Teacher education is offered by universities and accredited non-government colleges. Teacher education programs lead to Bachelor Degree or postgraduate professional qualifications.
Most states and territories require at least 4 years of university level training as the minimum pre-service or initial teacher education component.
Teacher education programs consist of:
- professional studies – theoretical knowledge and skills required for the teaching profession
- curriculum studies – subject knowledge and pedagogical skills
- practical training – supervised professional training for between 12 and 20 weeks.
All courses must include Aboriginal and cross-cultural awareness studies, teaching children with special needs and information and communication technology (ICT).
Preschool teacher education
Programs for preparatory or pre-primary teachers are often referred to as early childhood education or teaching programs. These programs provide education in the care and teaching of children from birth to 8 years or from 3 to 8 years. They usually cover childcare education, preschool teacher education, preparatory/pre-primary teacher education and teacher education for the early years of primary school.
Primary teacher education
Primary teacher education programs provide education to teach children from ages of around 5 to 12 years in Years 1 to 6 or 7. The programs generally provide a balance of professional and curriculum studies to foster the intellectual, physical and social development of children.
Secondary teacher education
Secondary teacher education programs provide education to teach students of around 12 to 18 years of age in Years 6 or 7 to Year 12 of secondary school. The programs provide a balance of integrated professional studies and curriculum studies in 1 or 2 disciplines in the key learning areas appropriate for both the lower and upper years of secondary schooling.
Undergraduate courses and qualifications
Undergraduate programs require 4 years of full-time study. Qualifications include:
- Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education)
- Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
- Bachelor of Education (Primary)
- Bachelor of Education (Upper Primary/Lower Secondary)
- Bachelor of Education (Middle School)
- Bachelor of Education (Primary and Middle Schooling) – can also be undertaken as a 2-year program after a Bachelor Degree
- Bachelor of Education (Secondary).
Postgraduate courses and qualifications
Postgraduate teacher education programs usually require 1 or 2 years of full-time postgraduate study and lead to a Graduate Diploma or postgraduate Bachelor Degree qualification. Entry is normally based on a Bachelor Degree in another field. Programs consist of professional studies, curriculum studies and practical training. Curriculum study for secondary teacher programs is usually related to the subject of the student’s first degree. Qualifications include:
- Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood Education)
- Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary)
- Bachelor of Education (Primary)
- Bachelor of Teaching (Primary)
- Bachelor of Education (Primary and Secondary)
- Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary)
- Bachelor of Education (Secondary).
Upgrading and conversion courses and qualifications
Conversion courses exist to upgrade old-style 3-year Diploma or Bachelor qualifications. They normally require 1 year of full-time study. Qualifications include:
- Bachelor of Education
- Bachelor of Primary Education Studies
- Bachelor of Education (Secondary).
Registered teachers are also able to undertake a wide range of professional and career development courses ranging from 1-day in-service programs to Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas. Many universities also offer Master Degrees and Professional Doctoral Degrees.
Primary teacher education and some lower secondary teacher education took place in Australia for many years at teachers colleges. Teachers colleges were mainly government institutions but there was a small number of non-government colleges run by religious orders/authorities and non-sectarian agencies. They offered a 3-year Diploma of Teaching which was available until the early 1990s. These included:
- Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
- Diploma of Teaching (Primary)
- Diploma of Teaching (Secondary)
- Advanced Diploma in Teaching.
Teacher education was also available in Colleges of Advanced Education (CAEs). These were established in the mid 1960s and many incorporated existing specialist institutions such as the teachers colleges. Certificates of Teaching and Teacher’s Certificates were discontinued in the early 1970s. These programs required 2 years of full-time study for preschool and primary teaching qualifications or 3years for a junior secondary teaching qualification.
The 3-year Diploma of Teaching was replaced by the 4-year Bachelor of Education. Upgrading programs for Diplomas of Teaching were also offered. CAEs also offered a 1-year program for university graduates in addition to those programs offered by the universities. From 1989, the CAEs were incorporated into a university structure.
Bachelor Degrees requiring 3 years of full-time undergraduate study were on offer until the late 1990s. These were offered by universities and qualifications included:
- Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
- Bachelor of Arts (Education) Early Childhood Education
- Bachelor of Teaching (Primary)
- Bachelor of Education (Primary)
- Bachelor of Arts (Education) – Primary
- Bachelor of Arts (Education) – Secondary.
Teaching Australia
Teaching Australia – the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership is the national professional body for teachers. Teaching Australia was formed to raise the status, quality and professionalism of teachers and school leaders in Australia. Together with state and territory teacher registration bodies Teaching Australia is developing a national system for accreditation of pre-service teacher education.
For more information, see Teaching Australia.
State and territory education authorities/registration boards
Teacher registration is a state and territory responsibility. State and territory teacher registration authorities determine the conditions for teacher employment and qualification requirements. Each state and territory has different requirements based on the teaching skills required for different schooling structures, curriculum approach and assessment methodology.
All states and territories except the Australian Capital Territory require teachers to be registered before applying for employment.
Teacher education programs are developed by universities and colleges in consultation with the state or territory education authorities/registration boards. In some cases, programs are accredited with the authorities for future employment with the same authority.
For more information, see Teaching Australia: Accreditation.