One-year Graduate Diplomas do not meet national ITE standards

How these programs are deficient

Unaccredited one‑year Graduate Diplomas (Primary and Secondary) do not meet national ITE standards. These programs are not accredited in NSW, even if another state or territory approves them under a modified process at jurisdiction level. The issue is not program length. It is the absence of nationally required content, assessment and sustained professional experience essential for classroom-readiness to meet the complex needs of students and schools. As a result, graduates may be under-prepared for the expected level of classroom practice, placing additional burden on schools.

The following information describes the elements that Graduate Diplomas lack. This information is also available in our Unaccredited one-year Graduate Diplomas (Primary and Secondary) fact sheet (PDF 203.38KB).

Core content

The Teacher Education Expert Panel (TEEP) report, Strong Beginnings, released in July 2023, mandated specific core content areas for all ITE programs in Australia.

The core content areas were endorsed by Education Ministers and approved for implementation into all ITE programs in December 2023.

Content areas focus on evidence-based practices that have the greatest impact on student learning:

• the brain and learning
• effective pedagogical practices (including planning, explicit instruction, phonics, and formative assessment)
• classroom management (establishing rules, proactive responses to behaviour), and
• responsive teaching (First Nations histories and cultures, culturally responsive teaching, family engagement, and diverse learners).

While there is variation across the unaccredited programs, the design of most Graduate Diploma programs leaves insufficient space to authentically embed the nationally mandated core content. This makes it highly unlikely that areas such as the brain and learning or responsive teaching are sufficiently addressed, if at all.

Professional Experience (PEX)

There is a significant reduction in sustained, supervised professional experience (PEX). These programs typically offer only 45-days, instead of the nationally required minimum of 60-days.

National Literacy and Numeracy Test for ITE Students (LANTITE)

Mandatory LANTITE is not required in many one-year Graduate Diploma programs.

Discipline and pedagogical content knowledge

In most one-year Graduate Diploma programs, the scope of general education studies units expected in accredited programs is deficient, including essential subjects such as:

• educational psychology
• diversity and inclusion
• behaviour management
• assessment
• cross-curricular literacy and numeracy
• Aboriginal education.

Some secondary programs offer only one teaching area or provide minimal study load for the second, with limited professional studies content.

Primary programs are further deficient in areas integral to safe and effective teaching, often missing key learning areas (KLAs) such as:

• Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE), which includes child protection education, cyber-safety, and anti-bullying content
• Creative Arts
• Human Society and its Environment (HSIE).

Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA)

The TPA is a critical national safeguard and capstone assessment of classroom readiness. It is largely absent in these Graduate Diplomas, undermining quality assurance, consistency, and comparability at graduation. TPAs are nationally moderated, providing important quality assurance across all ITE programs.

Achieving Proficient Teacher accreditation in NSW

Section 32(3) of the Teacher Accreditation Act 2004prevents NESA from accrediting a teacher at the Proficient level unless they have completed an approved course.

One-year Graduate Diploma programs are not approved in NSW. Employers should be aware that applicants with these qualifications who are granted Provisional accreditation in NSW via Mutual Recognition are required to complete an accredited ITE program before they can progress to the mandatory level of Proficient Teacher. In other words, they have the same requirements as Conditionally accredited teachers in NSW despite being Provisionally accredited.

How this affects graduates and schools

These deficiencies may compromise graduate readiness and shift the burden of preparation onto schools. Stakeholders should be aware that students and graduates of unaccredited one-year Graduate Diplomas will likely lack key knowledge, skills, and experiences expected of graduates from approved programs. Graduates may require additional support to meet professional standards and classroom-readiness benchmarks, including completion of an approved qualification in NSW.

List of Graduate Diplomas that don’t meet national ITE standards

The qualifications listed below are approved through the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA) but do NOT meet the requirements for Provisional or Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.

Graduates of these programs may be eligible for Conditional accreditation in NSW if they have an offer of employment as a teacher in a NSW school in a related discipline to their undergraduate degree. Upon completion of a nationally accredited Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program, graduates may be eligible for Provisional accreditation.

To gain Proficient Teacher accreditation in NSW, graduates of these programs with Conditional or Provisional accreditation must complete and be awarded a nationally accredited teaching degree.

Curtin University

• Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary Education)
• Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary Education)

Edith Cowan University

• Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary)
• Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary)

Murdoch University

• Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary Teaching)
• Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary Teaching)

Southern Cross University

• Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Primary)
• Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary)

Contact NESA’s ITE team

Please contact us if you have questions or need assistance.

Email:ITE@nesa.edu.au

Call: 1300 739 338