During the first three years (four years for BMus), students complete eight education courses while satisfying the requirements for their non-Education degree and the prerequisites for study in the final year, which include two teaching areas. In the final year, students undertake professional studies including supervised practicums in school settings.

Compulsory Placement Course

Students must complete 10 days school experience and 90 days supervised practicum. Every effort is made to place students within a reasonable distance of their home base but they can be expected to travel up to 90 minutes due to public transport connections and incur costs associated with travel and possible lost income over this period. Students are generally placed at Ipswich, Brisbane, and southeast Queensland and are encouraged to explore the option of a rural placement. Financial assistance may be available to assist with travel and accommodation costs for rural placements.

Students are required to have a current Blue Card (Working with Children Check) before commencing practicum. Students can apply for a Blue Card through the School of Education and should do so three months before their practicum is due to commence. The Teacher Preparation Programs Handbook provides information about practicum and school experience requirements and is available from School of Education.

Graduates are eligible for teacher registration in Queensland and may qualify for employment as secondary school teachers in state and independent schools worldwide. Students who specialise in music or Language Other Than English (LOTE) may also seek employment in primary schools. An education degree opens up a vast range of career opportunities within educational settings such as head of department, principal, guidance officer, learning support teacher, student advisor and education advisor. The development of key competencies throughout the Bachelor of Education program provides knowledge and skills sought by employers in business and industry, especially in areas where an understanding of program development and training are required.

From 2017, commencing students are required to successfully meet the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) standards prior to graduation. Current students (enrolled prior to 2017) are also strongly encouraged to meet the LANTITE test prior to graduation as you may be asked for evidence of this when seeking employment. The University has committed to pay for students to undertake the test for the period 2016 to 2018 inclusive. Please contact the School of Education for further details (education@uq.edu.au) or visit the School of Education office. For more information on this Government initiative please visit the Students First website for more information on the test, including sample tests and registration information, please visit the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) website.

For more information on program requirements, please contact the Faculty.