Secondary Education (vertical stack) combined courses FAQ
What is the vertical stack?
Vertical stack is how we visualise our new suite of Secondary Education degrees.
Essentially what it means is you can study an undergraduate degree and a Master of Teaching in Secondary Education (a postgraduate degree) side-by-side. This means you can earn two qualifications in as little as four years, and leave Uni qualified both in your chosen undergraduate degree and as a leading Secondary Educator in one or more related specialisations.
You’ll begin with your undergraduate degree, and in your second and third year you will begin to incorporate Education subjects within this. This leaves your final year to be fully dedicated to earning your teaching accreditation and getting you ready for the classroom.
What teaching areas can I specialise in?
Our vertical stack courses allow for students to pair their Master of Teaching in Secondary Education with a number of undergraduate degrees, each of which qualify you to teach specific high-school subjects. These include:
Depending on the stream, this qualifies graduates to teach Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Earth and Environmental Science, or Mathematics.
- Bachelor of Communication (Writing and Publishing) - previously known as (Creative Writing).
This can qualify graduates to teach English, with specifications available for electives, English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) and Society and Culture.
Allows graduates to teach Business studies, and potentially Economics (dependent on selected major).
Graduates with this qualification can teach Economics and Business Studies.
Why vertical stack over other Secondary Education courses?
The vertical stack allows students to earn a qualification in their field of choice as well as becoming a qualified teacher. Leading educators have said there is great benefit for teachers to have done wider and deeper study in the field they teach. UTS graduates enter the classroom up to date on the most current developments in the discipline, and this is highly valued by schools. Developing a greater depth of disciplinary knowledge is of huge benefit and gives commencing teachers confidence in the classroom.
Having two degrees also allows students who are unsure about their career path to invest in a range of options, giving them more choice when they graduate or even later on, to pursue a career in whichever field suits them best. Even within Education, two degrees provide graduates with a broader set of skills allowing for upward mobility into administrative, departmental and leadership roles.
Not to mention, the course allows students the chance to develop professional and personal networks within the field of education and beyond.
Do I need three band fives to do a vertical stack combined degree?
Not at all! Unlike other Education degrees, the vertical stack means you will complete 12 months of university level education before you commence teaching subjects. Requirements to enter the teaching stage of the course are based on your performance in your degree, meaning that when you complete 96 credit points (typically the end of Year 2) you must have a credit average. If for some reason you don’t meet these requirements, you simply complete your standalone Bachelor degree (and have the option to re-apply to the Master’s of Teaching as a postgraduate course if you still want to be a teacher).
Will there be in-class experience?
Yes, plenty. UTS’ Education program is world-class, and we have access to more than 200 partner schools across NSW. By the end of your studies you will have spent at least 80 days teaching in real classrooms.
How long does it take?
Depending on your study load, most of these qualifications can be earned in 4 years. The Bachelor of Engineering Studies, Master of Teaching in Secondary Education takes 4.5 years.
Can I do primary teaching at UTS?
Yes.
For more information visit the Primary Education (vertical stack) combined courses FAQ webpage
