Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary) Dean's Scholars (1823)

  • Approved Abbreviation: BA(DeansSchol)
  • Western Sydney University Program Code: 1823
  • AQF Level: 7

CRICOS Code: 097517B

This program applies to students who commenced in 2021 or later.

Students should follow the program structure for the session start date relevant to the year they commenced.

Commencement Year 2020 - 1823.4 Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary) Dean's Scholars

Commencement Year 2019 - 1823.3 Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary) Dean's Scholars

Commencement Year Spring 2018 - 1823.2 Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary) Dean's Scholars

Commencement Year 2017 to Autumn 2018 - 1823.1 Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary) Dean's Scholars

Graduates of this degree are eligible for direct entry into the Master of Teaching (Secondary) via Transition to Teaching pathway. Completion of both the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs provides a teaching qualification for Secondary. Eligible students will receive advice during their final study session in the Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Secondary) regarding how to accept an offer into the Postgraduate program to attain a teaching qualification.

The BA (Pathway to Teaching Secondary) Dean’s Scholars is a three year degree for high achieving students specially designed to lead into the Master of Teaching (Secondary), an accredited postgraduate teaching qualification. Together, the two degrees provide direct access to a teaching career in four and a half years and improved prospects for career advancement. The Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Secondary) Dean’s Scholars component provides focussed study in a teaching discipline, such as English, History, a Language Other than English or Human Society and Its Environment, as well as opportunity to study an Education Studies Minor that develops understandings of contemporary education issues, teaching and learning.

This degree is exclusively for high-achieving students. 

For further information concerning the requirements for secondary teaching, students are advised to consult the Subject Content Requirements for Primary and Secondary Teaching NSW (Abridged) from the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).

http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/Subject Content Knowledge Requirements

Study Mode

Three years full-time or six years part-time.

Program Advice

enquiriesHCA@westernsydney.edu.au

Prospective students should visit the following websites for general enquiries about this program.

Enquire about this program| Local Admission | International Admission |

Location

Campus Attendance Mode Advice
Bankstown City Campus Full Time Internal See above
Bankstown City Campus Part Time Internal See above
Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road Full Time Internal See above
Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road Part Time Internal See above
Penrith Campus Full Time Internal See above
Penrith Campus Part Time Internal See above

Admission

From Autumn 2024, there will be no further admissions into this program. 

Assumed knowledge: two units of HSC English.

Recommended studies: HSC English Standard, or equivalent.

ATAR score of at least 90 required.

Applications from Australian and New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent resident visas may be made via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) or directly through the Western Portal. Use the links below to apply via UAC or Western Sydney University. Applications made directly to Western Sydney do not have an application fee.

http://www.uac.edu.au/
https://westernsydney.uac.edu.au/ws/

Applicants who have undertaken studies overseas may have to provide proof of proficiency in English. Local applicants who are applying through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) will find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on the UAC website. Local applicants applying directly to the University should also use the information provided on the UAC website.

International students currently completing an Australian Year 12 in or outside Australia, an International Baccalaureate in Australia or a New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) level 3 must apply via UAC International.

http://www.uac.edu.au/

All other International applicants must apply directly to the University via the International Office.  

International students applying to the University through the International Office can find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on their website.

International Office

Overseas qualifications must be deemed by the Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) to be equivalent to Australian qualifications in order to be considered by UAC and Western Sydney University.

For students wishing to qualify as a teacher of music by completing the major “Music in Secondary Teaching”

Students undertaking this major will be selected on an interview/audition in which personal aptitude, professional experience and educational qualifications are taken into consideration. After you have applied to UAC you are required to book yourself in for an interview/audition and download a questionnaire at this University’s online audition booking system available at

Online audition booking system: https://admissions.westernsydney.edu.au/

If you have difficulty in accessing the web, call 1300 897 669. Please bring the completed questionnaire with you to the audition. At your audition you will be asked to perform from two contrasting pieces of music. For more information, please contact a Bachelor of Music Academic Program Advisor via the email address listed under Program Advice above.

Program Structure

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 240 credit points with no less than 60 credit points at Level 3 or higher.

All students must enrol in and complete:

  • 40 credit points of Bachelor of Arts Core Subjects
  • An 80 credit point Arts Major
  • A 40 credit point Education Studies - Secondary Teaching minor
  • A 40 credit point minor from the list below or other approved area of study (contact your Program Advisor for further information)
  • 20 credit points of electives
  • 20 credit points from the Bachelor of Arts Engaged Learning pool

The 40 credit points of core subjects are as follows

Subject Title Credit Points
Year 1 Core Subjects
HUMN 1052Australian Politics and Active Citizenship10
HUMN 1053Diversity, Language and Culture10
LANG 1029Foundations of Academic English10
LANG 1030Thinking Critically About Texts and Society10
Total Credit Points40

Majors - First Teaching Area

All students must complete one of the following Majors. This will meet the NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) content requirements for your first teaching area. Explanations of these Majors can be found under the major listings below.

Note: Not all majors are available on all campuses, please check availability.

Note: The following Majors and Minors have inherent requirements; Arabic, Chinese and Japanese.

Click here for details of the Inherent Requirements

Education Studies Minor

All students must complete the Education Studies  - Secondary Teaching Minor

Second Teaching Area

All students must also complete a second different major or minor from the list below.

Please seek advice from an Academic Program Adviser about good first and second teaching area combinations.

Note: Not all Arts minors are available on all campuses.

The Creative Writing minor is only available to students completing an English Major as their first teaching area

The Linguistics minor is only available to students completing an English Major as their first teaching area

Bachelor of Arts Engaged Learning Pool Level 3 Subjects

Subject Title Credit Points
Select two subjects from the following:20
Humanities Internship
Service Learning
Group Project
Study Tours
We Are The University: Students Co-creating Change
Total Credit Points20

Recommended Full-time Sequence

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Autumn sessionCredit Points
Select one BA core subject (Level 1) 10
Select one BA core subject (Level 1) 10
Select one BA core subject (Level 1) or Major subject 10
Select one Major subject or minor subject 10
 Credit Points40
Spring session
Select one BA core subject (Level 1) 10
Select one BA core subject (Level 1) or Major subject 10
Select one Major subject or minor subject 10
Select one Elective minor subject 10
 Credit Points40
Year 2
Autumn session
Select one Major subject 10
Select one Major subject 10
Select one minor/second teaching area or elective subject 10
Select one minor/second teaching area or elective subject 10
 Credit Points40
Spring session
Select one Major subject 10
Select one Major subject 10
Select one minor/second teaching area or elective subject 10
Select one minor/second teaching area or elective subject 10
 Credit Points40
Year 3
Autumn session
Select one Major subject 10
Select one Education Studies - Secondary Teaching minor or minor/second teaching area subject 10
Select one Engaged Learning Pool subject 10
Select one Education Studies - Secondary Teaching minor subject 10
 Credit Points40
Spring session
Select one Major subject 10
Select one Education Studies - Secondary Teaching minor or minor/second teaching area subject 10
Select one Engaged Learning Pool subject 10
Select one Education Studies - Secondary Teaching minor subject 10
 Credit Points40
 Total Credit Points240