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

Course snapshot

Domestic snapshot

  • Start Date

    March, July

  • Duration

    0.5 years full-time; 1 year part-time

  • Location

    Online

  • Placement

    No  

  • Course abbreviation

    CertEd

  • Course code

    2004200

  • 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

    0.5 years full-time

  • Location

  • Placement

    No  

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

Overview

Do you have a passion for sharing knowledge with others and see yourself working in education? The Undergraduate Certificate in Education is an excellent place to start your journey.

This course provides you with foundational knowledge about why, what and how we educate, and introduces the foundations of the applied discipline of education.

The course has a focus on developing critical thinking, reflection and skills relating to the study of educational disciplines and it can be the first step on a pathway to an accredited teaching degree in early childhood, primary or secondary education.

Graduates of this course will be eligible for entry and up to four units of credit towards the Bachelor of Education (where applicants must also meet the course-specific entry requirements).

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

GA4: Knowledge of a discipline

demonstrate an understanding of foundational educational concepts, contexts and issues

GA5: Lifelong learning

demonstrate skills in personal, academic and disciplinary literacies

GA6: Communication and social skills

communication information, concepts and solutions, individually and/or in a team, with an awareness of diverse cultural perspectives within defined Education contexts.

Core unit:

  • Education and Philosophy: Playing with Thought

Elective units (Choose three from the following):

  • Science and Technology: All Things Matter
  • PDHPE: Mind, Body and Soul
  • HSIE: The Universe Next Door
  • Foundations of Mathematics and Numeracy: Numbers that Count
  • Foundations of English and Literacy: More than Words
  • Creativity and the Arts.

Location Teaching period
OnlineTerm  1, Term  3

Career Outcomes

This course provides you with foundational knowledge of the applied discipline of education, and, with further study, a career in early childhood, primary or secondary education. Graduates of this course will be eligible for entry and up to four units of credit towards the Bachelor of Education (where applicants must also meet the course-specific requirements).

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

Applicants for admission to candidature to the Undergraduate Certificate in Education must have an assessable entry qualification from a country where English is the main language and where the medium of instruction for that qualification was English, or have completed an International English Language Test (or comparable test scores*) with:

  • a minimum overall score of 5.5 and a minimum score of 5.0 in each subtest (or comparable test scores*), except for writing with a minimum score of 5.5

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
Overall6.0
Listeningminimum 5.5
Readingminimum 5.5
Speakingminimum 5.5
Writingminimum 5.5

Course requirements

To be eligible to receive the Undergraduate Certificate in Education, students must complete the equivalent of 4 units (48 credit points), comprising:

  • 1 core unit (12 credit points)
  • 3 elective units (36 credit points)

Other things to consider

As part of our commitment to admissions transparency, the University provides a snapshot of how students were admitted to their courses and the profile of students studying with us here.

There are different pathways into an undergraduate degree.

Whether you are returning to study after some time or you have just finished school and you need some extra academic preparation before embarking on a degree, Southern Cross University offers two excellent, fee-free academic preparation programs that develop the skills you need to be successful at university.

SCU College also offers a range of one-year Diplomas that provide extra academic support as you commence university. Diplomas are a great pathway to a degree and may also prepare you for diverse paraprofessional roles.

Learn more

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

The Early Offer program allows Year 12 students to secure a place in a Southern Cross University undergraduate degree before Year 12 results are released. It’s designed to remove some of the pressure from Year 12 and provide a pathway directly into university study that is not based solely on Year 12 results.

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

EDUC1003Education and Philosophy: Playing with Thought
Term1,3,5
12
LocationDomesticInternational
Coffs Harbour
Term1
Term1
Gold Coast
Term1,3,5
Term1,3,5
Lismore
Term1
Term1
Online
Term1,3,5
N/A
Option Unit
Unit CodeUnit TitleNotes
SCIN1006Science and Technology: All Things Matter
HLTH1002PDHPE: Mind, Body and Soul
CLST1002HSIE: The Universe Next Door
MATH1002Foundations of Mathematics and Numeracy: Numbers that Count
ENGL1005Foundations of English and Literacy: More than Words
CRTV1001Creativity and the Arts
Option Unit
Unit CodeUnit TitleNotes
SCIN1006Science and Technology: All Things Matter
HLTH1002PDHPE: Mind, Body and Soul
CLST1002HSIE: The Universe Next Door
MATH1002Foundations of Mathematics and Numeracy: Numbers that Count
ENGL1005Foundations of English and Literacy: More than Words
CRTV1001Creativity and the Arts
Option Unit
Unit CodeUnit TitleNotes
SCIN1006Science and Technology: All Things Matter
HLTH1002PDHPE: Mind, Body and Soul
CLST1002HSIE: The Universe Next Door
MATH1002Foundations of Mathematics and Numeracy: Numbers that Count
ENGL1005Foundations of English and Literacy: More than Words
CRTV1001Creativity and the Arts


Unit CodeUnit TitleNotes
EDUC1003Education and Philosophy: Playing with Thought
Choose three units from the following:
SCIN1006Science and Technology: All Things Matter
HLTH1002PDHPE: Mind, Body and Soul
CLST1002HSIE: The Universe Next Door
MATH1002Foundations of Mathematics and Numeracy: Numbers that Count
ENGL1005Foundations of English and Literacy: More than Words
CRTV1001Creativity and the Arts

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

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