Bachelor
The Bachelor of Science Master of Teaching in Secondary Education offers students the knowledge and practical hands-on experience required to teach over 42,000 secondary school pupils studying Science subjects and/or 65,000 students studying Mathematics in NSW (NSW Education Standards Authority, 2021 HSC Enrolments by Course, 2021).
The combined "Vertical Stack" course (undergraduate + postgraduate degree) enables students to gain a greater depth of disciplinary knowledge in science before commencing the teaching subjects in the Master of Teaching from their second year of study. Gaining a wider and deeper understanding in their field of study gives them more confidence when commencing as a teacher. Students enter the classroom up to date on the most current developments in the discipline, and this is highly valued by schools.
The unique vertical structure of this combined course means students do not need to meet the standard three Band 5 HSC results, including English, for admission to an initial teacher education course.
To ensure that a high quality of teachers are maintained in the education sector, students need to achieve a Credit average in the first two years of their university studies before progressing into the final years of the program.
If students do not meet the Credit average, they will still be able to continue in the Bachelor of Science and graduate with that qualification.
Students spend 80 days in one of more than 200 secondary schools across NSW. This practical experience with a trusted UTS partner school helps students gain the skills and confidence incurriculum and classroom management required for effective teaching in their chosen discipline/s (Junior Science Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics and/or Mathematics), and also helps them develop personal and professional networks within and beyond education for their future career path.
Not only are students accelerated in their career pathway to secondary teaching by achieving two qualifications, including one at postgraduate level, within the duration of a single undergraduate degree, they have the benefits of a range of career options.
Secondary teacher in their chosen discipline (Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Physics, Mathematics and/or Junior Science) in a public or private school, locally or internationally (subject to meeting relevant employer requirements). The Bachelor of Science is a broad professional degree, equipping graduates to pursue careers in almost any industry such as biotechnology, biomedical science, medical science, environmental monitoring and management, chemistry, nanotechnology, physics, material science, statistics, data analysis, business management, logistics and scientific research.
Students must complete 96 credit points of disciplinary content subjects in the Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences; Physical Sciences (Chemistry and Physics); or Physical Sciences (Maths). This comprises 48 credit points of foundational studies and 48 credit points of more advanced subjects.
In the Master of Teaching in Secondary Education component students complete 42 credit points of core subjects focused on the foundation education disciplines of learning, motivation and adolescent psychology as well as addressing the education of students with special needs; and 54 credit points of teaching methods and professional experience relating to the teaching area/s chosen at application, as well as elective subjects.
Students undertake professional experience totalling 80 days of supervised teaching practice in schools. Students work under the supervision of an in-service high school teacher in their area(s) of specialisation and are mentored by a tertiary education supervisor.