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 7161Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching10
TEAC 7032Diversity, Social Justice and Schooling10
TEAC 7160Literacy and Numeracy for Secondary Teaching10
TEAC 7108Professional Practice Community Engagement10
Total Credit Points40

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 Points40

Geography and Urban Studies

Subject Title Credit Points
Students must complete the following subjects:
ENVL 2001Analysis of Spatial Data10
ENVL 3006Transport, Access and Equity10
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 Points40

Mathematics

Subject Title Credit Points
Students must complete the following for subjects:
MATH 1014Mathematics 1A10
MATH 1015Mathematics 1B10
MATH 2001Advanced Calculus10
MATH 2010Linear Algebra10
Total Credit Points40

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 below30
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 Points40

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 Points40

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 7161Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching10
TEAC 7032Diversity, Social Justice and Schooling10
TEAC 7160Literacy and Numeracy for Secondary Teaching10
TEAC 7108Professional Practice Community Engagement10
Total Credit Points40

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 Points40

Geography and Urban Studies

Subject Title Credit Points
Students must complete the following subjects:
ENVL 2001Analysis of Spatial Data10
ENVL 3006Transport, Access and Equity10
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 Points40

Mathematics

Subject Title Credit Points
Students must complete the following for subjects:
MATH 1014Mathematics 1A10
MATH 1015Mathematics 1B10
MATH 2001Advanced Calculus10
MATH 2010Linear Algebra10
Total Credit Points40

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 below30
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 Points40

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 Points40

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