Fast Facts
Location
Commencing
- Online: February
- Townsville: February
- Cairns: February
Fees
$4,445.00+
$24,053.00^
+estimated annual Commonwealth Supported Fee for a full-time study load
^estimated annual tuition fee for a full-time study load
Plus Student Services and Amenities fee
Fee deferral and scholarships available if eligible
Duration
2 years full-time
or part-time equivalent
Entry Requirements
AQF level 7 degree or equivalent that includes the equivalent of one year appropriate study in primary school curriculum
QTAC Codes
- 313339
- 313331
- 323331
Course detail
Looking for a career change into Education? Gain the qualifications and knowledge necessary to enter the teaching profession. Be prepared to respond to the diverse learning needs of primary school students in both urban and rural communities with the Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary) at JCU.
The Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary) is designed to equip you with the capacity to design, implement and critically reflect on teaching, to enhance learning outcomes for all students. This education degree has a strong focus on delivering education through pedagogy appropriate to a diverse range of students and settings. You will be particularly equipped to work in tropical, rural, remote and Indigenous contexts, with a strong knowledge of learning styles and pedagogical frameworks relevant to each setting.
Benefit from 80 days of placement. Throughout this Education degree, you will have opportunities to maximise your professional experience with Work Integrated Learning and mentoring from expert academics committed to your success. You will also have opportunities to experience the unique challenges of Northern Queensland and the Tropics with practical involvement in rural and remote communities.
Tailor your degree to suit your career goals by choosing from six specialisations: English/Literacy; Mathematics/Numeracy; Science; Technology; Humanities and Social Science; and Health and Physical Education.
Upon completion of this Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary), you will be prepared to be a teacher with increased capacity to direct curriculum, assessment and differentiated learning opportunities. You will contribute to enhanced learning outcomes for all students, including those from diverse cultural, linguistic and socio-economic backgrounds and with specific learning needs.
Consult the handbook for admission requirements and further information.
Additional information
Master of Teaching and Learning Primary
Do you want to help shape and teach future generations? Become a primary school teacher at James Cook ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ. The JCU primary school teaching master’s qualifies you to teach in primary school and equips you with all the skills you need to succeed in this rewarding career. Benefit from flexible study options and learn through work placements and high-quality teaching, and graduate as a teacher with the ability to enhance learning outcomes for all students. You’ll be prepared to work in state, independent and Catholic schools and confident in directing curriculum, assessment and differentiated learning opportunities. This degree is fully accredited and sets you up for success as a primary school teacher.
Why Become a Primary Teacher?
If you feel passionately about shaping the young minds of tomorrow, teaching seems like the perfect career path for you. The reasons people become teachers are many, but here are just some of them.
- It’s a rewarding career and a vocation where you can feel you truly contribute to something greater than yourself
- It’s also challenging on occasion, always offering opportunities for problem-solving and developing your own skills and ways of teaching
- You will support a wide range of children and help your students along their journey through primary school and into secondary school
- You can utilise your passion for a subject by teaching it every day and sharing it with your students
- Teachers are always in high demand and there are excellent benefits and salaries available, plus job security
- There are also clear career progressions allowing you to advance in your career as much as you want
- Teaching is the perfect choice for those with children or who plan to have them, since you’ll largely have the working hours that your children will be at school as well as the same holidays that they do
Learning at JCU
If you want to study for a Master of Teaching Primary in Queensland, JCU is one of the best options available to you. Primary teaching students benefit from 80 days of placement during their studies, allowing for practical work experience before they have even graduated. You can also choose between six different specialisations depending on your own interests: English/literacy, mathematics/numeracy, science, technology, humanities and social science, and health and physical education. There will be multiple opportunities for Work Integrated Learning and mentoring from expert academics. The Master of Teaching Primary at JCU is nationally accredited by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) in association with the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT).
Flexible Study Options for the Master of Teaching Primary at JCU
At JCU, you can make studying work for you. Choose to study this master’s or the Master of Teaching Secondary at one of the JCU campuses in Townsville or Cairns or do it online. Full-time and part-time options are available for study options that fit around your other commitments. JCU will support you to learn in a way that fits your life, whether you need to work part- or full-time alongside your degree, you have children, or you need to study online. Apply for the Master of Teaching and Learning Primary through the online application portal.
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Inherent requirements
Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ’s learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please review the inherent requirements for the Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary).
Graduates of the Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary) are prepared to work in Australian, international, rural, regional and remote schools. You could go on to work as a primary teacher with specialist skills in Indigenous education, diverse student needs and regional teaching experience.
JCU Teaching and Learning (Primary) graduates benefit from JCU’s strong connections to communities and are prepared to teach in primary schools across Australia. The Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary) is nationally accredited through the  in association with the 
Handbook year | Information valid for students commencing in 2024. |
Course code | 114004 |
Course type | Masters Degree (AQF Level 9) |
Professional accreditation status | This course is nationally accredited through the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) in association with the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT). Graduates of this course are eligible for teacher registration in Australia. |
Owner | Academy |
College | Arts, Society and Education |
Award Requirements
Admission Requirements
Course pre-requisites | An appropriate AQF level 7 bachelor degree or equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution which includes the equivalent of full year of study in areas appropriate to curriculum demands of a specialisation in primary teaching in Australian schools; that is subjects that link to the national school curriculum (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)) content in either English, or technologies, or mathematics, or science, or humanities and social sciences or health and physical education. At least three of the subjects completed within the full year of study must be appropriate to the demands of a particular specialisation. |
Minimum English language proficiency requirements | Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of an overall score of 7.5 in Academic IELTS (or equivalent) with sub-scores no less than 8 for Speaking and Listening and no less than 7 for Reading and Writing. The cost of the testing will be met by the applicant. English test results must be no more than two years old at the commencement of the course. Applicants are advised that the Queensland College of Teachers requires graduating teachers to have evidence of English language requirements as stated above to demonstrate their English language proficiency prior to registration. Further information is available on the website. |
Additional entry requirements | All applicants for initial teacher education courses must satisfy both academic and non-academic entry criteria. Applicants’ non-academic capabilities will be assessed by way of an instrument applied by QTAC and developed in consultation with the Queensland Council of Deans of Education. |
Post admission | Professional Placements: This course includes prescribed professional experience placements in primary schools, including blocks in each of the first three phases of the course for a total of 60 placement days. In addition to the 60 placement days students must undertake 20 integrated coursework days across the first three phases of the degree in schools. Students are also required to undertake a 20 day community-based service learning experience in phase four. It may be required that students undertake such placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled, at their own expense. Further information about placements can be found at Coursework Enrolment Procedure. This course includes prescribed professional placements that may involve contact with children under 18 years of age. Students are required to obtain a Suitability to Work with Children Card (which involves a criminal history check undertaken by the Queensland Police) before the start of the first placement. Students must retain a current Suitability to Work with Children Card for the duration of their course, as failure to do so will result in the termination of their enrolment in the course. For more information, refer to: All students are expected to attend a two day online induction prior to the beginning of the course. For students enrolled in the External delivery option, computer and internet access are essential. |
Academic Requirements for Course Completion
Credit points | 48 credit points as per course structure |
Additional completion | Satisfactory completion of all professional experience service learning experience. Successful completion of Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) is an expected requirement of the Australian Ministers for Education for all graduates. Therefore all students enrolled in an initial teacher education course (either undergraduate or postgraduate) will be expected to sit and meet the test standard prior to graduation. All students must sit and meet the standard of the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students (LANTITE) prior to graduation. The cost of the testing will be met by the applicant. Refer to All students must successfully complete a final-year teaching performance assessment (Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment [GTPA]) embedded in a professional placement of no less than four weeks in the final year of the degree, prior to graduation that is shown to: a) be a reflection of classroom teaching practice including the elements of planning, teaching, assessing and reflecting; b) clearly assess the content of the Graduate Teacher Standards; and c) demonstrate an understanding of moderation processes that support consistent decision-making against achievement criteria. The GTPA is built into course requirements and assessments. All students must possess dispositional attributes deemed suitable for the profession of teaching. |
Course learning outcomes | Upon completion of the Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary), graduate teachers will be able to:
|
Inherent Requirements
Inherent Requirements | Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ's learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please visit: Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary). |
Reasonable adjustments | All JCU students have the opportunity to demonstrate, with reasonable adjustments where applicable, the inherent requirements for their course. For more information please visit: Student Disability Policy and Procedure. |
Course Structure
CORE SUBJECTS
:03 Learning for Diverse Learners in Primary School Contexts
:03 Language and Literacy Education for Primary Teachers
:03 Mathematics and Numeracy for Primary Teachers
:03 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education in Primary School Contexts
:03 The Arts for Primary Teachers
:03 Teaching for Learning in Diverse Primary School Contexts
:03 English Education for Primary Teachers
:03 Mathematics Education for Primary Teachers
:03 Digital and Design Technologies for Primary Teachers
:03 Teachers as Leaders for Learning and Change
:03 Humanities and Social Science Education for Primary Teachers
:03 Health and Physical Education for Primary Teachers
:03 Science and Sustainability Education for Primary Teachers
:03 Final Graduate Professional Experience
:03 Teachers as Researchers for Learning and Change in Primary School Contexts
:03 Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Classrooms and Communities
Location
COURSE AVAILABLE AT | NOTES |
JCU Cairns | |
JCU Townsville | |
External |
Candidature
Expected time to complete | 2 years or part-time equivalent |
Maximum time to complete | 5 years |
Maximum leave of absence | 1 year |
Progression
Course progression | Students must successfully complete LANTITE prior to their placement and GTPA assessment in their final year of study. |
Course includes mandatory professional placement(s) | Professional Practicums and Internships: This course includes a prescribed professional placement in Primary schools in each of the first four phases of the course for a total of 60 placement days including a 20-day extended capstone in the final phase. In addition to the 60 placement days, students must undertake a one-day-a-week placement in schools to a minimum of 20 days across the degree. It may be required that students undertake such placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled, at their own expense. Students must successfully complete LANTITE prior to their placement and GTPA assessment in their final year of study. Further information about placements can be found at Coursework Enrolment Procedure. |
Special assessment | Suitability to Work with Children Care (blue card): This course includes prescribed professional or clinical placements that may involve contact with children under 18 years of age. Students are required to obtain a Suitability to work with Children Card (which involves a criminal history check undertaken by the Queensland police) before the start of the first placement. Students must retain a current Suitability to Work with Children Card for the duration of their course, as failure to do so will result in the termination of their admission to the course. For more information, refer to: Students who do not complete the required number of days of a professional experience subject or a professional component of a subject, without the approval of the Director of Professional Experience, will be deemed to have failed the subject. Refer to Review of a Student’s Suitability to Continue a Course Involving Placement policy. |
Professional accreditation | Successful completion of all core subjects contributes to the graduate teacher entry requirements for the Queensland College of Teachers. Please also see `Additional Completion requirements’ in reference to the GTPA |
Supplementary exam for | A candidate who has failed a subject required towards the award and who gained 40% or more of the marks for that subject, may be granted a supplementary examination in that subject. However, if that subject is required for accreditation, then the criteria specified by that accreditation will apply. If a practicum has been failed, a further opportunity will be granted for successful completion of this requirement. Any further opportunity subsequent to a second failure is at the discretion of the Dean of the College. |
Credit
Eligibility | Students may apply for a credit transfer for previous tertiary study or informal and non-formal learning in accordance with the Credit Transfer Procedure |
Maximum allowed | 12 credit points |
Currency | Credit will be granted only for subjects completed in the 3 years prior to the commencement of this course. Policy document changes in education within the past three years, especially with the national curriculum and the AITSL professional standards require any previous coursework to give attention to these changes. |
Expiry | Credit gained for any subject shall be cancelled 6 years after the date of the examination upon which the credit is based if, by then, the candidate has not completed this course. |
Other restrictions | Nil |
Award Details
Award title | MASTER OF TEACHING AND LEARNING (PRIMARY) |
Approved abbreviations | MTeachLearn(Primary) |
This is a joint degree | No |
Inclusion of majors on | Not applicable - this course does not have majors |
Exit with lesser award | Not applicable |
Course articulation | Candidates who complete this course at an appropriate level of academic standing may be eligible for entry to Doctoral studies in Education. |
Special Awards | Students may receive an Award of Recognition in accordance with the Recognition of Academic Excellence Procedure |
Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships
Full-time domestic students in this course are eligible to apply for the . These consist of yearly payments of $10,000, for the expected full-time duration of your degree. For undergraduate students, this is four years, or a total of $40,000, and postgraduate students receive $20,000 over two years. If you choose to complete your final professional placement in a government school located in a remote area, you may also be eligible for an additional $2000 payment.
Successful applicants are required to make either a four-year (undergraduate) or two-year (postgraduate) commitment to teaching in a government school. You must fulfil this commitment within 10 years.
Fees
Estimated annual Commonwealth Supported fee: $AUD4,445.00
Estimated annual tuition fee: $AUD24,053.00
A Student Services and Amenities fee is payable per subject up to a maximum amount per year.
A variety of Scholarships are available to suit different student types.
JCU offers multiple Pathways to ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ. If you do not meet the entry requirements for this Diploma, consider exploring our available Pathways options.
Contact our friendly team today to discover which pathway is right for you.
An appropriate bachelor degree (AQF Level 7) or equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution which includes the equivalent of full year of study in areas appropriate to curriculum demands of primary teaching in Australian schools; that is subjects that link to the national school curriculum (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)) content in English, technologies, mathematics, science, humanities and social sciences, The Arts, health and physical education.
Complete an online application through our
Note the course QTAC code for the location you've chosen. You'll need to enter it as part of your
All applicants for initial teacher education courses (pre-service teachers) must satisfy both academic and non-academic entry criteria.
Your academic criteria is measured against previous study. You must have successfully completed at least 8 subjects (at least one year of full-time-equivalent study) in your undergraduate degree that are relevant to one or more learning areas of the primary school curriculum: English, technologies, mathematics, science, humanities and social sciences, and health and physical education. At least three of the subjects completed within the full year of study must be appropriate to the demands of a particular specialisation.
English language requirements
Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the following English language proficiency requirements:
- An overall score of 7.5 in Academic IELTS (or equivalent) with no sub-score less than 8.0 for Speaking and Listening and no sub-score less than 7.0 for Reading and Writing.
Real stories
-
Student
Mark Malone
Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary)
This course was ideal for me to change careers, and connect with peers and future employers. With an emphasis on real life examples and experiences, the dedicated and enthusiastic JCU staff have inspired me further to be a part of the teaching vocation and have a positive impact on learners for many years to come.
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Alumni
Kristal Bruniera
Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary)
By spending 11 weeks on my placement before completing my studies, the school and the staff really got to see what I was like as a teacher and how I constructed my classroom. That really helped me obtain employment with the school after graduation and it gave them the opportunity to see if I fit with their values.
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Lecturer
Dr Subhashni Taylor
College of Arts, Society and Education
The Masters of Teaching and Learning (Primary) at JCU allows students to build on their prior experiences to improve their practice as a teacher. The school based experience that is embedded in the course allows students to apply their knowledge in an authentic setting.
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Employer
Colette Wasson
Director, Human Resources Business Partnering, Education Queensland
The Department of Education finds JCU students to be equipped with the knowledge, skill set and willingness to make a difference in Queensland State Schools. Graduates leave JCU with a well-rounded ability to succeed in the classroom, while also stepping outside their comfort zone to begin their professional careers.
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Employer
Jacqui Francis
Executive Director, Townsville Catholic Education
JCU graduates come to us ready to take on the role of guiding and teaching our wonderful students. We recognise their enthusiasm, energy and their willingness to continue in professional development that further enhances their skills. JCU graduates enhance our organisation and add value to our students’ lives.