An education graduate stands in front of a building , she is smiling at he camera

Course snapshot

Domestic snapshot

  • Start Date

    January, March, April, July, August, October

  • Duration

    1 year part-time

  • Location

    SCU Online

  • Placement

    No  

  • Course abbreviation

    GradCertEd

  • Course code

    1008252

  • Credit points

    48

  • Equivalent units

    4

  • Scholarships

  • Indicative fee

Please note, some locations may not have all intake periods available. See the full availability details for further information.

International snapshot

  • Start Date

  • Duration

    1 year part-time

  • Location

  • Placement

    No  

Please note, some locations may not have all intake periods available. See the full availability details for further information.

Overview

There is growing demand for educators who have enhanced knowledge in specialist areas of education, as well as for skilled managers and leaders across the education sector. The Graduate Certificate in Education is a course for education professionals looking to progress their careers by moving into more senior roles.

The course focuses on leadership and contemporary educational contexts, leadership in professional learning and educational investigation.

This flexible course is designed to fit seamlessly around work, family, and other priorities. It’s 100 per cent online, and students can complete the seven-week units one at a time from the comfort of their home – or anywhere with an internet connection.

This course is also an ideal pathway to further postgraduate study in the Master of Education.

Jack Fiedler, Education graduate and primary school teacher stands in a park in front of a picnic table that has kids backpacks on it

“I feel fortunate to be their teacher. They are at an age when their personalities are really emerging. They have such humour and curiosity. You can have a joke with them, yet at the same time they are serious about wanting to learn. They are respectful too. We respect each other.”

The Southern Cross Model is a game-changer in higher education study.

Our students now engage in shorter, six-week unit structures designed around immersive and interactive learning experiences. The shorter unit structure gives students a greater sense of momentum as they achieve milestones quickly, resulting in increased student success rates, and course and teacher satisfaction. Lectures are a thing of the past - students will be engaged in active, interactive and discussion-based learning.

On-campus students experience a variety of teaching approaches including lectures, tutorials, online activities and video-linked or podcast virtual classes.

Our online study option is highly interactive and may include a combination of podcast or video-linked lectures, electronic study materials, workshops, online discussion forums and virtual classes.

The method of teaching and assessment may vary from unit to unit.

Learn more

Course Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a course. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes (GA).

Course Learning Outcome

GA1: Intellectual rigour

Critically analyse, synthesize and evaluate educational contexts, concepts and theories to arrive at a conclusion, and justify that decision. Apply knowledge of evaluation and research principles and methods to analyse issues and solve problems in educational contexts.

GA2: Creativity

Demonstrate initiative by identifying innovative and creative responses to emerging educational challenges. Conceive preferable educational futures, and propose inventive ways to achieve them.

GA3: Ethical practice

Critically evaluate the implications of challenging ethical issues in education at the interpersonal, organisational, and governance levels. Demonstrate a commitment to social justice, human rights, ethics and sustainability in professional practice, scholarship, and research.

GA4: Knowledge of a discipline

Demonstrate advanced and integrated theoretical and practical understanding of a specialised area of education with a global perspective. Locate, evaluate, and implement theory to generate reliable data, making defensible evidence-based professional and organisational decisions about complex educational problems.

GA5: Lifelong learning

Reflect on current skills, knowledge and attitudes to plan and implement ongoing personal and professional learning. Critically reflect on demonstrating professional discernment, autonomy, resilience, responsibility and accountability when responding to change.

GA6: Communication and social skills

Demonstrate advanced oral and written communication skills in both academic and professional settings. Demonstrate responsive leadership and the capacity to facilitate collaboration between a diverse range of individuals and teams.

GA7: Cultural competence

Demonstrate a commitment to education founded on respect for the rights or all persons. Critically reflect on how a global perspective of educational practice can encourage inclusivity and cultural competence.

Location Teaching period
SCU OnlineSummer Term, Term  1, Term  2, Term  3, Term  4, Term  5

Career Outcomes

The Graduate Certificate in Education is a course for education professionals looking to progress their careers in a more focused area within their current environment or who wish to move into a leadership or management role.

Requirements

We encourage you to apply for the courses you most want to study. If you are not eligible to enter your chosen course right now, our team will work with you to find the best pathway option.

Before applying, make sure you double check all entry requirements, gather required documentation and review the University’s Rules Relating to Awards, noting any specifics listed below.

Entry requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this course is:
  • a four year Bachelor degree in Education from any Australian University, or equivalent, or
  • an undergraduate degree and a fourth-year level teaching qualification from any Australian university, or equivalent, or
  • a three year Bachelor degree in Teaching from any Australian University, or equivalent.

Language requirements

English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this course are as follows

CategoryScore
Overall Score or equivalent7.5

Course requirements

To be eligible to receive the Graduate Certificate of Education students must complete the equivalent of 4
units (48 credit points), comprising 4 core units.

Other things to consider

Credit for Prior Learning, also referred to as ‘Advanced Standing’ or Recognition for Prior Learning (RPL), is the process of looking at your prior study and/or experience to assess if you can be awarded academic credit or gain entry to a course on the basis of your existing knowledge and skills.

Learn more


Course structure

Your course progression is in the recommended order you should complete your course in. It is important that you follow this to ensure you meet the course requirements. For further assistance see How to Enrol in Units using My Enrolment.

Students should use course progression information to select units specific to their course and enrol in these units using My Enrolment.

Current Students should select their units by checking the Handbook for the year of their enrolment as these may be different.

View Student Handbook

Unit CodeUnit TitleAvailableCredit pointsNotes

Complete the following units to satisfy the Requirements of the Award

EDUC6005Contemporary Educational Contexts
Term2
12
LocationDomesticInternational
SCU Online
Term2
Term2
EDUC5005Leading Professional Learning
Term3
12
LocationDomesticInternational
SCU Online
Term3
Term3
EDUC6007Educational Investigation
Summer Term
Term4
12
LocationDomesticInternational
SCU Online
Summer Term
Term4
Summer Term
Term4
EDUC6004Contemporary Educational Leadership
Term1,5
12
LocationDomesticInternational
SCU Online
Term1,5
Term1,5


Unit CodeUnit TitleNotes
EDUC6005Contemporary Educational Contexts
EDUC6004Contemporary Educational Leadership
EDUC5005Leading Professional Learning
EDUC6007Educational Investigation

Why Education at SCU

5-star rating

5-star rating for postgraduate overall experience, student support, skills development and teaching quality in Education and Training

(GUG 2023)

Higher starting salary

Graduates have a higher starting salary than national average in Teacher Education

(Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017-2019)

Graduate employment

90% of graduates employed within four months of completing their course

(Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017-2019)

Fees and Scholarships

Domestic students

You are a domestic student if you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, New Zealand citizen, or Australian humanitarian visa holder. Your course will either be a Commonwealth Supported Place or a full fee-paying place. This is noted in the course snapshot.

Commonwealth Supported Places:

In a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), the Government pays some of your fees and you pay the rest as the Student Contribution Amount (SCA).

SCA is calculated per unit, not per course. Eligible students can defer the SCA through a HECS-HELP loan.

Full Fee-Paying Places:

A full fee-paying place is where you pay the full (unsubsidised) tuition fee for your course. Eligible students can defer the payment of their tuition fees through the FEE-HELP scheme (including employer-reserved places for The Hotel School courses).

Also known as SSAF, the Student Services and Amenities Fee is a compulsory fee for most students used to provide important services and amenities to students both on and off campus. It’s charged per unit, based on the unit’s credit point value. Eligible domestic students have the option of deferring this fee through the SA-HELP loan scheme. More about SSAF

Depending on your course, your costs could also include computer equipment and software, books, stationery, field trips, uniforms or other course-specific expenses such as art materials, musical equipment or travel for practicums, internships, vaccinations or industry experience.

Scholarships vary in amount, from a few hundred to several thousand dollars each year. Eligibility isn't limited to top-performing students or those facing financial challenges; there are opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds and with different accomplishments. This ensures that education remains accessible to all, changing lives and helping individuals achieve their goals for a brighter future.

More about scholarships

Further fee information

Fees and Scholarships

International Students

If you're an international student, you can find the annual course cost in Australian dollars (AUD$) on our International Courses and Fees page or on the web page for your course under fees.

Also known as SSAF, the Student Services and Amenities Fee is a compulsory fee for most students used to provide important services and amenities to students both on and off campus. It’s charged per unit, based on the unit’s credit point value. Eligible domestic students have the option of deferring this fee through the SA-HELP loan scheme. More about SSAF

Depending on your course, your costs could also include computer equipment and software, books, stationery, field trips, uniforms or other course-specific expenses such as art materials, musical equipment or travel for practicums, internships, vaccinations or industry experience.

Southern Cross University offers a range of scholarships designed to support you while you study, available for a variety of backgrounds and achievements. Scholarships range from a few hundred dollars a year to several thousand dollars a year. Southern Cross has also introduced Access25, a new initiative for 2025 to deliver a quality education combined with a straightforward tuition model, ensuring every international student has equal access.

More about scholarships

Further fee information

Apply now

Preparing to apply

  1. Check requirements
  2. Get supporting documents ready
  3. Choose where and when from the available options

Click the Apply button to start your application in our Application Portal.

Choose where you want to study

SCU Online

Dates for the diary

Our shorter, more focused six-week unit structure gives students a greater sense of momentum and motivation as they achieve milestones quickly. Application dates per Term are shown on each course page however refer to our key dates and teaching calendar for detail on when enrolment opens, studies commence and when grades are published. There are also Dual Term and Tri Term calendars for those who have specific subjects.

See key dates

Credit Transfer

Get a head start on your degree. Find out if you’re eligible for credit from previous studies.

Go to credit assessor

Entry Pathway

We believe in equal access to further education, so we offer a range of pathways to university.

Find a pathway