Bachelor of Education (Primary) (Honours)

Become a distinctive educator

Female teacher discussing STEM: Mathematics during class.

Learn from world-class practitioners and become a professionally accredited teacher to transform the lives of primary school children.

Faculty

Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture

Delivery Mode

Distance (online with some face-to-face), Face-to-face (includes blended), Online

Award

Bachelor of Education (Primary) (Honours)

Commencing Terms

Term 1

Duration (Full Time)

4 years

Overview

Want to make an impact in a changing world? Uncover the tools and expertise to shape the future of education.

A UNSW Bachelor of Education (Primary) (Honours) degree, developed in partnership with the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA), provides foundational knowledge in teacher education applying the latest research into evidence-based practice – with the opportunity to specialise in English and mathematics.

Taught by practising teachers with significant real-world experience, you’ll learn how to critically think about education and prepare for leadership roles in education.

And with hands-on, authentic classroom experience from year 1, you’ll learn how to transform children’s lives through innovative professional practice that evolves with the times.

Key features

Hands-on classroom experience

Benefit from our practice-oriented education, with learning in schools from your first term. You’ll undertake 80 days of Professional Experience in a school and be ready to teach whole-class lessons by your third year of study.

Flexible study options

Fit your study around your life. We offer a number of flexible delivery modes including face-to-face, online and hybrid to allow diverse communities far and wide to access the degree. You may also be able to study part-time.

Specialise your skills

Set yourself apart and follow your passion through the program’s embedded honours. Apply your knowledge and skills to a specialist area of education and fast-track your career success.

Professional Accreditation

This program has been developed in close partnership with the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). That means you’ll graduate with the professional accreditation required to teach in government and non-government primary schools in Australia and overseas.

Why study this degree at UNSW?

Study at a school benchmarked with the highest global rating for education research (ARC, Excellence in Research for Australia) – UNSW is the only university in NSW that has achieved 5 in the most recent ERA in the fields of education
Prioritise career success – UNSW won the Australian Financial Review’s Most Employable Students Award in 2023
Gain accreditation with the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)
Join our internationally acclaimed research team to explore new theories, ideas and knowledge to advance teaching practices and policies across the globe
Benefit from strong industry partnerships and world-class alumni connections
Be supported by our diverse, open and inclusive Arts, Design & Architecture community
Join a community that’s part of the prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) universities
Join a global Top 20 university (QS World University Rankings, 2024)

Program Code

4071

CRICOS Code

113669D

Campus

Kensington

UAC Code

422160

Total Units of Credit (UOC)

192

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Entry requirements

The Bachelor of Education (Primary) (Honours) will launch in Term 1 2024 for domestic applicants and therefore, no prior Admissions information is available.

Assumed knowledge

A minimum of three Band 5 HSC results (including one in English), and a Mathematics Band 4 HSC result.

Please note, this program is structured to include Foundational English and Foundational Mathematics courses in the first year to allow applicants to meet the three Band 5 and Mathematics Band 4 NESA requirements.

Adjustment Factors

We offer a range of adjustment factor schemes that reward students for academic performance and extra-curricular achievements. These schemes also take into account a range of personal and educational disadvantages that may have affected your studies.

HSC Plus
This scheme rewards students who perform well in Year 12 subjects that are relevant to their preferred UNSW degree. You may be awarded up to five points.

Elite Athletes, Performers and Leaders (EAPL)
This program recognises achievements in the areas of sport, academia, leadership and music at an elite level. You may be eligible for up to five points.

Educational Access Scheme (EAS)
Factors such as illness, financial hardship, language difficulties or attending a particular school can mean you don't always get the best possible marks in Years 11 and 12. If one of these situations applies to you, submit an application for the Educational Access Scheme (EAS) via UAC. Eligible students can receive between 1 and 10 points towards their chosen UNSW degree.

Admission pathways

Your ATAR is not the only measure of your potential to succeed, which is why we offer a range of pathways into university. Explore your options below and get in touch with our future student advisors to discuss your path to UNSW.

Gateway Admission Pathway
This scheme is open to students in Years 11 and 12 who attend Gateway schools. It significantly adjusts the ATAR requirements for your preferred UNSW degree and provides you with an early conditional offer to UNSW.

Entry programs for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
We offer entry programs for Indigenous Australians, including the Indigenous Preparatory Programs and the Indigenous Admission Scheme (IAS). The entry pathway program you apply for will depend on the degree you want to study.

^{Please note: Due to a publication error, a print version of the UNSW 2024 Domestic Undergraduate Guide incorrectly listed the Bachelor of Education (Primary) (Honours) as included in the Portfolio Entry Early Conditional Offer Scheme. This is not an eligible degree within the Portfolio Entry Early Conditional Offer Scheme for 2024 entry.}

English language requirements

You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.

If you’re completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.

If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:

If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College’s Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.

International direct entry

I studied in:

We do not accept secondary qualifications from this country. We may accept tertiary study results, please contact us for more information.

Please contact us for direct entry requirements.

Admission pathways

If you do not meet the requirements for direct entry into your chosen degree, you may be eligible for a pathway program with UNSW College. UNSW College provides alternative entry options using university-approved content so that you can start your UNSW journey with confidence. 

English language requirements

You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on whether you are from an English-speaking background or non-English speaking background. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.

If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide proof of your English proficiency before you can be given an offer to study at UNSW. You can do this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:

Check the specific English language requirements for this program

Select from the options below

Which applies to you?

What will I study?

The Bachelor of Education (Primary) (Honours) is a four-year equivalent primary teacher degree that can be completed in four years full-time. While the program, consisting of 192 UOC, is fixed, part-time study is possible. The program is also offered in flexible delivery modes including face-to-face, online and hybrid to allow diverse communities far and wide to access the degree.

The program supports students to meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at graduate level. Academic lecturers and local teachers with experience in primary education work together to provide core education courses and discipline-specific curriculum and pedagogy with six key learning areas of the primary curriculum:

English
Mathematics
Science and Technology
History and Geography
Creative Arts
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

The program also includes embedded honours. This allows you to extend your interest in a specialist area of education (eg. English, Mathematics, or in an alternative area of interest within primary education) by undertaking a self-directed minor thesis, supported by a supervising academic. The honours thesis must demonstrate synthesis and application of knowledge and skills developed in coursework components of their program either in English or Mathematics, which supports a teaching specialisation, or in an alternate area of interest.

Majors

Go to the handbook

Careers in Education

Becoming a teacher is an opportunity to shape the next generation through education, working either in the classroom or behind the scenes.

This program also offers a pathway into research in teacher education, consultancy, education policy and education more broadly.

Potential careers

Primary school teacher
Principal
Education consultant
Education policy
Education research

Accreditation

This program is accredited by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), qualifying you to teach in both government and non-government primary schools in all states of Australia and overseas.

How to apply

Applications for undergraduate study from domestic students (Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, Australian permanent humanitarian visa holders and New Zealand citizens) are processed by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

Visit the Apply section of the UAC website and you can nominate up to five degrees in order of preference, with the first being your most desired degree and university.

On-time applications for admission usually close at the end of September each year for Term 1 admission. Late applications can be submitted, but a late fee will apply. For study starting in Term 1, the majority of offers are made in December and January. Visit the UAC website for key dates for admission outside of Term 1.

Ready to start your application?

Apply now

For most international students, applications are submitted via our Apply Online service. We encourage you to submit your completed application as early as possible to ensure it will be processed in time for your preferred term.

Some high-demand programs with limited places, may have an earlier application deadline or may have an earlier commencement date. For more information visit our international applicant information page.

Ready to start your application?

Apply now

Fees & Scholarships

2023 Indicative First Year Full Fee

$4,125*

2023 Indicative Full Fee to Complete Degree

$17,085*

Commonwealth Supported Place: Student Contribution Band 1

*The student contribution for a Commonwealth Supported Place is an indication only of the amount payable in Year 1 based on a standard full-time load of 48 credit points (1.0 EFTSL). The actual student contribution you will be liable for depends on your individual program of study and the calendar year in which you enrol. Actual fees are calculated upon enrolment. Student contribution amounts are subject to annual review by the university and may increase each year during your studies (subject to caps determined by the Australian Government), effective at the start of each calendar year.

The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only - other fees and charges are not included.

All places within the Bachelor of Education (Primary) degree are Commonwealth supported. This means that if you receive an offer from UNSW Sydney as a domestic student, you will have a substantial proportion of your fees subsidised by the Australian government. Start your application today with our guide on how to apply.

2023 Indicative First Year Fee

$41,040*

2023 Indicative Fee to Complete Degree

$171,695*

*Fees are subject to annual review by the University and may increase annually, with the new fees effective from the start of each calendar year. The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only other fees and charges are not included. The amount you pay will vary depending on the calendar year to enrol, the courses you select and whether your study load is more or less than 1 Equivalent Full Time Student Load (8 courses per year).

Indicative fees are a guide for comparison only based on current conditions and available data. You should not rely on indicative fees. More information on fees can be found at the UNSW fees website.

Indicative fees to complete the program have been calculated based on a percentage increase for every year of the program. Fee increases are assessed annually and may exceed the indicative figures listed here.

Indicative fees to complete the program include tuition plus an estimate of study-related costs of approximately $1,000 per year. To find out more about other costs, visit UNSW International.

Scholarships

At UNSW, we award over $83 million in scholarships each year. We pride ourselves on rewarding excellence and making university accessible to students from all walks of life. Whether you’re a domestic or international student, our range of scholarships, prizes and awards can support your journey.