Secondary Teaching, Major (0164)
- Western Sydney University Major Code: 0164
Previous Code: M1134.1
Available to students in other Western Sydney University Programs: Yes. Check that your program has the available credit points required to complete the subjects in this field of study. Any requisite requirements must also be met. Consult your Program Advisor for further advice.
The Secondary Teaching major is comprised of the four initial subjects from the Master of Teaching (Secondary) or three subjects from the Master of Teaching (Secondary) STEM. These subjects are broadly structured for students to investigate the underlying principles and concepts in adolescent development, diversity and social justice, skills in the design of learning experiences along these principles, and putting their application into practice. Available to all students in a Pathway to Teaching (Secondary) degree, enrolment is dependent on the successful completion of 160 credit points in the undergraduate program. Students are also offered the flexibility to study subject content subjects in either Modern History, Geography and Urban Studies, Mathematics, Studies of Religion or English to form their second teaching area. This major, together with a Business major articulates into a Master of Teaching postgraduate qualification in Secondary Teaching, and leads to opportunities for employment across Australia as well as internationally.
Location
| Campus | Mode | Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road | Internal | Jaydene Barnes |
| Penrith Campus | Internal | Jaydene Barnes |
Major Structure Current
This structure applies to students who commenced in 2024 or later. If you commenced prior to 2024 please refer to the relevant Structure tab for details.
Students must successfully complete 80 credit points as per the recommended sequence below.
All subjects in this major are 10 credit points and are arranged in pools of which the Secondary Teaching Pool is mandatory.
Students have a choice of either History and Political Thought, Geography and Urban Studies, Mathematics, Studies of Religion or English, as shown below.
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary Teaching Pool | ||
| Students must complete the following four compulsory core subjects | ||
| IMPORTANT NOTE: Students must have successfully completed 160 credit points before enrolling in any of the following four post graduate subjects. | ||
| TEAC 7161 | Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching | 10 |
| TEAC 7032 | Diversity, Social Justice and Schooling | 10 |
| TEAC 7160 | Literacy and Numeracy for Secondary Teaching | 10 |
| TEAC 7108 | Professional Practice Community Engagement | 10 |
| Total Credit Points | 40 | |
Students must then choose one of the following five areas
1. History and Political Thought or
2. Geography and Urban Studies or
3. Mathematics or
4. Studies of Religion or
5. English
See the below links for structure details.
History and Political Thought
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Important Note: To meet NESA subject area teaching requirements students who aim to qualify as modern history teachers must complete one subject of Ancient History. This may be attained by completing one of the following subjects: HUMN 2067 History of the Ancient World, HUMN 2011 Ancient Western Culture: Periclean Athens, or HUMN 3020 Catastrophe: The Environmental History of the Ancient and Modern World. It is also strongly recommended that students select at least one Australian history subject. | ||
| Not all subjects will be offered each year. Subjects will be offered on a rotational basis. | ||
| Students must complete one of the following: | 10 | |
| When Worlds Collide: European Empires and the World, c.1600-1950 | ||
| Modern European History and Politics | ||
| Students must then complete three subjects from the following pool: | 30 | |
| History of the Ancient World | ||
| A History of Modern Global Buddhism | ||
| Ancient Western Culture: Periclean Athens | ||
| Cultural History of Books and Reading | ||
| Keeping the Past | ||
| War | ||
| Australian Colonial History | ||
| Catastrophe: The Environmental History of the Ancient World | ||
| Convicts and Settlers - Australian History 1788 - 1840 | ||
| Twentieth Century Australia | ||
| Historical Methodologies | ||
| WWII in Asia and the Pacific | ||
| Comparative Nationalism | ||
| Ethics in Historical Perspective | ||
| Australian History Around Us | ||
| Total Credit Points | 40 | |
Geography and Urban Studies
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following subjects: | ||
| ENVL 2001 | Analysis of Spatial Data | 10 |
| ENVL 3006 | Transport, Access and Equity | 10 |
| Students must then complete two subjects from the following pool: | 20 | |
| Cities: Introduction to Urban Studies | ||
| Cultural and Social Geographies | ||
| The Economics of Cities and Regions | ||
| Geographies of Migration | ||
| Total Credit Points | 40 | |
Mathematics
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following for subjects: | ||
| MATH 1014 | Mathematics 1A | 10 |
| MATH 1015 | Mathematics 1B | 10 |
| MATH 2001 | Advanced Calculus | 10 |
| MATH 2010 | Linear Algebra | 10 |
| Total Credit Points | 40 | |
Studies of Religion
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete at least one of the following subjects: | 10 | |
| Sociology of Religion | ||
| Philosophy of Religion | ||
| History of Religion | ||
| Students must then complete three additional subjects. Additional subjects to complete the minor can be chosen from the above three subjects or from the pool subjects listed below | 30 | |
| Islam: Past, Present and Future | ||
| Islam in the Modern World | ||
| A History of Modern Global Buddhism | ||
| History of Muslim Civilisations and Ideas | ||
| Mystical Islam: The Emergence of Sufism in World History | ||
| Total Credit Points | 40 | |
English
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following two subjects: | 20 | |
| Approaches to Text | ||
| Introduction to Literary Studies | ||
| Students must then complete two subjects from the following pool: | 20 | |
| Methods of Reading | ||
| The Value of Literature | ||
| Representing Everyday Life in Literary and Visual Cultures | ||
| Children's and Young Adult Fiction | ||
| The Novel | ||
| Introduction to Film Studies | ||
| Total Credit Points | 40 | |
Major Structure 2023
This structure applies to students who commenced in 2023 or prior. If you commenced in 2024 or later, please refer to the relevant Structure tab for details.
Students must successfully complete 80 credit points as per the recommended sequence below.
All subjects in this major are 10 credit points and are arranged in pools of which the Secondary Teaching Pool is mandatory.
Students have a choice of either History and Political Thought, Geography and Urban Studies, Mathematics, Studies of Religion or English, as shown below.
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following four compulsory core subjects | ||
| Secondary Teaching Pool | ||
| IMPORTANT NOTE: Students must have successfully completed 160 credit points before enrolling in any of the following four post graduate subjects. | ||
| TEAC 7161 | Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching | 10 |
| TEAC 7032 | Diversity, Social Justice and Schooling | 10 |
| TEAC 7160 | Literacy and Numeracy for Secondary Teaching | 10 |
| TEAC 7108 | Professional Practice Community Engagement | 10 |
| Total Credit Points | 40 | |
Students must then choose one of the following five areas
1. History and Political Thought or
2. Geography and Urban Studies or
3. Mathematics or
4. Studies of Religion or
5. English
See the below links for structure details.
History and Political Thought
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Important Note: To meet NESA subject area teaching requirements students who aim to qualify as modern history teachers must complete one subject of Ancient History. This may be attained by completing one of the following subjects: HUMN 2067 History of the Ancient World, HUMN 2011 Ancient Western Culture: Periclean Athens, or HUMN 3020 Catastrophe: The Environmental History of the Ancient and Modern World. It is also strongly recommended that students select at least one Australian history subject. | ||
| Not all subjects will be offered each year. Subjects will be offered on a rotational basis. | ||
| Students must complete one of the following: | 10 | |
| When Worlds Collide: European Empires and the World, c.1600-1950 | ||
| Modern European History and Politics | ||
| Students must then complete three subjects from the following pool: | 30 | |
| History of the Ancient World | ||
| A History of Modern Global Buddhism | ||
| Ancient Western Culture: Periclean Athens | ||
| Cultural History of Books and Reading | ||
| Keeping the Past | ||
| War | ||
| Australian Colonial History | ||
| Catastrophe: The Environmental History of the Ancient World | ||
| Convicts and Settlers - Australian History 1788 - 1840 | ||
| Twentieth Century Australia | ||
| Historical Methodologies | ||
| WWII in Asia and the Pacific | ||
| Comparative Nationalism | ||
| Ethics in Historical Perspective | ||
| Australian History Around Us | ||
| Total Credit Points | 40 | |
Geography and Urban Studies
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following subjects: | ||
| ENVL 2001 | Analysis of Spatial Data | 10 |
| ENVL 3006 | Transport, Access and Equity | 10 |
| Students must then complete two subjects from the following pool: | 20 | |
| Cities: Introduction to Urban Studies | ||
| Cultural and Social Geographies | ||
| The Economics of Cities and Regions | ||
| Geographies of Migration | ||
| Total Credit Points | 40 | |
Mathematics
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following for subjects: | ||
| MATH 1014 | Mathematics 1A | 10 |
| MATH 1015 | Mathematics 1B | 10 |
| MATH 2001 | Advanced Calculus | 10 |
| MATH 2010 | Linear Algebra | 10 |
| Total Credit Points | 40 | |
Studies of Religion
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete at least one of the following subjects: | 10 | |
| Sociology of Religion | ||
| Philosophy of Religion | ||
| History of Religion | ||
| Students must then complete three additional subjects. Additional subjects to complete the minor can be chosen from the above three subjects or from the pool subjects listed below | 30 | |
| Islam: Past, Present and Future | ||
| Islam in the Modern World | ||
| A History of Modern Global Buddhism | ||
| History of Muslim Civilisations and Ideas | ||
| Mystical Islam: The Emergence of Sufism in World History | ||
| Total Credit Points | 40 | |
English
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following two subjects: | 20 | |
| Approaches to Text | ||
| Introduction to Literary Studies | ||
| Students must then complete two subjects from the following pool: | 20 | |
| Methods of Reading | ||
| The Value of Literature | ||
| Representing Everyday Life in Literary and Visual Cultures | ||
| Children's and Young Adult Fiction | ||
| The Novel | ||
| Introduction to Film Studies | ||
| Total Credit Points | 40 | |
Equivalent Subject
The subjects listed below count towards completion of the major for students who may have passed subjects in the list in 2019 or earlier.
HUMN 2023 Empire: European Colonial Rule and its Subjects, 1750-1920, no longer offered.
The subject listed below counts towards completion of this minor for students who passed this subject in 2021 or earlier.
HUMN 2043 - Religion and the Origins of Modern Science, no longer offered.
The subject listed below count towards completion of this program for students who passed these subjects in 2023 or earlier.
TEAC 7004 Adolescent Development and Teaching, replaced by TEAC 7161 Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching
Replaced Subjects
The subjects listed below counts towards completion of this program for students who passed the subjects in 2023 or earlier.
TEAC 7027 Designing Teaching and Learning, replaced by TEAC 7160 Literacy and Numeracy for Secondary Teaching