Course Overview

About This Course

The Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts), which ACU abbreviates as BEdSec/BA(VA), is a dual award of 360 credit points with a minimum duration of four years in accelerated mode full-time, or the equivalent part-time, subject to unit availability. ACU lists Melbourne and Strathfield as the approved locations. The completion requirements divide the program between the two degrees. Two hundred credit points sit within the Bachelor of Education: 60 credit points of Education Studies units, 60 credit points of Effective Teaching units, 40 credit points of Secondary Curriculum Studies units, 20 credit points of Education Elective units, 20 credit points of Core Curriculum units, and two zero-credit ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education units. The remaining 160 credit points follow the Bachelor of Arts requirements, excluding the Technology sequence, and consist of an 80 credit point Visual Arts major as the first teaching area, a 40 credit point Arts minor as the second teaching area, and 40 credit points of further Bachelor of Arts units taken from advanced units in the same discipline as the major or minor, or from Arts electives. Students must pass both LANTITE units before attempting the second placement unit, EDET200 Effective Teaching 3, and must follow the enrolment pattern in the Course Enrolment Guide unless the Course Adviser approves otherwise. ACU records exit points including the Diploma in Educational Studies (Tertiary Preparation), the Diploma in Liberal Arts and the Bachelor of Arts, none of which qualify a student to teach in Australia.

Where You Can Study

Available Locations

Melbourne

1200 Mair St, Ballarat, VIC 3350

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Eligibility

Entry Requirements

General Requirements

Domestic students

Applicants must comply with ACU's Admission to Coursework Programs Policy, which includes meeting a minimum ATAR requirement. Applicants in Victoria are also required to demonstrate suitability for teaching. To be eligible for admission, an applicant must have completed the following prerequisites at year 12 level, or equivalent:
- New South Wales: Prerequisites: Nil. Assumed knowledge: a minimum of three Band 5 HSC results, including one in English. For a Mathematics major or minor: Mathematics Advanced or Mathematics Extension 1 or 2. ACU notes that this course is structured to allow applicants to meet the three Band 5 entry requirements within the degree program by including a full year of discipline studies before applicants study how to teach.
- Victoria: Prerequisites: English Units 3 and 4 - a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or 25 in any other English. Mathematics Units 1 and 2 - satisfactory completion of two units (any study combination) of General Mathematics, Mathematical Methods or Specialist Mathematics, OR Units 3 and 4: any Mathematics. To study a major or minor in Mathematics: Units 3 and 4 Mathematical Methods. Recommended studies for the Music discipline: AMEB Grade VI or Year 12 Practical Music.
Alternatively, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants may be selected following an interview with the course adviser and staff of the campus Indigenous Higher Education Unit. They should have a minimum of three years' work experience; or Year 12 or equivalent; or demonstrated relevant tertiary study skills or successful completion of a Tertiary Communication Skills program.

International students

ACU publishes no separate international academic requirement for this course, so international applicants must meet the same academic prerequisites as domestic applicants. All applicants need to meet the English Language Proficiency requirements as defined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.

Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2026 Admission. Refer to your relevant Tertiary Admission Centre website for future years' entry requirements.

Quality & Recognition

Accreditation & Migration

Academic Regulator

TEQSA

Professional Body

Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) / AITSL

Accreditation Status

Accredited

Skills Assessor

AITSL

Course Content

Units of Competency

All Units89 units

EDES100

Understanding Learning and Teaching

EDES101

Educational Thought

EDES103

Understanding Learners and Their Contexts

EDES104

Digital Cultures and Capabilities

EDES105

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges, Histories and Cultures

EDES302

Professional Communication

EDET100

Effective Teaching 1: Becoming a Teacher

EDET201

Effective Teaching 2: Curriculum and Pedagogies

EDET200

Effective Teaching 3: Engaging Learners and Managing Learning Environments

EDET300

Effective Teaching 4: Students with Disability and Inclusive Education

EDET400

Effective Teaching 5: Assessment and Data Informed Practice

EDET401

Effective Teaching 6: Professional Engagement and Reflection

EDAR299

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Visual Arts Education 1

EDAR399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Visual Arts Education 2

EDBU399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Business Studies

EDCB299

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Commerce and Business Studies

EDCU399

Extension Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

EDDR299

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Drama Education 1

EDDR399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Drama Education 2

EDEN299

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in English Education 1

EDEN399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in English Education 2

EDEO399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Economics

EDGE299

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Geography Education 1

EDGE399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Geography Education 2

EDHE299

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Health Education 1

EDHE399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Health Education 2

EDHI299

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in History Education 1

EDHI397

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Ancient History

EDHI398

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Modern History

EDHI399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in History Education 2

EDIT299

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in ICT and Digital Technologies Education 1

EDIT399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in ICT and Digital Technologies Education 2

EDMA299

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Mathematics Education 1

EDMA399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Mathematics Education 2

EDMU299

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Music Education 1

EDMU399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Music Education 2

EDPI399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Politics and International Relations

EDPS299

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Psychology Education 1

EDPS399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Psychology Education 2

EDRE299

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Religious Education 1

EDRE399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Religious Education 2

EDRE440

Religion Studies Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

EDSO399

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Society and Culture

EDSS299

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Humanities and Social Sciences Education

EDCU150

Curriculum Foundations for Literacy and Numeracy

EDES206

Social Justice and Community Engagement for Educators

EDMH200

Supporting Teacher Mental Health: The First Five Years

EDFX204

Engaging with Global Communities Personal Professional Learning in International Education Contexts

EDES300

Comparative Education: Local and Global Contexts

EDEN345

Literacy and Diversity Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

EDFD444

The Middle Years of Schooling

EDFD454

Literacy and Numeracy Across the Curriculum

EDFD459

Learning Spaces

EDFD460

Imagination and Creativity in Education

EDIT411

Teaching with Technologies

EDMA311

Intervention in Numeracy

EDRE429

Foundation Studies Teaching in Catholic Schools

ITEC100

Information Technology in Action

PHCC102

Being Human

PHCC104

Ethics and the Good Life

PHCC106

Making Sense: Practical Reasoning for Life and Career

THCC100

Revolutionary Values: Christianity in History

THCC101

People Matter: Catholic Social Thought

TPCC100

Life and Meaning: Imagining Ourselves through Art and Cinema

PHCC201

The Origins of the Sciences and Contemporary Challenges

THCC200

Justice in the World: Catholic Social Ethics in Global Perspective

THCC202

Sacred Land: Australian Indigenous Spiritualities and Catholic Thought

TPCC201

Ecology and Justice

TPCC202

Conflict, Violence and Peace-making

LNTE100

LANTITE - Literacy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students

LNTE101

LANTITE - Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students

VISU

Visual Arts

ARCH

Archaeology

BUSD

Business Studies

DRAM

Drama

DTCO

Digital Technologies (Computing)

ECON

Economics

ENGL

English

GEES

Geography, Environment and Society

HIST

History

HLDV

Healthy Development

MATH

Mathematics

MUSC

Music

PINR

Politics and International Relations

PSYC

Psychology

SOCI

Sociology

SRLG

Study of Religions

THSD

Theological Studies

Bachelor of Arts

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the total cost of the Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts) at ACU?

The estimated total course cost is $AU 160,308, with a tuition fee of $AU 160,308 and no additional non-tuition fees.

How long does this dual degree take to complete?

The course has a duration of 234 weeks, as listed in the CRICOS course details.

Does this course include a work component?

Yes, the course includes a work component of 40 hours per week over 16 weeks, totalling 640 hours of work-integrated learning.

At which campuses can I study this course?

ACU's 2026 handbook lists two approved locations for this course: the Strathfield Campus in NSW and the Melbourne Campus in VIC, both owned and operated by Australian Catholic University.

Is this course eligible for Post-Study Work Rights?

A course is eligible for extended Post-Study Work Rights if it is in 'Registered' status, is a Skills Level 1 qualification (Bachelor, Masters or PhD), has a duration of 92 weeks or greater, aligns with the Skills Level 1 priority field of education narrow field, and is not in the 08 - Management and Commerce broad field. Please contact ESOS-PolicyTeam@education.gov.au for more information on this course's specific eligibility.

Application

How to Apply

Three simple steps to get enrolled

Step 01

Enquire

Click "Enquire Now" and tell us a little about yourself. It's free and takes 2 minutes.

Step 02

Submit Documents

Our team will guide you on exactly which documents to prepare and submit.

Step 03

Get Enrolled

Receive your offer letter and confirm your enrolment. Welcome to the course!

Course Snapshot

Salary, careers & skills

Typical Salary

Entry-level (0-2 years)AUD $55,000 to $74,000 per year

Early Career (2-5 years)AUD $74,000 to $90,000 per year

Mid-Level (5-10 years)AUD $90,000 to $115,000 per year

Career Paths

Policy Analyst / Policy OfficerCommunications Officer / ManagerPublic Relations SpecialistContent Writer / CopywriterJournalist / Reporter

Key Skills

Critical thinking and analytical reasoningPersuasive written and oral communicationResearch design and qualitative/quantitative research methodsIntercultural awareness and cross-cultural communicationEthical reasoning and moral philosophy

Full Course Overview

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