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Library with large bookshelves

Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies

Overview

Strengthen your leadership expertise and get a professional advantage in your chosen area of education.

This program is suitable for practising teachers, administrators and other educational professionals, as well as professionals in other areas wishing to gain expertise in education. It can be completed in six months full-time — and most fields of study can be completed part-time in one year.

Specialise in one of seven fields of study: Behaviour Management; Curriculum; Guidance, Counselling and Careers; Leadership; Psychology Education; Science of Learning or Supporting Diverse Learners. Depending on your area of specialisation you can choose to complete all aspects of a practicum that focuses on advanced research and teaching interests.

Some pathways offer specific qualifications, while others offer significant professional advantage to educators interested in career advancement or broadening their career options.

Location
External, St Lucia
Duration
Half Year (or part time equivalent)
Start Semester
Semester 1 (24 Feb, 2025), Semester 2 (28 Jul, 2025)
Program Code
5448
AQF
Level 8
Location
External, St Lucia
Fees
A$21600
Duration
Half Year
Start Semester
Semester 1 (24 Feb, 2025), Semester 2 (28 Jul, 2025)
Semester dates for 2026 are yet to be confirmed
Program Code
5448
CRICOS Code
061819G
AQF
Level 8

Program highlights

Program highlights

  • Strengthen your leadership expertise in educational practice, policy and theory.
  • Obtain the knowledge and skills required for specialised fields of work.
  • Gain qualifications that enhance career advancement and options.
  • Improve your research skills by engaging in an extended research-based project.

40 in the world for education

QS World University Rankings 2024

1 in Queensland for education

QS World University Rankings 2024

Fields of study

Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:

  • Behaviour Support
  • Curriculum
  • Guidance, Counselling and Careers
  • Leadership

How you'll learn

Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.

  • Lectures
  • Tutorials
  • Work placements
  • Overseas study
  • Research experience
  • Fieldwork
  • Seminars

What you'll study

At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study in this program:

  • Foundations in Global Education for International Students
  • Foundation of the Science of Learning
  • Indigenous knowledge and education
  • Contemporary Theories of Development and Learning

Career possibilities

Postgraduate study can take you anywhere. Depending on which field you choose, here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:

  • Behaviour management counsellor
  • Special needs teacher
  • Curriculum planner
  • School curriculum adviser
  • Career development practitioner
  • Guidance counsellor
  • Educational administrator
  • Multicultural teacher
  • School principal

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

To be eligible for entry, you'll need:

  • a bachelor¿s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, or
  • have completed post-secondary study, plus 2 years full-time professional work experience in a relevant or comparable education setting (see below).

 You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
  • a bachelor¿s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, or
  • have completed post-secondary study, plus 2 years full-time professional work experience in a relevant or comparable education setting (see below).

 You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.

Related programs

Depending on your previous qualifications and current goals, you might want to consider
one of these related programs:

English language requirements

IELTS overall 6.5; reading 6; writing 6; speaking 6; listening 6. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ

TOEFL iBT (including Paper Edition) - Overall 87, listening 19, reading 19, writing 21 and speaking 19.

PTE Academic - Overall Score of 64 and 60 in all sub bands.

BE - A minimum overall grade of 4 plus a minimum grade of C in all macro skills.

CES - Overall 176 and 169 in all sub bands.

OET is not accepted.

 

There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.

Learn how to meet the English language requirements

Student visas

International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).

There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.

Learn more about student visas

Additional application information

Relevant work experience is defined as employment in teaching and education (which can include youth work, teacher aide work, support personnel, music education, teaching English as a second language, allied health, and sport sciences).

Additional application information

Relevant work experience is defined as employment in teaching and education (which can include youth work, teacher aide work, support personnel, music education, teaching English as a second language, allied health, and sport sciences).

Fields of study

Fields of study

Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:

Gain the knowledge and skills needed to identify, describe and manage students' challenging behaviours in schools.

Develop your knowledge and skills in:

  • contemporary, evidence-based practices in behaviour support
  • assessment and understanding of the functions of challenging behaviours
  • developing and implementing strategies for behaviour interventions across a range of environments
  • monitoring and evaluating behaviour support strategies.

This field of study enhances the skills and knowledge of teachers and other professionals in supporting children and young people with challenging behaviours.

View

The Curriculum field of study will give you in-depth knowledge of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment issues that is responsive to the introduction of the Australian Curriculum.

It explores contemporary issues associated with curriculum in schooling and education. The field considers priority areas in the Australian curriculum and also offers students the opportunity to study in a core learning area.

View

This field provides the knowledge, understanding and skills that are essential for today's professional guidance counsellors and career development practitioners.

This specially designed program of study allows you to develop competencies as a professional guidance counsellor and/or career practitioner for employment in schools, TAFE colleges, agencies, or as a private practitioner. The program focuses on:

  • Developing counselling competencies.
  • Understanding career development and education across the lifespan.
  • Linking assessment practices to instructional interventions.
  • Understanding ethical behaviour and practices.
  • Developing comprehensive guidance programs.

View

In a 21st century knowledge society, leadership has emerged as a critical contributor to positive outcomes, overall success and sustainability to organisations and institutions in education and education-related fields.

In such an increasingly complex and uncertain future, transformative leadership competencies encompassing distributive and collaborative domains have become essential.

This field of study is designed for individuals committed to undertaking transformative leadership roles to improve their respective workplaces and make an impact through your professional practice informed by research. It provides leading-edge knowledge and understandings about leadership and management that inform your practice within educational institutions (including schools, colleges and TAFEs), government departments and other organisations.

The field focuses on the skills, knowledge and attitudes required by leaders in our discontinuously changing world, and challenges students to develop as critically reflective, flexible and ethically collaborative change leaders of learners and thinkers.

View

This program prepares current teachers to teach the subject titled "Psychology" in the senior phase of schooling.

You'll be provided with opportunities to develop the appropriate content and pedagogical content knowledge and teaching strategies for a professional learning pathway into senior secondary psychology teaching.

Students with backgrounds other than teaching will develop skills to prepare them for potential employment opportunities and/or subsequent studies aligned with the field of psychology education.

View

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the neurological, psychological, physical, cognitive, social and emotional processes involved in learning.

With a focus on school-aged learning, this field of study will strengthen your understanding of the principles of cognitive science across the learning lifespan.

This field is designed for teachers and educators at all stages of their career. You will develop capabilities to critically engage with both research and practice-based evidence to understand effective teaching and learning practices.

Graduates are equipped to consider, translate, apply and evaluate the impact of this science to develop meaningful learning experiences for their students inside the classroom and in other educational contexts.

View

This field of study takes a developmental perspective, situating young people with special needs and learning difficulties in context, to better understand their learning and behaviour.

It develops the skills, knowledge and values for you to teach students with a range of diverse abilities and needs, from those with developmental disabilities to those who may have difficulties in learning, as well as those at risk of school failure or disengagement.

The field focuses on understanding individual, contextual, and systematic factors that affect learning and behaviour for individuals with learning or special needs including issues associated with assessment, curriculum, pedagogy and whole-life learning.

View

Fields of study

Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:

Gain the knowledge and skills needed to identify, describe and manage students' challenging behaviours in schools.

Develop your knowledge and skills in:

  • contemporary, evidence-based practices in behaviour support
  • assessment and understanding of the functions of challenging behaviours
  • developing and implementing strategies for behaviour interventions across a range of environments
  • monitoring and evaluating behaviour support strategies.

This field of study enhances the skills and knowledge of teachers and other professionals in supporting children and young people with challenging behaviours.

View

The Curriculum field of study will give you in-depth knowledge of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment issues that is responsive to the introduction of the Australian Curriculum.

It explores contemporary issues associated with curriculum in schooling and education. The field considers priority areas in the Australian curriculum and also offers students the opportunity to study in a core learning area.

View

This field provides the knowledge, understanding and skills that are essential for today's professional guidance counsellors and career development practitioners.

This specially designed program of study allows you to develop competencies as a professional guidance counsellor and/or career practitioner for employment in schools, TAFE colleges, agencies, or as a private practitioner. The program focuses on:

  • Developing counselling competencies.
  • Understanding career development and education across the lifespan.
  • Linking assessment practices to instructional interventions.
  • Understanding ethical behaviour and practices.
  • Developing comprehensive guidance programs.

View

In a 21st century knowledge society, leadership has emerged as a critical contributor to positive outcomes, overall success and sustainability to organisations and institutions in education and education-related fields.

In such an increasingly complex and uncertain future, transformative leadership competencies encompassing distributive and collaborative domains have become essential.

This field of study is designed for individuals committed to undertaking transformative leadership roles to improve their respective workplaces and make an impact through your professional practice informed by research. It provides leading-edge knowledge and understandings about leadership and management that inform your practice within educational institutions (including schools, colleges and TAFEs), government departments and other organisations.

The field focuses on the skills, knowledge and attitudes required by leaders in our discontinuously changing world, and challenges students to develop as critically reflective, flexible and ethically collaborative change leaders of learners and thinkers.

View

This program prepares current teachers to teach the subject titled "Psychology" in the senior phase of schooling.

You'll be provided with opportunities to develop the appropriate content and pedagogical content knowledge and teaching strategies for a professional learning pathway into senior secondary psychology teaching.

Students with backgrounds other than teaching will develop skills to prepare them for potential employment opportunities and/or subsequent studies aligned with the field of psychology education.

View

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the neurological, psychological, physical, cognitive, social and emotional processes involved in learning.

With a focus on school-aged learning, this field of study will strengthen your understanding of the principles of cognitive science across the learning lifespan.

This field is designed for teachers and educators at all stages of their career. You will develop capabilities to critically engage with both research and practice-based evidence to understand effective teaching and learning practices.

Graduates are equipped to consider, translate, apply and evaluate the impact of this science to develop meaningful learning experiences for their students inside the classroom and in other educational contexts.

View

This field of study takes a developmental perspective, situating young people with special needs and learning difficulties in context, to better understand their learning and behaviour.

It develops the skills, knowledge and values for you to teach students with a range of diverse abilities and needs, from those with developmental disabilities to those who may have difficulties in learning, as well as those at risk of school failure or disengagement.

The field focuses on understanding individual, contextual, and systematic factors that affect learning and behaviour for individuals with learning or special needs including issues associated with assessment, curriculum, pedagogy and whole-life learning.

View

Fees and Scholarships

Indicative annual fee

Approximate yearly cost of tuition (8 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.

$2,300

2024

Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.

$2,300

2025

Learn more about postgraduate fees

Approximate yearly cost of tuition (8 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.

AUD $21,600

2024

Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.

AUD $21,600

2025

Learn more about postgraduate fees

Additional costs

  • Students are responsible for the cost of transportation and accommodation to attend residential schools or practicals.

Government assistance

Financial aid

As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.

Learn more about financial aid

HECS-HELP

Domestic places in the Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies are Commonwealth Supported. This means the cost of your education is shared between you and the Australian Government.

Instead of tuition fees, Commonwealth Supported students pay what are called student contribution amounts.

HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.

Learn more about HECS-HELP

Centrelink support

Scholarships

You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:

How to apply

Important dates

The closing date for this program is:

  • To commence study in semester 2 - May 31 of the year of commencement.
  • To commence study in semester 1 - November 30 of the previous year.

To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.

Important dates

The closing date for this program is:

  • To commence study in Semester 1 - January 31 of the year of commencement.
  • To commence study in Semester 2 - June 30 of the year of commencement.

To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants

For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.

Contact the ATSIS Unit

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