Charles Sturt University

What you'll study

This program combines foundational teacher education with subject-specific methods and practical professional experience. Core study areas include adolescent development and learning theory, curriculum and assessment, classroom management, inclusive and special needs education, literacy and numeracy strategies for secondary learners, and professional ethics and law for teachers.

Subject-methods units focus on planning and teaching in specific secondary learning areas—such as English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, Technologies or The Arts—so you learn how to translate your industry knowledge into curriculum-aligned lessons. Assessment and reporting, differentiated instruction, use of digital technologies in teaching, and behaviour support are recurring themes across the program.

A substantial professional experience component places you in school classrooms for multiple supervised placements across metropolitan and regional schools. These placements develop practical skills in lesson planning, classroom practice, student assessment, parent communication and collaborative work with school staff. The Industry Entry aspect recognises prior learning and professional expertise, and may include tailored units that build on your vocational or workplace experience while meeting the teaching qualification requirements.

Entry requirements

Entry typically requires one of the following: a recognised bachelor degree or higher in any discipline plus relevant industry experience, a vocational qualification with substantial workplace experience, or completion of specified bridging studies. Applicants are usually expected to meet the university's academic thresholds for undergraduate admission; specific requirements can vary by campus and pathway.

In addition to academic requirements, applicants must meet professional suitability checks required for working with children, which commonly include a criminal record check, a working with children check (or state equivalent), and adherence to immunisation and health screening requirements. Some cohorts require literacy and numeracy evidence or undertaking a university literacy/numeracy test. Prospective students may be asked to attend an interview or provide a statement of purpose and referee reports outlining relevant industry experience.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared to gain teacher registration and work as secondary classroom teachers in government, independent and Catholic schools. With subject-method expertise and practical placement experience, typical roles include classroom teacher in your chosen learning areas, subject coordinator, curriculum developer, educational consultant or VET teacher within secondary settings.

Because the program is suited to professionals entering teaching from industry, graduates also find roles linking schools with industry such as careers and transition coordinators, workplace learning facilitators, and trainers for school-based apprenticeships and traineeships. Further study can lead to leadership positions, curriculum specialisation, or roles in education policy and teacher education.

Why study at Charles Sturt University

Charles Sturt has a strong reputation for preparing teachers for the realities of classroom work, with a particular emphasis on regional and rural education. The university offers multiple campus locations and strong school networks for professional placements, enabling experience in a range of metropolitan and rural schooling contexts.

The program emphasises practical, supervised teaching experience and tailored recognition of prior industry learning, helping career changers translate workplace expertise into effective classroom practice. Students benefit from targeted support services for placement preparation, graduate employment guidance and connections with local and regional schools. Completion positions graduates to apply for teacher registration with the relevant state or territory teacher regulatory authority, subject to meeting that authority's requirements.