Education

1  Course codes

2  Attendance pattern

The attendance pattern for these courses is full time or part time according to candidate choice. The Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies (Higher Education) is available part time only.

3  Master's type

The master's degree in these resolutions is a professional master's course, as defined by the Coursework Policy.

4  Embedded courses in this sequence

(1) The embedded courses in this sequence are the:

(a) Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies

(b) Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies

(c) Master of Education

(2) Providing candidates satisfy the admission requirements for each stage, a candidate may progress to the award of any of the courses in this sequence. Only the longest award completed will be conferred.

5 Streams

(1) The streams available in the embedded courses are:

(a) Educational Leadership

(b) Educational Psychology

(c) Higher Education*

(d) Leadership in Aboriginal Education

(e) Special and Inclusive Education

* This stream is only offered at the Graduate Certificate level. Candidates completing this stream can progress to the Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies or Master of Education degree; however will be awarded with no stream.

(2) Completion of a stream is not a requirement of the degree.

6  Admission to candidature 

(1) Available places will be offered to qualified applicants based on merit, according to the following admissions criteria. In exceptional circumstances the Dean may admit applicants without these qualifications who, in the opinion of the Faculty, have qualifications and evidence of experience and achievement sufficient to successfully undertake the award.
(2) Admission to candidature for the Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies, the Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies and the Master of Education requires:

(a) for the Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies

(i) a bachelor degree or higher in a cognate discipline from the University of Sydney or equivalent; OR

(ii) a bachelor honours degree or postgraduate qualification in a non-cognate discipline from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification; OR

(iii) a bachelor degree in a non-cognate discipline from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification, and professional experience equivalent to two years full-time, in a field considered by the Faculty to be appropriate to the program of studies.

(b) for the Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies

(i) a bachelor degree or higher in a cognate discipline from the University of Sydney or equivalent; OR

(ii) a bachelor honours degree or postgraduate qualification in a non-cognate discipline from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification; OR

(iii) a graduate certificate in the same stream as that in which the applicant wishes to proceed, or equivalent.

(c) for the Master of Education

(i) a bachelor degree or higher in a cognate discipline from the University of Sydney, or equivalent; OR

(ii) a bachelor honours degree in a non-cognate discipline from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification; OR

(iii) A graduate certificate or a graduate diploma in the same stream as that in which the applicant wishes to proceed, or equivalent.

7  Requirements for award

(1) The units of study that may be taken for these courses are set out in the Graduate Certificate/Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies and Master of Education tables of units of study.

(2) Candidates may complete the Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Master degree with or without a stream. Candidates who intend to undertake these courses with a stream must complete the requirements of the Stream as specified in the units of study table for that stream.

(3) To qualify for the award of the Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies, with the exception of the Higher Education stream, a candidate must complete 24 credit points of units of study from the relevant unit of study table, comprising:

(a) 12 credit points from the Master of Education core units of study; AND

(b) 12 credit points of selective units.

(4) To qualify for the award of the Graduate Certificate in Education Studies (Higher Education), a candidate must complete 24 credit points of units of study from the relevant unit of study table, comprising:

(a) 24 credit points of core units of study

(5) To qualify for the award of the Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies a candidate must complete 48 credit points of units of study from the relevant unit of study table, comprising:

(a) 24 credit points of core units of study; AND

(b) 24 credit points of selective units of study

(6) To qualify for the award of the Master of Education with a stream a candidate must complete 72 credit points of units of study from the relevant unit of study table, comprising:

(a) 24 credit points of core units of study; AND

(b) a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 36 credit points of selective units of study; AND

(c) a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 12 credit points of capstone units of study; AND

(d) optionally, a maximum of 12 cp of elective units of study.

(7) To qualify for the award of the Master of Education without a stream a candidate must complete 72 credit points of units of study from the relevant unit of study table, comprising:

(a) 24 credit points of core units of study; AND

(b) a minimum of 36 and a maximum of 42 credit points of selective units of study; AND

(c) a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 12 credit points of capstone units of study.

8  Recognition of prior learning

(1) Waivers and credit may be granted or the volume of learning may be reduced in recognition of prior learning.

(2) Credit may be granted for up to 24 credit points for relevant incomplete postgraduate qualifications

(3) Candidates offered direct admission to the Master of Education may be eligible for a reduction in the volume of learning subject to the following:

(a) The maximum permissible reduction in the volume of learning is 24 credit points for a qualification at level 8 or higher of the Australian Qualifications Framework in a cognate discipline.

(b) The maximum permissible reduction in the volume of learning is 24 credit points for professional experience equivalent to two years full-time, in a field considered by the Faculty to be appropriate to the program of studies.

(4) The maximum combined credit and reduction in the volume of learning granted to a candidate will not exceed 24 credit points

(5) When granting a reduced volume of learning, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences may specify particular units of study against which the reduction is to be applied.

9  Course transfer

A candidate for the master's degree or graduate diploma may elect to discontinue study and graduate with a shorter award from this embedded sequence, and provided the requirements of the shorter award have been met.

9  Commencement date of these resolutions

(1) These resolutions apply to students who commenced their candidature after 1 January 2026.