from the NSW Institute of Teachers or the School of Education.

http://www.nswteachers.nsw.edu.au/future-returning-teachers/become-a-teacher/high-school/

Director of Academic Program - Dr Dianne Dickenson

Study Mode
Three years full-time or six years part-time.

Advanced standing

Students demonstrating successful completion of relevant studies at other tertiary institutions prior to enrolment may be granted advanced standing for those studies, in accordance with current University policy.

Admission

Assumed knowledge: two units of HSC English.

Recommended studies: HSC English Standard, or equivalent.

Applications from Australian and New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent resident visas must be made via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

Applicants who have undertaken studies overseas may have to provide proof of proficiency in English. Local and International applicants who are applying through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) will find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on the UAC website. Local applicants applying directly to the University should also use the information provided on the UAC website.

http://www.uac.edu.au/

International applicants must apply directly to Western Sydney University via the International Office office.

International students applying to The University through the International Office can find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on their website.

International Office

Overseas qualifications must be deemed by the Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) to be equivalent to Australian qualifications in order to be considered by UAC and Western Sydney University.

Course Structure

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 240 credit points with no less than 60 credit points at Level 3.

All students must enrol in and complete:

40 credit points Bachelor of Arts Core
80 credit point Arts Major - First teaching area
40 credit point Education Studies sub-major
40 credit point sub-major from the list below or other areas of study, eg/ Geography and Urban Studies, Mathematics (contact your Course Advisor for further information)
40 credit points of electives

Note: The following Majors and Sub-majors have inherent requirements; Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian and Japanese. Please see the link below:

Inherent Requirements

Core Components

Year 1 Core units - 40 credit points

100958

Australia and the World

100960

Contemporary Society

100968

Texts and Traditions

100846

Analytical Reading and Writing

Majors - First teaching area

Note: Not all majors are available on all campuses, please check availability.

Students must select one of the following majors applicable for first teaching areas in Secondary Teaching

Arabic

Chinese

English

History and Political Thought

M1093

Indonesian

M1062

Japanese

Note: From 2016, the following majors are no longer applicable for the first teaching area:

M1052

Cultural and Social Analysis

M1041

Indigenous Australian Studies

M1055

International Relations and Asian Studies

M1056

Islamic Studies

Education Studies Sub-major

SM1100

Education Studies

Please note that units within the Education Studies sub-major are mainly available at Bankstown or Penrith campuses with some units on offer at Parramatta Campus and online.

Sub-majors and Second teaching area

Students should seek academic advice before selecting a Sub-major or second teaching area from the Sub-majors listed below.

Sub-majors

Note: Not all Arts sub-majors are available on all campuses

SM1077

Arabic

SM1078

Chinese

SM1070

Cultural and Social Analysis

SM1071

English

SM1072

History and Political Thought

SM1049

Indigenous Australian Studies

SM1112

Indonesian

SM1073

International Relations and Asian Studies

Islamic Studies

Japanese

Linguistics

Philosophy

Psychological Studies

Other Sub-majors

SM3038

Food Technology - Secondary Teaching

SM1093

Geography and Urban Studies

SM3025

Mathematics

SM1083

Music for Secondary Teaching

Please note that from 2020 a sub-major in Music for Secondary Teaching no longer meets NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) requirements to qualify students to teach music in secondary schools. The successful completion of the major M1130 Music for Secondary Teaching meets NESA requirements and successful completion of this major will qualify students to teach music in secondary schools.

M1130

Music for Secondary Teaching

Recommended full-time sequence

Year 1

Autumn session

BA core unit

Major unit

Elective sub-major unit

Spring session

BA core unit

Major unit

Elective sub-major unit

Year 2

Autumn session

Major unit

Education Studies or Elective sub-major unit

Spring session

Major unit

Education Studies or Elective sub-major unit

Year 3

Autumn session

Major unit

Education Studies or Elective sub-major unit

Spring session

Major unit

Education Studies or Elective sub-major unit

Sub-major elective spaces

Elective units may be used toward obtaining an additional approved sub-major (40 credit points).

Western Sydney University offers sub-majors in a range of areas including Sustainability and Indigenous Studies.

Indigenous Australian Studies Sub-major

Business Sustainability Sub-major

Search for sub-majors

Students can apply for an elective major or sub-major via MySR.

MyStudentRecords (MySR)