Australian residents
International students
Intakes: 

2023: February, May, July

Duration: 
4 years
Location: 
Footscray Park
Fees: 

2023: A$14,600*
* fee per semester

Application due dates:
We are currently accepting applications for this course.
Apply

Overview

If you want the option of teaching at primary or secondary schools, the Bachelor of Education (P12) is for you. Choose your specialisation, and get the classroom experience needed to confidently begin your teaching career.

We are one of the few universities in Australia to offer a Bachelor of Education (P-12) which allows you to teach at any school level. If you’re unsure which age group you’ll be suited to teaching, this is an excellent way to keep your options open.

You’ll learn the latest techniques to support students in their learning. You’ll also get real work experience through 80 days of supervised teaching practice in primary and secondary schools.

Our Bachelor of Education offers specialisations for the following careers:

  • art teacher
  • biology teacher
  • digital media teacher
  • disability studies in education
  • English (literary studies) teacher
  • environmental science teacher
  • health teacher
  • humanities teacher
  • mathematics teacher
  • media studies teacher
  • music teacher
  • outdoor education teacher
  • physical education (secondary) teacher
  • psychology teacher
  • student welfare.

With an education degree from VU, you’ll be job-ready before you graduate. You’ll have had extensive experience teaching in a classroom and you’ll be ready to work locally or overseas.

Throughout the course, you’ll work in primary and secondary settings to complete at least 80 days of supervised teaching practice.

Graduates from the Bachelor of Education (P-12) are qualified to be accredited by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT).

The VIT is a statutory authority for the teaching profession. Legally, you need to be registered with VIT to be employed in a school.

We offer exciting options for professional experience through work placements, including:

  • teaching in rural/remote locations
  • overseas study tours in Malaysia, China, Timor Leste and more
  • sports, literacy and leadership programs with sporting organisations including the Western Bulldogs
  • mentoring school students in university-ready skills
  • creative art projects.

Footscray Park Campus has everything you need, all set a pleasant stroll from the Maribyrnong River and parklands.

Facilities include:

  • pool and fitness centre
  • learning common spaces with wifi, tables and chairs
  • restaurants and cafés.

Our campus libraries have photocopying, computing and printing facilities as well as electronic and print resources.

You'll also have access to a rich collection of online resources at any time of the day or night, including:

  • databases
  • e-learning content for courses
  • student email
  • student software packages
  • social networking tools.

On campus, we make sure that all of our students have access to digital resources. We offer:

At VU you can spend part of your degree studying overseas while gaining credits towards your course.

Immerse yourself in a new culture and learn from a new perspective, while building experiences that will help you to stand out in the competitive job market.

Course e-Brochure

Create a customised brochure in a few simple steps. Your brochure will include country-specific information.

Create an e-brochure
VU’s practical learning – Education - Transcript

Careers in teaching

You could be employed in a public or private primary or secondary school. Depending on your specialisation, you could find a role teaching anything from maths, science and English, to creative performance and arts, business, health, PE, psychology, or welfare studies.

Salaries

Use Labour Market Insights to find average salaries for teachers in Australia:

Employment rates

93 per cent of our Bachelor of Education students are employed within the first four months of graduation (VU Australian Graduate Survey).

Victorian institute of teaching logo, inital teacher education program, accredited until October 2026

Graduates from the Bachelor of Education are qualified to be accredited by the Victorian Institute of Teaching and to teach in primary and secondary school settings.

Course structure

To attain the Bachelor of Education (P-12) students will be required to complete 384 credit points consisting of:
240 credit points of Core studies
96 credit points of Major studies
48 credit points (either Option A or B)

Option A
(This option is recommended for students who choose to undertake a second Secondary teaching method)
48 credit points of Minor Studies
Option B
(This option is suitable for students who require more flexible enrolment opportunities)
48 credit points of any Minors or Elective units. 
Additional Notes
Students are required to meet the required benchmarks for LANTITE prior to commencement of their second year placement units.
Students are required to pass the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) in order to be eligible to graduate from their Victorian Institute of Teaching-accredited program.
Students will need to monitor the VIT website for details in relation to the tests that will be considered; a link to advice and fact sheets about the test and to the external test provider.  Refer to www.vit.vic.edu.au
Students also complete a minimum of 80 days Professional Experience comprising well-structured, supervised and assessed teaching practice. This course has organised 103 days, which substantially improves the minimum.

Year 1

Year 2

And

Secondary Discipline Specialisation Major Unit 1 Level 1

Secondary Discipline Specialisation Major Unit 2 Level 1

And select between Option A and Option B:

Option A

Minor unit 1

Minor unit 2

Option B

Any Minor Unit OR Elective

Any Minor Unit OR Elective

Year 3

And

Secondary Discipline Specialisation Major Unit 3 Level 2

Secondary Discipline Specialisation Major Unit 4 Level 2

And

The following Secondary Discipline Specialisation Major Units 5 and 6 Level 3

And select between Option A and Option B:

Option A

Minor unit 3 Level 2

Minor Unit 4 Level 2

Option B

Minor Unit OR Elective

Minor unit OR Elective

Year 4

And

Curriculum and Pedagogy Unit Major Unit 7 Level 3

Curriculum and Pedagogy Unit Major Unit 8 Level 3

Education Elective Units

Majors

Minors

We are the first Australian university to use a 'block' model of learning, where you study one unit at a time rather than juggling several at once.

Introduced in 2018, the VU Block Model has improved our student results and achievements, and has won awards for innovation and excellence. Initially for first-year students, it now applies to all students studying at our Melbourne campuses.

You'll study in short bursts, called blocks, of three 2-3 hour face-to-face teaching sessions per week.

Each block focuses on one unit (subject) and is only four weeks long, with up to four days between. Our two semesters have four blocks each, and there are optional blocks over winter and summer where you can catch up on a missed unit.

Some courses have labs and pracs too, and these are generally scheduled on the same days as teaching sessions. There are also workshops where you'll develop your study skills and prepare for your future career.

Find out more about the VU Block Model.

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Exhibit a broad and coherent body of knowledge of pedagogy, curriculum and assessment based on learning theories and research into how students learn in relation to the changing nature of education in a rapidly-evolving global context,  
  2. Critically review the development of educational policies and knowledge of educational issues to improve classroom practice in primary and secondary classrooms and strengthen students' relations with their local community,  
  3. Plan learning programs that richly embrace a varied curriculum and that articulate and exhibit the ideologies of socially just education through awareness, inclusion, equity and access in ways that respond to students' diverse physical, social, cultural and intellectual characteristics,  
  4. Analyse the importance of fostering creative skills, thought processes, oral and written communication techniques, including in the use of Information and Communication Technologies, to engage and connect with students, their parents/carers and the wider community so as to prepare them to confront and pro-actively solve 21st Century challenges,  
  5. Develop contextual understandings of contemporary life in a global community, and collaborate with students and colleagues to promote principles of peace, sustainability, ethical conduct, and political and economic freedom,  
  6. Demonstrate knowledge of relevant discipline-based content to plan, deliver and assess high quality educational programs to primary and secondary school students.  

What's a unit?

A unit or 'subject' is the actual class you'll attend in the process of completing a course.

Most courses have a mixture of compulsory 'core' units that you need to take and optional elective units that you can choose to take based on your area of interest, expertise or experience.

Credits

Each unit is worth a set amount of study credits based on the amount of time you study. Generally, 1 credit is equal to 1 hour of study per week.

Admissions

Victoria University is committed to providing a transparent admissions process. Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency.

Applicants for this course will need to have met the academic requirements and prerequisites for this course outlined below.

Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee entry into this course. Past academic performance may be considered.

Entry requirements

Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (VCE or equivalent) including Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or 25 in any other English (or equivalent) other than EAL.
PLUS:
Units 1 and 2: satisfactory completion in two units (any study combination) of Maths: General Mathematics, Maths: Mathematical Methods or Maths: Specialist Mathematics or Units 3 and 4: any Mathematics.
PLUS:
IELTS (or equivalent): Overall score or 7.0 (with no band less than 7.5 in Speaking and Listening, and 6.5 in Reading and Writing).

Successful completion of a non-academic attributes assessment, for example, the CASPer test or equivalent. CASPer is an online test designed to assess and applicant's personal and professional attributes and is a requirement for all initial teacher training courses in Victoria.

Find out if you meet the entry requirements, including English language and academic requirements.

Additional information

Students will also have to satisfy the National requirements for teacher registration through satisfactory completion of the National Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students prior to starting the course or prior to commencement of their second full-time year of study. A satisfactory achievement of the benchmark of the test is required before course completion for teacher registration can be approved.

Students will require a Working with Children Check to be eligible to undertake and participate in workplace visits, placements or projects. Use the following site link to obtain additional information:
http://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/

Pathways & credits

There are many ways you can start your education journey at VU. Pathways offer an easy transition between courses at different levels, so that you can start with a certificate and progress right through to postgraduate study.

If you have completed any of the following course(s), you will be guaranteed a place in this course. In some cases you may receive credit for your previous study, reducing the time it takes to complete your course.

Diploma of Education Studies

You will be credited for up to 96 credit points of study.

Find out more about pathways and credits.

Use our credit calculator to find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

If you have completed study with another university or institution and believe you are eligible to receive credit for skills and past study, you can apply for advanced standing.

Applications for advanced standing can be made after a discussion with your course chair or academic adviser.

Credit Calculator

Find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

CALCULATE YOUR CREDIT

How to apply

We are currently accepting international applications, and we welcome you to apply for this course.

Click 'apply' to begin, and we will guide you through the application process.

Apply

If you have questions, please get in touch:

Information and fees listed above are for non-resident students. Fees are accurate at the time of viewing and will be subject to annual increases. Some courses require students to purchase equipment or clothing that they will need in the course. These equipment or clothing costs are not included in the course fees listed above – check your Letter of Offer for an estimate on non-tuition-fee-related expenses.

VU takes care to ensure the accuracy of this course information, but reserves the right to change or withdraw courses offered at any time. Please check that course information is current with the Student Contact Centre.