Accreditation summary template

National summary statement about the accreditation process

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 Arts
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 29/6/2019
Accreditation outcome* Five-year accreditation period granted
Accreditation expiry date (optional) 29/6/2024
Quality assurance processes in place

Quality assurance processes include, but are not limited to: 

  • Quality Teacher Performance Assessment (QTPA) data 
  • QPERF cohort data 
  • Attrition, retention and progression data 
  • Student feedback on Coast to Country experience 
  • QILT data 
  • Employer satisfaction survey 
  • Education Academic Advisory Committee feedback. 

 

Program description and rationale

To graduate with a Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Arts students are required to complete 32 units, including core educational studies, and units in selected major and minor courses. 

Discipline teaching areas: 

  • Biology 
  • Chemistry 
  • English 
  • Geography 
  • History 
  • Japanese 
  • Mathematics 
  • Music 
  • Psychology 
  • Screen Media 
  • Theatre and Performance. 

The USC Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Arts includes 80 days of supervised professional experience in secondary schools and 30 hours of wider field experience. 

For further information including entry requirements and career opportunities, please visit: Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/ Bachelor of Arts

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:

  • submission of an annual report on the operation of the program
  • prior approval of any significant changes to the program
  • employment of only registered teachers to supervise or assess the work of a preservice teacher in a prescribed school.