Bachelor of Education with specialisation in Primary/Secondary

at Southern Cross University - Gold Coast Campus Australia

The Bachelor of Social Work is an entry-level, professionally accredited qualification to practise as a social worker. The course prepares students to work in a diverse range of fields including health and mental health, child and family welfare, cross-cultural work and work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, youth work, homelessness, domestic and family violence, disability, drug and alcohol, community development, and advocacy.

Underpinned by core principles of social justice and human rights, the course engages students in contemporary anti-oppressive, decolonised and trauma-informed approaches to social work practice. This high job growth area offers a variety of careers in client service roles, service management, research, strategy and policy development.

Core units within the course cover essential theories, methods and skills for social work practice with individuals, families, groups and communities. These are complemented by foundational studies in Indigenous world views, sociology, politics, human development and social research.

An elective stream provides opportunity for students to pursue their interests and develop knowledge in a range of disciplines, and an optional embedded Honours program is available for those interested in research and pathways to further postgraduate studies and who have maintained a credit average across the first two years of study.  Note: Eligible students who are interested in undertaking the Honours stream in 2023 should consult the Bachelor of Social Work Course Coordinator prior to enrolling in elective units.

Please note: All students, including those enrolled online, are required to participate in on-campus learning for a minimum of 20 days/150hrs over the duration of the course. This requirement is stipulated by the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS). On-campus enrolled students meet this minimum requirement by participating in four units with compulsory attendance. Online students meet this requirement by attending compulsory residential schools conducted at the Gold Coast campus. Units with compulsory participation and on-campus residential schools are identified in the course structure section below (‘note 2’). Students should also refer to the enrolment information for these units.

Social workers can be a lifeline for people facing difficulties related to financial, medical, mental health or relational circumstances. This course enables you to develop the skills, knowledge and values to become a strategic, ethical and reflective social work practitioner.

Our accredited Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) is suited to applicants with previous experience in the study of the social sciences, social welfare, psychology or related fields.

In this program, you'll examine child protection, social policy and law, health issues impacting Indigenous communities, and leadership in social work organisations. You'll also undertake practice under the supervision of an experienced social worker. As a graduate, you'll be ready for a career as a professional social worker in Australia and may also be eligible for employment overseas.

In the fight for justice, you need knowledge, integrity and perseverance. This degree embraces all these qualities as you learn how the law works, why specific laws exist, and how our laws impact on others.

The Bachelor of Legal and Justice Studies is an excellent degree for those wanting to work in policy development, paralegal positions, conveyancing, and in the justice sector. It provides a thorough practical grounding in legal knowledge and a strong understanding of Australian and international politics and society. If you have already been working professionally in the fields of law and justice, this course will extend your knowledge, skills and expertise. The conveyancing major, which is accredited by New South Wales Fair Trading, enables you to become a licenced conveyancer in NSW.

The Bachelor of Business and Enterprise has a focus on developing innovation and impact in a complex and changing business world with inspired and multidisciplinary learning experiences. You’ll become equipped with the practical skills, tools and knowledge that are vital for the sustainability of society, business and industry.

Build a portfolio of professional experiences through a range of real world interactions with employers, industry and the community.

You can undertake the course with a professionally accredited specialisation in accounting or financial services. Alternatively, you can choose a major in either business and data analytics, entrepreneurship and innovation, tourism management or aviation management, combining this with an industry project or an internship or a shared major from disciplines across the University.

Accounting

Gain the skills and knowledge needed to contribute to the success of any organisation through better accounting practices.

Do you dream of coaching athletes or inspiring people to achieve better health and wellbeing? Are you fascinated by human anatomy, human physiology and how they apply to sport and exercise? Are you keen to probe the minds of elite athletes and uncover what gives them the winning edge? The Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science can turn your sporting passion into a career.

This degree provides a comprehensive study of sport sciences and how the human body responds to exercise. You’ll learn about human movement, biomechanics, movement control, exercise physiology, exercise and sport psychology, coaching and exercise prescription, with the opportunity to specialise in either business management, physical education or strength, conditioning and coaching.

Our graduates work in many areas of sport and health, including sports psychology, nutrition, teaching, coaching, performance testing, health promotion and education.

Strength, Conditioning and Coaching

This major includes areas such as advanced strength and conditioning, applied skill acquisition and training for performance.

The World Health Organisation estimates a projected shortfall of 18 million health workers by 2030 – building the health workforce is a global health priority.

The Bachelor of Health Science (Health and Lifestyle) is a foundation degree for students who wish to pursue a career in health, naturopathic medicine, or lifestyle medicine.

To practice as a Clinical Naturopath, students must successfully complete the Bachelor of Health Science (Health and Lifestyle) and the Southern Cross University Master of Naturopathic Medicine. The total full-time duration for this clinical training program is four years. This is the only four-year program in Naturopathic Medicine offered in Australia where students will graduate with a Masters degree.

This course allows students to develop an understanding of health science, social science, lifestyle medicine, clinical science, scientific enquiry and naturopathic medicine. Students will also develop a theoretical and practical understanding of health promotion through undertaking a work-integrated health placement or professional engagement with Aboriginal communities.

This degree provides graduates with a solid foundation in evidence-based practice and a deep understanding of naturopathic medicine’s philosophical foundations of preventing ill-health, improving patient health outcomes, supporting a patient’s innate ability to heal and addressing the underlying causes of illness.

This is the only undergraduate Naturopathic Medicine degree in Australia offering Commonwealth Supported places (HECS-HELP).

Do you want a health career that could transform the lives of others by helping them achieve tangible results?

Occupational therapists’ work is diverse. They adapt environments, activities or equipment to enhance participation in everyday tasks, assisting people of all ages and abilities to do what they need and want to do at home, work, school and in the community.

You will develop a range of clinical skills in the University’s state-of-the-art facilities and during your professional placement, preparing you for work in diverse health care environments.

As an occupational therapist you could for example develop inclusive playground experiences and environments for children of all abilities; you could recommend workplace changes that would assist an injured worker to return to work; or you could design home modifications or public transport changes that would ensure access for a person using a power wheelchair.

Indigenous Health

This major can be studied at Gold Coast and Coffs Harbour campuses and offers students the opportunity to build theoretical and practical capabilities in cultural protocols and Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Embedded placement opportunities equip graduates with the professional skills required to contribute to the improvement of health and social outcomes in Australian communities.

In order to meet the Australian occupational therapy competency standards this course is structured in accordance with professional body recommendations. All students complete studies in the following areas:

Professional Areas: occupational therapy theory and practice; occupational therapy assessments and interventions related to biomechanical, sensorimotor, psychosocial and cognitive performance, activities, engagement and participation at home, at school, at work and in the community; occupational transitions across the lifespan; evaluation of occupational therapy programs; health promotion; and professional experience/fieldwork.

Social Sciences: psychology and sociology for health sciences, Australian health care system, Indigenous studies, research methods, nutrition in health, and small business and entrepreneurship.

Biological Sciences: anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and neuroscience.

The Bachelor of Education qualifies you to be a teacher in Australia, and many countries overseas. Our evidence-based course draws on the Faculty of Education’s leadership and research in teacher education that is responsive to local and global contexts.
 
Graduates will be qualified as a teacher in one of the following five areas:

• Early Childhood/Primary (6 weeks to Year 6);
• Primary (Kindergarten/Prep to Year 6); English Primary Specialisation and specialisation in Science and Maths available
• Primary/Secondary (English Primary Specialisation and one Secondary specialisation);
• Secondary (Two teaching specialisations); or
• Secondary: Design and Technology (choose from Industrial Technology, or Food and Fibre, plus one Secondary specialisation).

The first year of the course provides a distinctive foundation with excellent grounding in literacy, numeracy, and subject content, as well as issues in contemporary education.
 
Within the four-year full-time equivalent degree (or 3.5 years fast tracked*), you also undertake core learning in Indigenous education, sustainability, inclusive (special) education, along with curriculum and pedagogy learning across disciplines.

Technology Secondary

In this specialisation you undertake Design and Technology secondary subjects and combine these with either Industrial Technology or Food and Fibre plus a second teaching area from a range of subjects.

The Bachelor of Community Welfare provides you with the theoretical and practical foundations for work in the human services sector. You will gain skills in case management, community development, counselling, social research, policy work, advocacy, and grief and loss counselling.

Particular emphasis is placed on social justice and human rights as the basis for community welfare practice. Core units focus on counselling, case management, mental health, human services, research, youth work, disability and development. We'll help harness your empathy and enhance your communication skills with a view to delivering great outcomes across community welfare practice. You will also gain on-the-job experience through extensive placements, working with individuals and organisations that share your commitment and are working to improve people's lives.

The Master of Naturopathic Medicine prepares students for entry into professional naturopathic medicine practice.

Naturopathic medicine practitioners are primary healthcare providers with the knowledge and skills to assess, plan, manage and prevent disease and dysfunction across the lifespan. Naturopathic medicine practice is underpinned by a patient-centred, holistic, integrated and evidence-based approach, with a focus on promoting health and wellbeing, avoiding harm, and addressing the underlying causes/risks of ill-health.

Graduates of the Master of Naturopathic Medicine will develop a clear scope of practice across diverse clinical settings, a strong focus on patient-centred care, a solid understanding of the role of naturopaths within healthcare teams and the contemporary healthcare landscape, knowledge and skills in clinical reasoning, critical thinking, research methods and evidence-based practice.

The Master of Naturopathic Medicine has two graduate-level entry points.

Students with an eligible degree in a health-related field who want to pursue a career in naturopathic medicine may apply for this degree. The total full-time duration of the Master of Naturopathic Medicine for these students is two years.