Why study primary teaching at UoN?

This program was revised in 2011 and the new program will take effect in 2012. Please refer to the program handbook.

The School of Education at the University of Newcastle is the largest provider of on-campus initial teacher education in Australia. Our Bachelor of Teaching degree programs build the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary for a highly successful career in teaching.

Our programs develop graduates who are:

Inspirational teachers with the capability to act professionally, ethically and effectively in their classroom destinations

Insightful scholars with the capability to engage in rational enquiry into curriculum, policy and practice

Innovative leaders with the capability to play a constructive role in public discourse on and beyond education.

The Bachelor of Teaching (Primary)/Bachelor of Arts at the University of Newcastle develops graduates who have the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary for a highly successful career in primary teaching and who are Inspirational teachers with the capability to act professionally, ethically and effectively in primary classrooms, insightful scholars with the capability to engage in rational enquiry into curriculum, policy and practice and innovative leaders with the capability to play a constructive role in public discourse on and beyond education.

The Bachelor of Teaching (Primary)/Bachelor of Arts is offered as a four year full-time degree or part-time equivalent. The degree requires the successful completion of 320 units of study that are normally offered as 40 units per semester for eight semesters. Students will complete the equivalent of 90 days professional experience in relevant school settings.

If you have a passion for learning, a commitment to helping young people, and a desire to transform people's lives, you'll find teaching a truly rewarding career.

Benefit from academic and professional training

In your first year you will be introduced to the foundations of education, commence studies
in how to teach the K-6 English curriculum and engage in studies that will expand your knowledge of science, health and physical education, language and literacy development, mathematics, and creative arts. Find out more

Gain real-world experience

Our degree programs involve an exciting combination of courses including: studies in the philosophy and psychology of learning and teaching, studies in the social and cultural contexts of education, discipline studies (in areas related to school curricula), primary, early childhood, or secondary specialist curriculum and pedagogy studies, professional studies (including a minimum of 90 days professional experience) and a minimum of 20 units of free electives. Find out more

Graduating with Honours

With increasing competition in all sectors of employment, students who graduate with Honours have a distinct advantage. It is often considered by employers as an added skill and has been used by previous graduates to pursue higher positions and salaries. Find out more

A rewarding career path

Teaching is an immensely rewarding career, where you can have a profound impact on young people’s education, career aspirations and lives generally. Find out more

Meet our achievers

Hear from graduates and current students. Discover how their future is taking shape, and learn first-hand what it's like to study at uni. Find out more

Benefit from academic and professional training

In your first year you will be introduced to the foundations of education, commence studies in how to teach the K-6 English curriculum and engage in studies that will expand your knowledge of science, health and physical education, language and literacy development, mathematics, and creative arts.

In your second year you will study the psychology of learning and teaching, the social contexts of education, the theory and practice of classroom and behaviour management and commence studies in how to teach the K-6 science and technology curriculum, and the K-6 personal development, health and physical education curriculum. You will also study Aboriginal education, policy and issues and engage in your first 20-day supervised professional experience placement in a primary school. You will also have the opportunity to begin in-depth studies in an area of your choice from the list below:

• English, literature, and linguistics
• mathematics
• science, psychology, and/or technology
• music, fine art, or drama
• health and physical education
• Aboriginal studies, ancient or modern history, society and culture, geography, or studies of religion.

In your third year you will study special education, or how to work with children who have additional learning needs, and have the opportunity to employ the strategies you learn, including how to integrate the curriculum in your teaching, during a 20-day supervised professional experience placement. You will continue your curriculum studies in K-6 mathematics, K-6 human society and its environment, and K-6 creative arts. You will also continue studies in your in-depth study area of choice.

In your final year you will study advanced literacy and numeracy theory and practice. You will also have the opportunity to complete four free elective courses, and one elective that examines “sustainable communities”. Your year will conclude with a 50-day internship where you will assume leadership for a class in a primary school.

Additional specialisation options

In this program you will have the opportunity to take four elective courses of your choice.
These may be taken in any area that you like, or in areas that will provide you with an additional competitive advantage in the job market upon graduation. Areas of specialisation that are available in this program and that may provide you with an edge in the career market include:

• completion of a depth study major
• special education
• Honours research.

This degree program is subject to approval from the NSW Institute of Teachers.

Real-world experiences while you study

Our degrees involve an exciting combination of courses including:

• studies in the philosophy and psychology of learning and teaching
• studies in the social and cultural contexts of education
• discipline studies (in areas related to school curricula)
• primary or early childhood specialist curriculum and pedagogy studies
• professional studies (including a minimum of 90 days professional experience)
• and a minimum of 20 units of free electives.

Students in our degrees will complete a minimum of three professional experience placements.

In-school professional experiences are supervised by school or University staff and may involve placement in schools in geographic regions outside the Newcastle area. By the completion of the program, students are expected to satisfy a range of professional teaching competencies and meet the graduate level Professional Teaching Standards of the NSW Institute of Teachers.

Graduating with Honours

With increasing competition in all sectors of employment, students who graduate with Honours have a distinct advantage. It is often considered by employers as an added skill and has been used by previous graduates to pursue higher positions and salaries. You can develop and carry out research on a topic of interest, potentially leading to further academic study such as a PhD.

As a student of the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) / Bachelor of Arts, you may elect to complete an embedded Honours degree, assuming you meet and maintain the eligibility requirements, which are determined by the Academic Senate.

To be eligible for Honours, you must complete:

• EDUC4955 Education Honours I: Introduction to Education Research (10 units)
• EDUC4965 Education Honours II: Research Design and Methods (10 units) 
• EDUC4990 Honours III: Project and Thesis (20 units)

You will be introduced to discussions and concepts in educational research. You will engage with key debates in the philosophy of social science, consider the role of theory in educational research as well as evaluate questions concerning ethical conduct and the building of productive research partnerships.

If you would like to understand more about studying an embedded Honours program and your eligibility, contact your program convenor.

A rewarding career path

Teaching is an immensely rewarding career, where you can have a profound impact on young people’s education, career aspirations and lives generally.

Your work in schools can impact positively on local communities and even contribute to the creation of a better world. At its core, teaching is ethical and political work that is critical to how society functions. There are also opportunities for promotion within teaching as well as many opportunities to use a teaching degree as a basis for employment in other occupations.

A passport to travel

There are fantastic opportunities for teachers to take their professional knowledge and work across the globe. The recruitment of Australian teaching graduates is particularly strong in countries across Asia, the United Kingdom and the Americas, but similar opportunities can be found throughout the world. For example school of the air, hospital schools, international schools and private tutoring. The degree program provides additional career prospects outside the teaching profession to graduates in their chosen depth study area.