Master of Education (Advanced)

Provides an opportunity for motivated professionals concerned with educational practice to undertake advanced coursework in fields of particular interest.

The course provides students with knowledge and understandings across a range of specialist areas suited to each student's needs and choices.

The two-year duration makes this course ideal for international students and allows for further development of academic communication skills and the opportunity to graduate with two specialisations.

Course Entry

Academic Admission requirements (Band 8)

The following course-specific admission requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied by all applicants. These requirements are in addition to or supersede the minimum requirements outlined within the Academic admission requirements band section below.

All applicants are required to have a Bachelor of Education. Alternatively, applicants can have a Bachelor level degree in any other field, plus a Graduate Diploma of Education or a Master of Teaching. Special entry may be considered for students with a Bachelor level degree in another field, or a three-year trained teacher, both supported by extensive professional experience, with equivalents considered.

Academic admission requirements (Band 8) may be satisfied through the completion of one of the following:

• Bachelor degree in a cognate discipline; or
• Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years of relevant professional experience.

English Language requirements (Band 4)

English competency requirements may be satisfied through the completion of one of the following:

• IELTS Academic Overall band minimum score of 6.5 (no individual band less than 6.0);
• Bachelor degree from a country specified on the English Proficiency Bands page;
• Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at postgraduate level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent);
• Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years of relevant professional experience; or
• Other tests, courses or programmes defined on the English Proficiency Bands page.

Course Details

Semester availability

• Semester 1: Study full-time at Mount Lawley or Online
• Semester 2: Study full-time at Mount Lawley or Online

Course Structure

Students will normally complete two areas of specialisation. Alternatively, students may complete one specialisation and choose their remaining 60 credit points from a mix of specialisations, in consultation with the course coordinator.

Specialisations you can study in this course

• Catholic Education
• Early Childhood Education
• Leading Education
• Learning Difficulties
• Literacy Education
• Special Education
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
• Behaviour and Wellbeing

Course Learning Outcomes

• Apply cognitive, technical and creative skills to critique educational strategies and practices and synthesise complex ideas in authentic situations.
• Apply communication and collaboration skills to contributions to professional practice/scholarship.
• Reflect critically on a complex body of education knowledge, research principles and methods to demonstrate mastery of educational research.
• Use high-level self-management skills to plan a substantial project.

Career Opportunities

This course will support graduates in professional advancement as teachers, leaders and administrators.

Possible future job titles

Principal, Teaching Coordinator, School Leader, School Administrator, Level 3 School Teacher, Lecturer.

Why ECU is a great choice for international students

Edith Cowan University (ECU) is a public university in Western Australia. It is named in honour of the first woman to be elected to an Australian parliament, and is the only Australian university named after a woman. We have three campuses in Western Australia, each offering a modern, vibrant location for study and learning.

Our campuses feature up-to-date facilities, including wireless internet, 24-hour access to computer labs, libraries with open study spaces outside office hours and a safe environment for you to study in, either by yourself or with other students. We're also committed to maintaining our environments by reducing our footprint and encouraging the achievement of a sustainable community.

When you study at ECU, you’ll get a 5 star education. That includes how you are taught, how you develop skills for the future and how you are supported throughout your course. The quality of teaching is super important, and at ECU, teaching quality rules. In an independent survey – every year for the last 16 years – our graduates have rated us 5 stars for teaching quality (Good Universities Guide)

We have 8 teaching and research schools collectively delivering a diverse range of courses across arts and humanities, business and law, education, engineering, medical and health sciences, nursing and midwifery, science and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Our comprehensive range of degrees has been developed in consultation with industry groups and our teaching staff have extensive industry experience. So, you can expect industry-relevant teaching and research in a supportive study environment that is brimming with award-winning facilities.

Degrees that take you places

ECU degrees are internationally-recognised and many of our courses are professionally-accredited by national and international professional bodies and organisations. What that means is your ECU qualification will help you find work around the world, including in your home country.

The best overall experience

At ECU we know that university life is more than studying and attending lectures. Here we encourage you to enrich your life with student clubs, sports teams, volunteering opportunities and more. In fact, we were ranked best of all Australian universities for the overall experience of undergraduate international students in the 2020 QILT survey.

Highest quality teaching

We’re one of Australia’s best universities for teaching. For an amazing 16 straight years, our graduates have rated the quality of our teaching 5 stars in the Good Universities Guide. Only three other universities in the country can match this.

Great industry connections

ECU has many partnerships and links with industry groups and organisations across Western Australia, Australia and around the globe. These connections help us provide you with opportunities to gain hands-on experience, internships or practicums while you’re studying. It can also help you find employment after you graduate!

Our exciting and innovative industry partnerships help you gain valuable industry experience and the competitive edge needed in today's global job market, who knows your next internship could earn you a top career just like International Design Graduate Aryana. Find out how an internship at IBM put her ahead of the competition!

Legendary student support

Studying in another country can be challenging for many people. But at ECU, we help you overcome any academic or personal challenges through our many support services. We’re one of the best universities in Australia for student support – we even have a Student Success team!

Additional year of post work study rights

After completing your studies you may be eligible for a Temporary Graduate Visa giving you the opportunity to live, work and study whilst gaining valuable work experience within the thriving Australian job market. Western Australia's regional city status means you may be eligible to stay in Western Australia for four to six years after completing undergraduate or postgraduate study.

WA's Expanding its Graduate Skills Occupation List

International students are an important part of the WA community and now with over 300 occupations on the Graduate Occupations List your new qualification may even lead to permanent residency, combine that with generous wages, and Perth's ranking of one of the most liveable cities in the world, there's never been a better time to study in WA.