Bachelor of Teaching (Primary)

CSU's Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) prepares primary school educators who are effective, critically reflective professional practitioners in various educational settings.

Why study this course?

CSU’s Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) creates graduates who are committed to education and the transformation of individuals, schools and society. This course allows students to develop effective skills in the teaching of the full range of subject knowledge as a dynamic aspect of children’s curricular experience. Graduates will be responsive to the rights of diverse learners and community groups. They will understand the need as scholarly and autonomous adult learners to take responsibility for their own continuing personal and professional development as critically reflective professionals.

Graduate entry

The Faculty of Education's graduate entry courses are pre-service teaching qualifications. Eligibility for entry is dependent upon a prior tertiary qualification - the nature of which is determined by specific admission criteria for each course. Graduate entry courses provide initial teaching training qualifications at the undergraduate level in various areas such as Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary Teaching.

Professional experience requirements

During Session 1 of the course, students attend a 10-day in-school observation in a primary school, to orientate themselves towards primary teaching. Students will complete a minimum 10 weeks of professional experience which is divided into two separate placements.

Professional Experience 1

In the first teaching practice students will concentrate on:

Professional Experience 2

In the second teaching practice session students will be expected to concentrate on:

Professional recognition

CSU's Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) is recognised by industry and is fully accredited with the NSW Institute of Teachers.

Additional admission requirement

National Criminal Record Clearance

Graduation requirements

To graduate, students must satisfactorily complete the equivalent of 192 points.

Academic expectations

For each 8 point subject at CSU, students should normally expect to spend between 140-160 hours engaged in the specified learning and assessment activities (such as attending lectures or residential schools, assigned readings, tutorial assistance, individual or group research/study, forum activity, workplace learning, assignments or examinations). The student workload for some subjects may vary from these norms as a result of approved course design.

Students will be assessed on the basis of completed assignments, examinations, workplace learning, or other methods as outlined in specific subject outlines.

Where applicable, students are responsible for travel and accommodation costs involved in workplace learning experiences, or attending residential schools (distance education students).

Expectations relating to academic, workplace learning, time and cost requirements for specific subjects are provided in the subject abstracts and in course materials.

Credit

Upon entry into the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) a standard credit package of a maximum of 64 credit points (equivalent to eight subjects) will be given based on an applicant's undergraduate degree in a teaching related discipline. Students will then be required to complete 128 points (16 subjects) in the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary).

If students require additional discipline subjects (maximum of two) to meet NSWIT accreditation requirements then students will be granted 48/56 credit points (equivalent of six to seven subjects) from their previous degree and be provided with the opportunity to complete up to two additional discipline subjects concurrently with the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) to support their foundation studies in the Key Learning Areas.

Additionally, credit may be granted for equivalent subjects completed at another institution. A minimum of 64 credit points (eight subjects) of the course must be completed at CSU in order to graduate with a CSU award.

Proficiency credit (PCR)

In order for a student to gain credit for professional experience, the applicant must demonstrate to the Director of the Professional Experience Unit that the completed task was indeed equivalent to a professional experience placement (PEP), that is, the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) had provided the student with an opportunity to satisfy the requirements of a typical PEP. All applications for credit will be considered and a decision determined by the  Director of the Professional Experience Unit.

Workplace learning

National Criminal Record Check

Students may be required to undergo a criminal record check and/or complete a Prohibited Employment Declaration under the Child Protection Act 1998 as part of professional experience requirements. These checks are intended to identify people who might, because of convictions for such things as violence or sexual offences, put students/clients' personal safety or health at risk. Traffic violations and other minor offences are not of interest.

As such, prospective students should be aware that an inability to obtain a criminal record clearance or complete a Prohibited Employment Declaration may limit practicum opportunities in some organisations and industries. Furthermore, criminal convictions involving violence or sexual offences may limit continued enrolment in a course and/or employment opportunities after completing the course.

If you have any queries regarding these matters, including the opportunities available for review of a particular case, contact the Course Director.

Additional admission requirements

For entry into this course applicants must:

• hold a prior Bachelor award and have appropriate academic background in the Key Learning Areas (KLAs) as determined by the NSW Institute of Teachers
  or
• furnish documentary evidence which demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Dean of the Faculty of Education that equivalent requirements to those set out above have been met.

You must upload a copy of your completed degree with your application. 

Literacy requirement

To be successful at studies within certain courses, students must be highly competent in spoken and written English literacy. All students who do not have this level of competence in spoken and written English will be required to independently organise some form of coaching in English literacy, such as a short TAFE course or other form of tuition to improve their skills. Students will be advised of their options by the Head of School from the campus where they are enrolled. If, after an agreed period of study in English literacy, a student's English literacy standard has not improved, the appropriate Head of School will provide further advice with regard to alternative career options.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

The IELTS test for academic purposes is an appropriate test for prospective teachers. The NSW Institute of Teachers requires that international applicants need to attain a minimum overall score of 7.5 including a minimum result of 8.0 in both the speaking and listening modules and 7.0 in reading and writing.

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership - Employment Requirement

AITSL has introduced changes to the assessment criteria for English language proficiency to be consistent with teacher registration requirements in Australian states and territories, as per below:

English Language proficiency requirements

An Academic version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Test Report Form (TRF) that shows:

• a score of at least 7.0 for Reading and Writing; and
• a score of at least 8.0 for Speaking and Listening.

The IELTS test scores must appear on a single IELTS TRF and be the result of a test undertaken during the 12 month period prior to submitting an application.

OR

An applicant has completed study assessed by AITSL as comparable to at least four years of full-time (or part-time equivalent) higher education (university) study, that results in a qualification/s comparable to the education level of an Australian bachelor degree or higher, (must include a recognised initial teacher education qualification) in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States of America.

New South Wales Institute of Teachers - Employment Requirement

ACCEPTED ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTS
The tests and results which are accepted by the NSW Institute of Teachers are listed below.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
The IELTS test for academic purposes is an appropriate test for prospective teachers. The Institute requires that the applicant needs to attain a minimum overall score of 7.5 including a minimum result of 8.0 in both the speaking and listening modules and 7.0 in reading and writing. The test is widely accepted as an international standard for English language skills. Testing and locations can be found at www.ielts.org.

Professional English Assessment for Teachers (PEAT)
The applicant must have Band A in each of the four areas: speaking, listening, reading and writing. This test has been developed for teachers intending to teach in the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET). DET requires relevant teachers to undertake the PEAT. The DET has advised that Band A is required for teaching in government schools. It is available at the University of NSW Institute of Languages. The website is www.lang.unsw.edu.au/PEAT/. Only the DET may refer teachers to undertake PEAT.

International Second Language Proficiency Rating (ISLPR)
The applicant must have a score of at least 4+ in each of the four areas: speaking, listening, reading and writing. This test was originally developed as the ASLPR (Australian Second Language Proficiency Rating). It was developed at Griffith University and is available in a form specifically designed to test language proficiency in the teaching context. The website is www.islpr.org.

EXCEPTIONS
The following applicants generally do not need to complete one of the approved language tests:

• applicants for whom English is their first language
• applicants who have gained the majority of their qualifications in English, in a country where English is the main language. These countries are: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), Republic of South Africa and the United States of America
• applicants who can provide evidence that they have successfully taught in English in a school in a country where English is the main language for a substantial period of time

CURRENCY OF RESULTS
The Institute has accepted the advice of the test providers regarding the length of currency of results. Applicants who submit results from IELTS must submit results from a test taken within a period of two years of their application for provisional or conditional accreditation. Applicants who submit results from ISLPR must submit results from a test taken within a period of twelve months of their application for provisional or conditional accreditation. A successful PEAT does not lose currency.

See the Workplace learning tab for special requirements for Professional Experience Placements.

Apply now

This course is available to commence study in

Session 1; Session 2