What It’s Like Studying a Bachelor of Education at Monash University

If you love teaching people and you want to share your knowledge with students, a Bachelor of Education at Monash may be a great option for you! Monash is one of the top-ranked places for Education in Australia, so it’s definitely worth considering. 

We’ve got everything you need to know about the degree including the different types of units you’ll be studying, how placements work, societies you should join, and more.

Keep reading to learn it all! 

What is a Bachelor of Education at Monash University?

Degree Structure

How to Get into a Bachelor of Education at Monash University

What’s the Teaching Format?

What’s the Faculty and Culture Like?

What is a Bachelor of Education at Monash University?

In a Bachelor of Education at Monash, you’ll learn all there is to know about teaching children and young adults. You will understand key pedagogical study, practical management tools and take on practical placements, where you’ll try your hand at teaching a class. 

You may also be wondering about location — well, Monash’s main campus, Clayton, is based just about 20 minutes outside of Melbourne CBD. It’s a beautiful campus with great central hubs! 

There’s few different variations of a Bachelor of Education at Monash. These specialisations are: 

• • Early childhood and primary education 
  • Primary and secondary education 
  • Primary and secondary health and physical education
  • Primary and secondary inclusive education
  • Primary education 
  • Secondary education 
  • Secondary health and physical education

Through each of these degree variations, you will be receiving high-quality teaching that will set you up to teach others — it’s all a good cycle!

You can enrol in whichever your preferred type of Education course is before you commence studying. Some specialisations focus just on one area of teachers, whilst others cover a broader range.

In this article, we will be focussing on a Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Secondary Education), but you can find out about the specifics of each specialisation here!

Did you know that Monash is the #1 university in Australia for studying Education? Check out which universities made the top 5 here!

Honours and Double Degrees

Monash is the “first of its kind” in Australia, as every degree variation has Honours embedded. This means that you are going to automatically graduate with Honours, making you better qualified to go into the workforce.

You’ll also get to bypass the stress of applying for that additional year of study! 

A Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Secondary Education) must be undertaken with a double degree. You’ll become specialised in a specific area, which you can then teach to students. 

Double degree options with Secondary Education include: 

• • Arts 
  • Business
  • Fine Art 
  • Music 
  • Science 

The specific faculties you’re able to enter from these double degrees are quite obvious.

Arts will get you a job teaching something like English, History, Legal Studies or other humanities subjects. For Science, you may be teaching things like Biology or Chemistry! 

Career Paths 

A Bachelor of Education is an unusual degree, in that it has quite a direct career path to teaching for most graduates. Generally, this is why people enrol!

There are, however, some other jobs that Education can land you. Some key jobs include: 

• • Primary teacher
  • Secondary teacher 
  • Early years teacher 
  • Education consultant
  • English as an additional language teacher 
  • Community education officer 

Wherever you end up, a Bachelor of Education will give you on-the-ground knowledge, which is vital in understanding children and working according to their needs. 

Check out 20 careers you can pursue with a Bachelor of Education here!

Degree Structure

In this degree, you will follow a rather specific structure of study. Monash breaks its secondary education program into four key areas:

• • Education studies — classroom practice, teaching relationships and positive behaviour study
  • Curriculum studies — understanding of specific pedagogies and overall curriculum
  • Discipline studies — knowledge in key learning areas
  • Professional experience — practical study and placements

Now let’s break down the core units and what each of these key areas involve.

Education Studies 

Working in education: An introduction to the profession 

In one of your very first subjects, you will learn an overview of what it is to be a teacher and develop good teaching practice. You will be supported with foundational skills that will carry throughout your degree. This subject combines individual and group work. 

Planning for teaching and learning 

Lesson plans — every teacher has them! This introductory subject will teach you how to plan well, making the most of your and your students’ time. You will learn how to create effective goals that can be delivered in the classroom. You will also consider how to engage all kinds of learners and maximise potential. 

Educational technologies 

This subject will help you learn how to use digital technologies in a highly creative and effective way while teaching. You will develop skills in critical evaluation and selection of the most ideal media to engage students. You’ll also look at things like cyber safety, ethics, flipped classrooms and digital citizenship. 

Inclusive education: Teaching learners with diverse abilities 

In any classroom, you are going to find a diverse range of abilities. This subject will help you tackle teaching many students from various backgrounds, all under the same roof. You will examine how things like socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds affect students. You will be taught how to maximise learning opportunities for all types of learners from many different backgrounds, including those with a disability.

Teaching performance assessment (TPA)

This unit is taken in conjunction with your final placement unit. It is used to assess your teaching ability and consider if you are ready for the workforce. You will design and teach a real cohort of students, analysing your performance. 

The following are other core units you will take — however, some may differ depending on which specialisation you’re undertaking:

• • Evidence into action
  • Approaches to teaching and learning 
  • Transition to the profession
  • Including Indigenous perspective and learners 
  • Developing literacy and numeracy 

Curriculum Studies 

Creative and critical teaching

In this unit, students learn how to reflect and reconsider their pre-established beliefs about creativity and critical thinking. You will learn about critical thinking in contemporary education, including how to cultivate such a skill in students. You’ll be taught how to engage students in complex creative and critical matters. 

Fostering classroom culture 

This subject focuses specifically on how to create a positive classroom for all involved. You will examine different theories of classroom management that will help determine what kind of teacher you want to be. You will consider different communication strategies that can be adopted by teachers and their varying effectiveness. 

Adolescent development and learning 

Ever reckon that, despite being one yourself, you don’t understand teenagers? Have no fear, because this subject will distil it for you! You will learn about significant aspects of adolescent development, particularly the role they have in education. You will be taught about psychological, motivational, social, cognitive and biological issues that may affect your students.

Further topics in this section are related to specific areas of teaching. 

Discipline Studies 

Students will undertake subjects in their chosen fields of teaching. For example, if you’d like to become a maths teacher, you will take on math-specific subjects, including how to translate your knowledge into a teachable format for students. 

Professional Experience 

The final section of a Bachelor of Education is the placement units. These are split into 6 smaller subjects.

Throughout your degree, you will take on placements in schools with supervising teachers. You will have varying degrees of autonomy and real teaching time, according to your needs, ability and where you are up to in your degree. 

Internships and Placements 

As we just mentioned, there are compulsory professional placements within this degree. You will go on four placements all up, or a minimum of 80 days, where your skill level and teaching autonomy will increase each time!  

Placements for Monash Education students are allocated and organised by the Professional Experience Office — students are not able to organise placements themselves. 

To participate in placement, there are a couple of steps you need to follow. First, you’ll need to apply for security clearance by week 3 of Semester 1.

You will then fill in a series of placement information, which the university will guide you through. After this, you will read the conditions of placement and be given a specific school that you will be attending! 

You will likely be given a range of schools and teachers that you will get to visit. There will be plenty of information given to you throughout your degree, but you can find out more here!

How to Get into a Bachelor of Education at Monash University 

The minimum ATAR for any Bachelor of Education at Monash is 70, however this does vary depending on your specialisation and double degree.

Prerequisites

This degree also requires students to have scored at least 30 in EAL or 25 in English other than EAL. You will need to have satisfactorily completed any two units of maths. 

Alternate Entry

Monash also has a program called the Monash Guarantee, which is available to students who are prone to experiencing some kind of hardship. This may include living in a lower SES area, financial difficulties, being an Indigenous Australian or attending a disadvantaged school.

Additionally, Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) can offer you an ATAR adjustment if you’ve had major disruptions throughout your final year of school. It may be a helpful scheme if you’ve experienced things like unreliable internet access, evacuation, school disruptions or property damage. 

Monash also supports transfer from other degrees and universities. You can find out more about supported pathways here, if you would like to. 

Scholarships 

Monash is very generous when it comes to diverse scholarships. No doubt you will be able to find something that you’re eligible to apply for. View the full list here!

There are a varied range of Achieving Potential scholarships on offer to Education students. One standout is the Achieving Potential Scholarship for Distinction. If you are a low income earner and achieve an ATAR of 90 plus, it’s definitely worth looking into. 

If you’re keen to move on campus, the Monash Resident Scholarship may be available to you. This is particularly great for low income, Indigenous and regional students. 

What’s the Teaching Format?

Monash has a really excellent reputation for teaching. The staff know how to combine core areas with engaging content, making for a compelling degree!

“It’s a good mix between theory and practice.” — Ella Wright, Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Secondary Teaching) II at Monash

Many lecturers and tutors here have been in teaching before they moved to university work, so they can offer practical support and answer student queries. 

Studying at Monash also means that your academic calendar year is structured across semesters.

Class Structure

Monash classes are structured like a lot of other universities, with emphasis on key skills. You’ll have lectures and tutorials, but don’t forget that you also have your placements to complete throughout the degree.

Lectures 

All lectures for Monash Education are permanently online, so there can be up to 600 students in attendance. Despite this, they are still a way to learn from accomplished lecturers and get a detailed understanding of your subject content. 

Most subjects have a 1-hour lecture a week, however they are generally not compulsory. 

Tutorials

Tutorials are the compulsory part of each subject. There are generally 24 students enrolled, however you can expect to see as little as 16 each week.

In these 2-hour subjects, you will have a chance to discuss material and work collaboratively with your tutors and other students. They are a great place to problem solve, ask specific questions and generally become more engaged as an emerging teacher.

What are assessments like? 

Education assessments are very group oriented. In fact, you can expect to have at least one group task a semester!

There aren’t any exams for an Education degree. Though, if you do a double degree you are likely to have them in your second course. Instead, you will take on 2-3 assessments per subject, which generally have a 40-60% split. 

These assessments tend to involve one theory component, such as an essay, in addition to something more practical such as a lesson plan. You might even teach this to your tutorial class for them to evaluate! 

Skills Learnt in this Degree

Education at Monash teaches you a really wide range of skills, including: 

• • Communication with children 
  • Problem solving
  • Teamwork 
  • Critical thinking 
  • Language abilities
  • Self-management 
  • Assessment and planning 
  • Working under leadership 

If you’re someone who’s a little more on the introverted side, this degree may enhance your ability to think on your feet and teach effectively.

What’s the Faculty and Culture Like?

“There’s a really nice culture and that’s actually kind of why I picked Monash.” — Ella Wright

This is certainly a university known for its positive atmosphere and approachability.

Despite being a large cohort, Education students at Monash still develop strong friendships due to their collaborative curriculum. It’s also great to be with like-minded people, who are studying the same degree as you. 

There are some great lecturers and tutors at Monash, too! 

“There’s a lecturer in first year that everyone is obsessed with, her name is Maria Gindidis.” — Ella Wright

Societies 

Monash has societies dedicated to most faculties and then other particular interests.

The Monash Education and Teachers’ Association (META) is a great place to network with your peers. They run many fun activities such as an Education ball and social events.

They also help students to prepare for assessments and employment through running academic seminars. It’s a great group to get involved with!

You may also look into a special interest club, such as Chess, Muggles or Permaculture. These are located across campuses, with many centralised at Clayton! 

Accessibility at Monash 

For those who need disability assistance or support for illness and learning needs, you should get in touch with Monash Disability Support Services. Here, you will find access to academic support workers, equipment, alternative formatting and hearing augmentation. 

Monash also supports the GradWISE program, which is designed to help students with disabilities to excel in finding employment. 

There is also a really strong variety of programs, including counselling, for mental health. These are open to both students and staff, and will help you to deal with your own mental health. 

Mentoring 

As you may have gathered, Monash has a key focus on student support. There are previous or retired teachers available in the Education department to help with assessments and assists students who may have concerns while on placement. 

There’s also great scope to get academic support from other students!

If you’re in senior high and your place of education is a partner school, see if you are eligible for one-on-one mentoring that will get you prepped for uni. Here, you can clarify your goals, get VCE tips and start making great connections! 

Wondering what the pros and cons of this degree are? Check out our article here!

Lucinda Garbutt-Young hopes to one day be writing for a big-shot newspaper… or maybe just for a friendly magazine in the arts sector. Right now, she is enjoying studying a Bachelor of Public Communication (Public Relations and Journalism) at UTS while she writes on the side. She also loves making coffees for people in her job as a barista, and loves nothing more than a sun shower.