Prerequisites for the BTeach and MTeach in school counselling
Prospective students for the graduate-entry school counselling degrees will need to have:
- psychology honours or an equivalent fourth year, such as an APS-approved Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology
- sufficient studies in a secondary-school curriculum area to meet the prerequisites for that area listed in the table below.
Teaching training is part of the preparation to become a school counsellor; however, this degree is specifically designed to prepare suitably qualified persons in psychology to work in schools as a school counsellor, rather than as a classroom teacher. The honours or equivalent fourth year in psychology is required for provisional registration as a psychologist in NSW.
Conditional offers and concurrent studies
Applicants who are one unit (equivalent to one quarter of a semester of full-time study) short of meeting the prerequisites for the secondary-school curriculum area of their choice may be given special permission to study the deficient units with another faculty or at another institution concurrently with their BTeach/MTeach studies. The conditions of enrolment by special permission for concurrent studies are listed on the general prerequisites page for graduate-entry teaching.
Curriculum-area prerequisites for the graduate-entry school-counselling course
The curriculum areas that are offered are reviewed annually and insufficient enrolments will lead to cancellation.
| Curriculum area | Prerequisites |
|---|---|
Art | 2-year sequence (4 units) in the visual arts, with at least 2 units at level 2 or above. Studies must include all of the following:
The study of visual arts must be developed as a discrete discipline. Vocationally oriented courses are not recognised as equivalent. |
Commerce/Economics/Business Studies | Satisfy either of the following: Business studies/commerce – 2-year sequence (4 units) in business-related studies, with at least 2 units at level 2 or above. Studies must include at least 1 unit of finance or accounting and 1 unit of business management, with the remaining units drawn from:
or Economics/commerce – 2-year sequence (4 units) in economics, with at least 2 units at level 2 or above. |
Drama | 2-year sequence (4 units) in drama, with at least 2 units at level 2 or above. Studies must include all of the following:
and, preferably, Australian drama. Drama studies must be developed as a discrete discipline. Vocationally oriented courses are not recognised as equivalent. |
English | 2-year sequence (4 units) in English, with at least 2 units at level 2 or above and with at least 2 units of a strong core of textual studies including literature. Other units may include studies in communications, creative writing, linguistics and media studies. |
Geography | 2-year sequence (4 units) in geography, with at least 2 units at level 2 or above. |
History | Satisfy either of the following: Ancient history – 2-year sequence (4 units) in history – with at least 2 units at level 2 or above – in areas such as ancient history and archaeology. or Modern history – 2-year (4 units) in history – with at least 2 units at level 2 or above – in areas such as Australian history, contact and Aboriginal history, early modern history, historiography and modern history. |
Languages | 2-year sequence (4 units) ) in a language other than English, with at least 2 units at level 2 or above. Not all languages are catered for in the program. The specific languages that are offered in any one year will be subject to enrolment numbers and the availability of practicum placements for the professional-experiences component. |
Mathematics | 2-year sequence (4 units) in mathematics, with at least 2 units at level 2 or above. Studies must include algebra and calculus. 1 unit only of statistics may be counted provided it was studied as a stand-alone unit. No more than 1 unit of study taught outside a department or school of mathematics (for example, in engineering, science or business subjects) can be counted. |
Science | Biology – 2-year sequence (4 units) in science, with at least 2 units at level 2 or above. Studies must include 2 units in biology and 2 units in either chemistry or physics.
|
Society and Culture, and Legal Studies | Satisfy either of the following: Legal studies/commerce – 2-year sequence (4 units) in the social sciences, with at least 2 units at level 2 or above. Studies must include at least 2 units in legal studies and 1 unit in a commerce-related discipline area (applicants may ask the faculty for special permission to undertake concurrent studies to meet this requirement). Examples of other possible study areas are Aboriginal studies, anthropology, archaeology, Asia or Pacific studies, civics, cultural studies, government, history, media studies, philosophy, politics, psychology (only 1 unit may be counted), religion studies, social communication and sociology, or Geography/society and culture – 2-year sequence (4 units) in the social sciences, with at least 2 units at level 2 or above. Studies must include at least 1 unit in a geography-related discipline area (candidates may apply to the faculty for special permission to undertake concurrent studies to meet this requirement) and, preferably, at least 1 unit in sociology. Examples of other possible study areas are Aboriginal studies, anthropology, archaeology, Asia or Pacific studies, civics, cultural studies, government, history, media studies, philosophy, politics, psychology (only 1 unit may be counted), religion studies and social communication. |
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) | 2-year sequence (4 units) in English, linguistics or a language. Studies must including a 1-year sequence (2 units) in either English or linguistics studied at an institution where English is the medium of instruction. Applicants who do not have English as their first language are required to meet the NSWIT English-language requirements in order to undertake the professional experiences components of the course (in-school teaching practice). |