Master of Secondary Teaching
Program code
5700
Available at
Nathan
Gold Coast
Mount Gravatt
Logan
South Bank
Online
Offshore
Other
Duration
1.5 to 2 years full-time
3 to 4 years part-time (online only)
Credit points
160
Indicative fee
$35,000.00* per year (more)
* 2025 indicative annual fee
About this program
Prepare for a fulfilling career in secondary education and help shape the minds of the next generation
With a growing demand for qualified teachers across Australia, Griffith's Master of Secondary Teaching focuses on educating children from Years 7 to 12. This program is designed for those who hold a bachelor's degree in another field and wish to transition into teaching.
It combines in-depth theoretical coursework with hands-on practical experience, preparing you to teach specific subject areas and manage secondary classrooms effectively.
The curriculum covers key areas such as adolescent development, curriculum design, assessment strategies, and classroom management. The program emphasises the importance of differentiated instruction to meet the diverse needs of secondary students and promotes critical thinking and engagement with contemporary issues in education.
You will need to identify two of the following Teaching Areas to form your study:
- Biology#
- Business
- Chemistry#
- Design Technologies
- Digital Technologies
- Drama
- English
- Food and Nutrition
- Geography
- Health and Physical Education
- History
- Instrumental Music#
- Languages other than English (LOTE)
- Mathematics
- Music
- Physics#
- Psychology#
- Visual Arts
# These teaching areas must be taken at a senior level and, therefore, require a minimum of six subjects in each area in the undergraduate degree.
If you've completed at least six psychology subjects in your bachelor's degree, you can choose one of the teaching areas mentioned above at a senior level (provided you meet the subject requirements) and complete a specialist area in Learning Enhancement. This will give you the skills to support students with additional needs. You'll be qualified to work in secondary schools, either advising teachers on planning or teaching in special education settings.
Practical Experience
Practical experience is a key component, and you will undertake 60 days of supervised teaching placements in schools to gain real-world experience in a classroom setting. These placements are supported by mentorship from experienced teachers, allowing you to refine your teaching skills and strategies.
Teaching scholarships and grants
Access significant Government scholarships and bursaries to support your study, including up to $20,000 for the Master of Primary Teaching or Master of Secondary Teaching. Find out more through the Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships Program and Queensland Government Scholarships and Grants.
| Code | Program title | Campus | Intake |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5587 | Master of Primary Teaching | Gold Coast, Mt Gravatt, Online | Trimester 1 only |
| 5700 | Master of Secondary Teaching (this program) | Gold Coast, Mt Gravatt, Online | Trimester 1 only |
| 4202 | Graduate Diploma of Learning and Teaching | Gold Coast, Mt Gravatt, Online | Exit point only |
| 3286 | Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching | Gold Coast, Mt Gravatt, Online | Exit point only |
*The Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching (3286) and the Graduate Diploma of Learning and Teaching (4202) do not lead to teacher registration.
*Note: Students exiting with either of these awards will have to reapply for admission via official admission channels if they wish to re-enter the Master of Primary Teaching.
Attendance information
The Master of Secondary Teaching program is offered full-time and part-time. International students must complete 75% of the program via face-to-face on-campus.
Professional experience is a mandated component of this program. The placements in secondary schools are organised by the School of Education and Professional Studies. Upon enrolment into the program, students will be asked to provide information to facilitate their placements.
Compulsory Tutorial Attendance for All Professional Experience Courses
Students must reach an 80% threshold for tutorial attendance and active participation in the lead up to placement for all Professional Experience courses. Students who cannot attend the full tutorial and thus cannot actively participate during the tutorial will not be able to proceed with the placement and complete the course.
Please be aware that courses in this program may not follow the standard academic calendar. After you have completed your enrolment each trimester, please check your timetable on myGriffith for details of when classes commence and the duration of professional experience placements.
If you are an International student on a student visa, you must ensure that you enrol in a way that will allow you to complete your enrolment within the expected program duration as stated on your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
Managing Study Interruptions
Leave of AbsenceTaking a leave of absence from this program is permitted, subject to conditions outlined in the Enrolment Procedure and receiving approval from the Program Director or their nominee.
Work-integrated learning
Students will undertake 12 weeks of supervised professional practice. Total work placement (hours): 450.
My career opportunities
Graduates of the Master of Secondary Teaching will be eligible to apply for registration with the Queensland College of Teachers and be prepared for teaching positions in the public or private sector which can lead to senior positions such as a head of department or principal.
Students wishing to seek teacher registration in another state or internationally should seek advice from the appropriate professional body.
Program accreditation
The Master of Secondary Teaching is accredited by the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT).
To obtain registration with the Queensland College of Teachers, graduating teachers must have evidence to demonstrate that their English language proficiency meets the minimum requirements for registration.
Professional Practice requirements
Students must reach an 80% threshold for tutorial attendance and active participation in the lead up to placement for all Professional Experience courses. Students who cannot attend the full tutorial and thus cannot actively participate during the tutorial will not be able to proceed with the placement and complete the course.
Working with Children Check (Blue Card)
Information for placements within Queensland
Before undertaking professional experience placements, all students in this program are required to:
- undergo the Working with Children Check and
- be issued with a Blue Card.
Students must hold a current valid Blue Card throughout the duration of each professional experience. Students may be asked to present their Blue Card to facility staff on the first day of each placement and should keep their Blue Card on them at all times while attending a professional experience placement.
The University is legally obliged to warn students that it is an offence for a disqualified person to submit a Blue Card application. Further information may be obtained from Queensland Government Blue Card Services, the Education Professional Experience Office or from any Griffith Student Centre.
Blue Card applications must be submitted online by the student via the Queensland Government Blue Card Services website. There is no fee for a student Blue Card.
Pathways to further study
Upon graduation, students with a GPA of 5.0 or higher will be eligible to follow a research pathway via the Master of Education and Professional Studies Research (5608) and then onto a PhD. Graduates may also choose to undertake a Graduate Certificate offered by the School of Education and Professional Studies to further specialise their teaching practice.
Teaching Areas
Depending on an applicant's expertise and prior experiences (for example, in relation to vocational education areas), a student will be offered a place based on knowledge and experience that relates to two junior secondary and two senior phase curriculum areas. The majority of applicants will be offered a place in two teaching areas that are offered at both junior secondary and senior phases of learning.
Some applicants may be offered a place linked to only one teaching area through to Year 12 with the second area suitable for teaching only in junior secondary. In the event that a student is offered a place in the program with discipline knowledge for one teaching area through to Year 12 and the second area only to Year 10, the fourth study area will be reading intervention and can be replaced with an approved elective (e.g., senior curriculum course) by the program director.
International students
An International student is one who is not:
- an Australian or New Zealand citizen or
- a Pacific Engagement visa holder or
- a person who has Australian permanent resident status.
Indicative annual tuition fee
The indicative annual tuition fee is calculated based on a standard full-time study load which is usually 80 credit points (two full-time trimesters).
The indicative annual tuition fee is based on current conditions and available data and should only be used as a guide. These fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change.
Tuition fees
- An International student pays tuition fees.
- Students are liable for tuition fees for the courses they are enrolled in as at the census date.
- The tuition fee is charged according to the approved program fee for the trimester in which the student is enrolled.
Program fees for the Master of Secondary Teaching (5700)
If the fee rate for your program is not displayed above, please contact Student Connect for assistance.
Changing programs
If an International student changes to a different program they will be subject to the approved program fee for the trimester in which they are enrolled.
Permanent resident status
If an undergraduate student obtains permanent resident status in Australia after commencing study in a program, and the student can provide evidence of permanent resident status prior to the census date (of the trimester in which they are enrolled), the student will be provided with a domestic fee-paying place.
The student may then apply for a Commonwealth supported place at the next admission period provided that the student satisfies the conditions for transfer from a domestic fee-paying place to a Commonwealth supported place as set out in the Fees and Charges Procedure.
If a postgraduate student obtains permanent resident status in Australia after commencing study in a program, and the student can provide evidence of permanent resident status prior to the census date (of the trimester in which they are enrolled), the student will automatically be considered for a Commonwealth supported place (subject to availability) or a domestic fee-paying place as applicable for the program.
If a research student obtains permanent resident status in Australia after commencing study in a program, and the student can provide evidence of permanent resident status prior to the census date (of the trimester in which they are enrolled), the student will automatically be considered for a Commonwealth Government Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset or a domestic fee-paying place as applicable for the program.
Further information
- Fees and Charges Procedure
- 3.6 - Fees for International Students
- 3.9 - Administrative and Miscellaneous Charges
- Cost of studying in Australia
Additional fee information
Additional costs
Throughout your program you may be required to pay for the following items:
- Expenses associated with placements.