The accreditation process involves a rigorous assessment of an initial teacher education (ITE) program against a set of nationally agreed standards. Accreditation standards and procedures are designed to ensure that all graduates of ITE meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the Graduate career stage. This ensures the program is of high quality and prepares pre-service teachers for the teaching profession. The process also includes an assessment of a provider’s quality assurance and continuous improvement mechanisms, as well as ensuring that the provider has a nationally endorsed teaching performance assessment which all graduates must successfully complete.
In Queensland, each program is assessed by a panel of nationally trained assessors that includes school leaders, employers, practising teachers and higher education representatives. A mandatory site visit involving forums with school partners, graduates, ITE students and the teaching staff of the ITE program is embedded in Queensland reaccreditation processes. Panels make a recommendation to the QCT’s Professional Standards Committee, which holds responsibility for granting accreditation and determines the length of the accreditation period. A maximum of five years accreditation may be granted.
More information on the accreditation process may be found at: www.aitsl.edu.au/deliver-ite-programs/standards-and-procedures.
| Jurisdiction | QLD |
| Provider | University of the Sunshine Coast |
| Program title | Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Recreation and Outdoor Environmental Studies |
| Program type | Undergraduate |
| Program duration in equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL) | 4 years |
| Minimum program duration | 4 years |
| Stage of schooling | Secondary |
| Mode(s) of delivery | On Campus / Online |
| Campus location(s) | Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay |
| Date of current accreditation | 30/7/2019 |
| Accreditation outcome* | Five-year accreditation period granted |
| Accreditation expiry date (optional) | 30/7/2024 |
| Quality assurance processes in place | Quality assurance processes include, but are not limited to:
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Program description and rationale
To graduate with a Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Recreation and Outdoor Environmental Studies students are required to complete 32 units, including core educational studies, eight units in Health and Physical Education major and four units in a selected minor.
Discipline teaching areas:
The USC Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Recreation and Outdoor Environmental Studies includes 80 days of supervised professional experience in secondary schools, 30 hours of wider field experience and 25 days outdoor environmental fieldwork, including residential camping experiences on K'gari-Fraser Island.
For further information including entry requirements and career opportunities, please visit: Bachelor of Education (Secondary) / Bachelor of Recreation and Outdoor Environmental Studies.
Students are given the opportunity to experience different school settings and learners by taking a trip to rural and remote areas and are supported to undertake a practicum placement in a regional, rural or remote setting.
University of the Sunshine Coast graduates have successfully passed the national literacy and numeracy test (LANTITE), the final Queensland Professional Experience Reporting Framework (QPERF) and the Quality Teaching Performance Assessment (QTPA).
* Nationally accredited ITE programs delivered in Queensland are subject to ongoing monitoring, including: