Master of Teaching (Primary)
Overview
Your career change starts here. Transfer your prior knowledge and expertise into a rewarding career as a primary school teacher.
Designed for those with an approved undergraduate degree, the Master of Teaching (Primary) allows you to qualify as a primary school teacher after four semesters of study.
The two year program aims to develop, educate and sustain teachers who can contribute innovatively and creatively to addressing the educational challenges of social, community and technological change. It provides the skills and knowledge necessary for teaching to complement the current knowledge and skills gained in your first degree.
Your study consists of periods of on-campus lectures, tutorials and workshops. These are alternated with blocks of professional placements in schools, designed to provide the opportunity for professional development and learning for growth into your career in education. You'll graduate qualified to teach in all areas of the primary curriculum from Prep to Year 6.
This program also provides the potential to work internationally. Once registered, you can work as a primary school teacher in state or independent schools in Queensland, interstate or overseas, or undertake further study to qualify as a principal, mentor, curriculum adviser, guidance or career officer, or head of department.
Program highlights
- After just four semesters of study, have the confidence to step into the classroom and ignite the minds of the next generation.
- Learn from national and international award-winning lecturers who will teach you flexible and creative ways to cater for the diverse learning needs of children.
- Undertake 70 days of supervised classroom experience.
- Graduate from an accredited program with eligibility for teacher registration in Queensland and beyond.
How you'll learn
Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Work placements
- Fieldwork
Placements and work experience
Students undertaking the Master of Teaching (Primary) program must complete 75 days of professional experience placement, comprising of: 5 days of school experience/observation and 70 days of supervised and assessed professional experience throughout the program.
Every effort is made to place students within a reasonable distance of their home but you can be expected to travel up to 90 minutes one-way due to public transport connections and incur costs associated with travel and possible lost income. Students are generally placed at Ipswich, Brisbane, and south-east corner of Queensland (including the Gold and Sunshine Coasts) and are also encouraged to consider a rural placement.
Students must have a current Blue Card (Working with Children Check) before commencing practicum, and should apply for one through the School of Education three months before their first professional experience. The Professional Experience Handbook for the Master of Teaching (Primary) program provides additional information about professional experience requirements and is available from the School of Education.
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:
- Global Issues and Social Justice
- Contemporary Theories of Development and Learning
- Introduction to Teaching Mathematics
- Building Inclusive Primary Classrooms
Career possibilities
Postgraduate study can take you anywhere. Here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:
- Primary school teacher
- Head of curriculum
- Distance education teacher
- Community education officer
- Educator
Next steps after graduation
Over 96 percent of UQ Education graduates found employment after study (QILT Graduates Outcomes Survey 2018-2019).
Professional memberships
When you graduate, you may be eligible for memberships with the following professional organisations. Contact the organisation to find out how to become a member.
- Queensland College of Teachers
Professional registration
When you graduate, you may be eligible for registration with the following professional organisations. Contact the organisation to find out how to register.
- Queensland College Of Teachers
Program accreditation
The Master of Teaching (Primary) is accredited by:
- Australian Institute For Teaching And School Leadership
Being a new teacher proved to be a challenging role. Thanks to the excellent tutors and lecturers at UQ, I felt well prepared. The Master of Teaching program provided me with a comprehensive overview of the skill-set required.
Prior to teaching, I was a flight attendant in Germany but I always loved working with children. I worked as a foreign language assistant in schools before completing the Master of Teaching program at UQ which offered intensive teaching classes and great access to lecturers.
Being a new teacher proved to be a challenging role. Thanks to the excellent tutors and lecturers at UQ, I felt well prepared. The Master of Teaching program provided me with a comprehensive overview of the skill-set required.
Prior to teaching, I was a flight attendant in Germany but I always loved working with children. I worked as a foreign language assistant in schools before completing the Master of Teaching program at UQ which offered intensive teaching classes and great access to lecturers.
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Entry requirements
Entry requirements
To be eligible for entry, you'll need:
- a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a different discipline from an approved tertiary institution, which includes the equivalent of at least one full year of study in areas relevant to one or more learning areas of the primary school curriculum in Australian schools (see below), and
- to submit a statement addressing non-academic criteria (see below), and
- to complete an online questionnaire to meet the non-academic entry requirement for this program. Once you have submitted your application, you will be directed to the online questionnaire.
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 4.5 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
As part of the Australian Institute for Teaching and Leadership (AITSL) revised Standards and Procedures (2015), applicants to initial teacher education courses (pre-service teachers) must satisfy both academic and non-academic entry criteria for selection to the course. For further information please see QTAC's Initial Teacher Education (ITE) advice page.
Please refer to the School of Education website for further information on entry requirements and becoming a teacher.
- a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a different discipline from an approved tertiary institution, which includes the equivalent of at least one full year of study in areas relevant to one or more learning areas of the primary school curriculum in Australian schools (see below), and
- to submit a statement addressing non-academic criteria (see below), and
- to complete an online questionnaire to meet the non-academic entry requirement for this program. Once you have submitted your application, you will be directed to the online questionnaire.
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 4.5 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
As part of the Australian Institute for Teaching and Leadership (AITSL) revised Standards and Procedures (2015), applicants to initial teacher education courses (pre-service teachers) must satisfy both academic and non-academic entry criteria for selection to the course. For further information please see QTAC's Initial Teacher Education (ITE) advice page.
Please refer to the School of Education website for further information on entry requirements and becoming a teacher.
English language requirements
IELTS score of 7.5 overall; speaking 8; listening 8, reading 7, writing 7. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ.
TOEFL iBT (Paper Edition), PTE Academic, BE, CES, and OET are not accepted.
There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.
Inherent requirements
To complete this degree, you have to meet its inherent requirements by demonstrating essential skills and attributes. Read the inherent requirements before you apply.
Student visas
International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Master of Teaching (Primary) 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.
Need help meeting the entry requirements?
Additional application information
For information on areas relevant to one or more learning areas of the primary school curriculum in Australian schools please refer to the School of Education website. All applicants to education programs in Australia must complete non-academic entry criteria (online questionnaire and personal statements). For further information please see QTAC's Initial Teacher Education (ITE) advice page. Please refer to the School of Education for further information on entry requirements and becoming a teacher.
All students are required to successfully meet the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) standards prior to graduation. Please contact the School of Education for further details (education@uq.edu.au) or visit the School of Education office. For more information on the test including sample tests, indicative fees, testing institutions and registration information, please visit the School of Education LANTITE website and the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) website.
Additional application information
For information on areas relevant to one or more learning areas of the primary school curriculum in Australian schools please refer to the School of Education website. As part of the Australian Institute for Teaching and Leadership (AITSL) revised Standards and Procedures (2015), applicants to initial teacher education courses (pre-service teachers) must satisfy both academic and non-academic entry criteria for selection to the course. All applicants will need to complete an online questionnaire to meet the non-academic entry requirement for this program. Once you have submitted your application, you will be directed to the online questionnaire.
All students are required to successfully meet the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) standards prior to graduation. Please contact the School of Education for further details (education@uq.edu.au) or visit the School of Education office. For more information on the test including sample tests, indicative fees, testing institutions and registration information, please visit the School of Education LANTITE website and the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) website.
Fees and Scholarships
Indicative annual fee
Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
$4,450
2024
$4,450
2024
Approximate yearly cost of full-time tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
AUD $41,120
2024
AUD $41,120
2024
Additional costs
- There may be additional course costs associated with travel or materials.
- Students are expected to fund travel and living expenses associated with placements, some of which may be outside the Brisbane metropolitan area.
- All students are required to successfully meet the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) standards prior to graduation.
- Students are responsible for the cost of the LANTITE (approximately $196 or $98 per test). ACER website (https://teacheredtest.acer.edu.au) lists current fees.
- Please contact the School of Education for further details (education@uq.edu.au) or visit the School of Education office.
- For more information on the LANTITE tests, including sample tests and registration information, please visit the Australian Council for Educational Research website: https://teacheredtest.acer.edu.au
- Students are responsible for the cost of transportation and accommodation to attend residential schools or practicals.
- A clinical uniform shirt is required and may be purchased through the School.
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.
HECS-HELP
Domestic places in the Master of Teaching (Primary) 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.
Centrelink support
The Australian Government has approved this master's program for income support payments to be made to eligible students.
Scholarships
You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:
How to apply
Applying online
All international applications should be submitted to UQ. If you prefer, you can use an approved UQ agent in your country.
The program code for the Master of Teaching (Primary) is 5556.
Find out more about applying for postgraduate coursework study
Applying through QTAC
All domestic applications should be submitted to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).
The QTAC code for the Master of Teaching (Primary) is 742802.
Important dates
The closing date for this program is:
- 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
To check the closing date for this program, go to the QTAC website.
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.
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