The Faculty of Education is committed to furthering knowledge in the field of education through quality teaching and learning, and research for, and service to, the broad community. Part of this mission is achieved through the provision of highly regarded postgraduate courses which lead to the award of a higher degree.

A number of centres and research teams have been established around key areas of relevance for educators across all sectors of education. The activities of the following Flagships and Centres demonstrate the research capacity and leadership of Faculty staff at a national and international level:

Flagship and Cardinal Clancy Centre for Religious and Moral Education;
Flagship for Catholic Educational Leadership;
Flagship and Centre for Lifelong Learning;
Flagship and Centre for Mathematics Teaching and Learning.

The Master of Educational Leadership course provides candidates with the opportunity to develop the values, attitudes, knowledge and skills in educational leadership that will assist them to infuse their systems and organisations with a commitment to the highest ethical and moral standards. Concurrently, the course facilitates efficient, effective and dynamic leadership. This course is available overseas and in a variety of regional locations in Australia, as well as on-campus at the University. The Postgraduate Certificate in Educational Leadership is also available for prospective students who wish to undertake a shorter, more focussed course of study in this area at the postgraduate level. Prospective students should contact the School of Educational Leadership for further details on course locations.

The Master of Religious Education offers a relevant, flexible and challenging Master’s degree directed to the needs of candidates who will assume positions of responsibility in an increasingly diverse field of religious education. Candidates will have a specialist interest in the subject at school, parish, or diocesan level. The program will enable religious educators to become researchers, evaluators and leaders in their field.

The Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MTESOL) has been developed in response to the demands of current TESOL practitioners and to the changing nature of teacher education in general. The course develops knowledge, skills and strategies for practitioners engaged in the area of Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. The course provides candidates with a variety of perspectives, theories and concepts on second language acquisition, and assists them to widen their understanding of the nexus between first and second language learning and teaching. As well as providing a framework to explore and develop a praxis between theory and practice within the field of TESOL, the program challenges candidates to review and critique current language policies and practices at school, state and national levels.

The Master of Education (MEd) is offered by both coursework and research. Both courses were revised in 2000 in response to the changing career and promotional needs of professional educators. By completing 40 credit points or half the course in one of the areas of specialisation offered by the faculty, students enrolled in the MEd (Coursework) can graduate with that specialisation specified on their testamur. Students who withdraw after completing 40 credit points are eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate. Prospective students also have the option of enrolling directly in a Postgraduate Certificate and undertaking studies at the Masters level. For further details on the range of postgraduate certificates offered by the Faculty refer to the Upgrading Courses/Additional Qualifications section in the Handbook.

Master of Education (Karachi)
This course is designed for students who have completed an approved post Year 12 undergraduate degree such as Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science, and either the International Graduate Certificate of Education or an approved Bachelor of Education degree. Applicants are required to have successfully completed the Master of Education Preliminary course. This course includes studies in primary and middle school curricula, early and middle childhood psychology, and teaching and learning methodologies. The Preliminary course also includes an internship of nine months duration in a primary, middle or secondary school or in a school’s in-service unit. A high degree of proficiency in all aspects of English is desirable, and students may be required to undertake English language tests as part of the selection process. Students may be required to take English language courses concurrently with education studies. See the entry in the Higher Degrees section in this Handbook for further details.

The Master of Education (Human Relations and Community Education) is designed for graduate students interested in pursuing their personal and professional interest in Pastoral Guidance, Community Education, Family and Youth Studies, Indigenous and Cross-Cultural Studies, Language and Literacies, Child Protection, Mediation and Advocacy Habilitation or Human Rights and Social Justice. It brings an overarching educative conceptual framework to these areas of study, with a specific focus on the educative processes. It caters for students whose aim is to enhance the human potential of individuals in schools, communities and organisations, especially those in marginal groups.

The Faculty offers programs at postgraduate level in overseas locations. Through these programs, candidates at these locations have access to high-quality and internationally recognised courses at postgraduate level. The Master of Education course offered in Pakistan provides postgraduate educational opportunities that enable the further development and application of practising teachers’ skills, competencies, and content knowledge in relevant pedagogical and administrative domains. This program gives the professional certification necessary for leadership positions within the educational systems of Pakistan. The Master of Educational Leadership is also available in New Zealand, and may be available in other Asia-Pacific regional locations, dependent upon student demand. Prospective students should contact the School of Educational Leadership for further details on course locations.

The Doctor of Education (EdD) is a professional degree which includes advanced studies in a chosen field of education, together with research and application in an area of educational professional practice, policy or administration. It meets the needs of practitioners who occupy or will occupy positions of influence in the educational community and enables them to exercise with confidence leadership roles that require depth of knowledge, research and professional skills, and the ability to apply these skills to the field in which they work.
The University awards the degrees of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) (by thesis) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) after either full-time or part-time study. Candidates are admitted to undertake a research degree in a field of study which has been broadly identified in the University's Research Management Strategy as an area of strength: Educational Leadership, Ethics; Health Sciences; Mathematics Education; Religious Education and Religion Studies; Social Sciences, and Teaching and Learning. Candidates may also be accepted in fields in which there exists a demonstrated capacity for research supervision. Research degree students are accepted and enrolled in a faculty of the University and may be associated also with the University's Institute of Advanced Research or a Research Centre.

Enquiries about fees, research degree scholarships and requests for information on how to apply for one of the research degrees mentioned should be directed to ACU National Research Services. Visit the Research Services website: http://www.acu.edu.au/research.

HIGHER DEGREE COURSES