Diploma in Education (Secondary)

Admission Requirements:

• Persons are eligible to be admitted to study for the Diploma in Education (Secondary) if they have:
1. passed a Senate-recognised Form 7 examination or equivalent or
2. admission with standing.

Programme Requirements:

• The Diploma in Education (Secondary) consists of 14 courses (including eight courses and two weeks practicum experience previously completed for the Certificate in Education).

Courses:

1. ED152 (Issues In Adolescence) - This course is designed to encourage a better understanding of human development, by adopting a perspective that covers the period of adolescence. It will compare various theories of adolescence (e.g., Erik Erikson), as well as discuss the contemporary issues that are experienced by adolescents in the South Pacific. An introduction to research methods is also introduced.


2. UU114 (English For Academic Purposes) - By the end of this course students will be expected to have achieved a proficiency in academic writing, reading and speaking sufficient to support their language needs in courses in the humanities, social science or sciences and in future professional tasks.


3. plus one of;
• ED153 (School & Society) - The principal aim of this course is to establish a foundation for subsequent education courses by introducing students to a wider understanding of education and schooling and the issues relating to it in the societies in which we live. In the Pacific, schooling as a form of education has had a great impact on the lives of the people, thus the focus of the course on school and society.
• ED154 (Principles of Assessing Student Performance) - This is an introductory in-service course for Primary or Secondary school teachers in assessment.
• ED158 (Intro To Non-Formal Education) - This course enables students to develop an ideological base for non-formal education practices.
• ED191 (Education Decision - Making and Problem - Solving) - This introductory course in educational leadership and change examines decisionmaking and problem solving at system-level and school-level in developing countries.
• ED192 (Educational Project Planning) - This introductory course in educational planning examines the formulation, appraisal, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of educational projects.
• PS101 (Introduction To Psychology) - This course introduces students to the science of behaviour - what people do and why. It also looks at major approaches within the discipline of psychology ranging from how we perceive our surroundings and persons within it, to how we learn to think, feel and act.


4. plus one of;
• ED182 (Integrated Arts) - This course takes an integrated view of the role and relevance of the arts in relation to both schooling and culture generally. The arts represent society`s most profound and acute insights, as well as a sure way to empathy and emotional understanding.
• ED183 (Swimming And Aquatic Safety) - This course promotes safe participation in water activities through education. It covers swimming strokes, basic water safety skills,peer teaching and CPR.
• ED184 (Physical Education and Leisure Education I) - This course seeks to integrate components of physical education, games teaching, outdoor and leisure education. It offers practical activities and draws theoretical insights from teaching games for understanding, pedagogy, and outdoor education.
• ED186 (Music) - This course is intended for students with some musical background including satisfactory command of at least one instrument and good voice control.


5. plus four courses at 100-level for the intended teaching subject major from those listed for the Bachelor of Education (Secondary);


9. ED250 (Curriculum Studies I) - Intending agriculture teachers should take AG250 instead. This course overtly promotes reflective, constructivist pedagogies. During weekly workshops, both lecturers and students strive to demonstrate , as far as is practicably possible, how these two philosophies can serve as excellent foundation for classroom practice.


10. ED252 (Educational Psychology and the Teaching - Learning Process) - This course aims to provide a framework within which teachers, or those intending to be teachers, can identify the contribution of educational psychology to an understanding of how children learn, and formulate a theoretical base from which effective teaching practices can be designed, implemented and evaluated.


11. plus one of;
• ED254 (Evaluation In Schools) - This course is meant for both trained and untrained in-service primary or secondary practitioner teachers. In this course students will be provided opportunities for developing teachers` own practice-based theories and models of teaching and evaluation.
• ED255 (Introduction To Curriculum Development) - This course aims to introduce students to curriculum theory and practice and to develop an awareness and understanding of the process of curriculum development, with specific reference to the South Pacific region.
• ED258 (Adult Learning) - This course builds on the principles and conceptual understanding for non-formal education development in ED158 and further fosters relevant knowledge and understanding among non-formal educators of the psychology of adult learning, the principles of group dynamics and techniques of teaching adults.
• ED291 (School Organisation & Management) - This course deals with the nature of school administration, organising the work of staff, instructional leadership, management, the school and the community, and accountability and responsiveness.
• ED292 (Educational Planning and Development) - This course builds on concepts learned and skills developed in ED192. It deals with planning processes at the school, local, district and national levels and with the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies for introducing educational change appropriate for developing societies.
• PS211 (Introduction to Counselling and Counselling Skills) - This course introduces concepts and skills basic to counselling via a consideration of relevant theoretical, philosophical and practical aspects.


12. plus three courses at 200-level or above for the intended teaching subject major from those listed for the Bachelor of Education (Secondary)


15. plus two weeks practicum experience.

Note: Please click on the course codes to access detailed information about the course from the USP database.