Programmes and Admission Criteria

School of Education Cerfiticate Programmes

Certificate In

Program

Admission criteria

Basic Skills in Library/Information Studies
(five courses)

In-service DFL)

• Pass in Senate-recognized Form 6 or equivalent examination; or
• Mature student admission

Education (Primary)
(eight courses)

In-service (DFL)

• At least a three-year primary teaching experience as untrained teacher and a letter of recommendation from the respective head teacher. After completing 14 more courses at 200 and 300 levels, the certificate holders can obtain BEd Primary (In-service) degree.

Education (secondary)
(eight courses)

In-service (DFL)

• At least a three-year secondary teaching experience as untrained teacher and a letter of recommendation from the respective principal.

Note: After competing 6 more courses at 200 and 300 levels, the student can obtain a Diploma in secondary education.

Non-Formal Education
(five courses)

In-service (DFL)

• Pass in Senate-recognized Form 6 or equivalent examination; or
• At least a two-year teaching experience, or
• Mature student admission

Teaching of an Expressive Arts
(five courses)

In-service (DFL)

• At least a two-year teaching experience or approved experience as a non-formal educator, or
• Mature student admission

School of Education Diploma Programmes

Diploma In

Program

Admission criteria

Early Childhood Education
(eight courses)

In-service (DFL)

• Pass in Senate-recognized Form 6 or equivalent examination; or
• Obtained at least a B+ grade or better in ECE teachers’ Certificate and a ‘B’ or better in LLF11 or UU104, or
• Admission with standing.

Education (Secondary)
(14 including, eight done at the certificate level)

In-service DFL and F2F

• At least a three-year secondary school teaching experience as an untrained teacher and a letter of recommendation from the respective principal.

Note: After competing 8 more courses at the 300 level, the diploma holders can obtain BEd Secondary (In-service) degree.

Educational Evaluation
(eight courses)

In-service (DFL)

• At least a two-year teaching experience after obtaining a teaching certificate from a recognized teachers’ college, or
• Mature student admission

Educational Leadership and Change
(eight courses)

In-service (DFL)

• At least a two-year teaching experience after obtaining a teaching certificate from a recognized teachers’ college, or
• Mature student admission

Library/Information Studies
(10 courses)

In-service (DFL)

• Pass in Senate-recognized Form 7 or equivalent examination including English; or
• Met the mature student admission criteria which include at least three years experience in a library, and pass in LLF11 or equivalent; or
• Complete a L/IS Certificate in Basic Skills in Library/ Information Studies, and a pass in LLF11 or equivalent.

Special and Inclusive Education
(eight courses)

In-service (DFL)

• Teaching qualification from a recognized teachers’ college,
• At least two years of teaching experience, or
• Been selected on the basis of an interview.

School of Education Degree Programmes

Degree In

Program

Admission Criteria

BA/BSc GCEd
(27 courses)

Pre-service (F2F and DFL)

• Provide a character reference from the head or a senior teacher from their last school;
• Meet the mature student admission criteria; or
• Pass a senate-recognized Form 7 or equivalent examination.

For BSc GCEd - Pass a senate-recognized Form 7 or equivalent examination and in that examination have passed English and Maths plus two of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Technology.

BEd Early Childhood
(22 courses)

In-service

• Have at least three years’ teaching experience at early childhood or junior primary level after obtaining a Diploma in Early Childhood Education or equivalent from a recognized tertiary institution, and
• Letter of recommendation from head teacher or early childhood centre at which the applicant was most recently employed.

BEd Primary

In-service

• Completed requirements for certificate in Education Primary or
• Primary teacher training qualification and  least three years’  primary teaching experience; and
• Letter of recommendation from head teacher where employed.

BEd Secondary
(22 courses)

In-service

• Diploma in Education (Secondary);
• Have a Diploma in Education from a recognized teachers’ college in the region;
• In a senate-recognized Form 7 or equivalent examination have met the relevant BA, BAgr., BCom or BSc special requirements for their intended teaching subject major.

BEd Special and Inclusive Education
(22 courses)

In-service (DFL)

• Met the mature student admission criteria; or
• A USP Diploma in Special and Diverse Needs (or equivalent) or
• A teacher training qualification from a recognized Teachers’ Training Institution; and
• At least three years’ teaching experience; and
• A letter of recommendation from the head teacher of the school where the applicant was most recently employed.

School of Education Postgraduate Programmes

Award

Program

Admission Criteria

Postgraduate Certificate in Education
(9 courses)

Pre-service F2F & DFL

1. Hold a degree of the University of the South Pacific or its equivalent (other than a Bed or BA/GCEd or BSc/GCEd or their equivalents) in Agriculture or with specialization in two of the following teaching subjects: accounting, biology, chemistry, computing science, economics, food and textiles, geography, history, literature and language, Mathematics, Pacific vernacular languages, physics and technology; and
2. normally have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the 200-and 300-level courses of each of their teaching subjects; and
3. pass the student-teacher interview; and
4.  provide a character reference from a USP lecturer or the head, or a senior teacher of their last school.

Note: A  GPA below 2.5 but with a character reference and good interview may be admitted by the Dean of FAL

Grad Certificate Tertiary Teaching
(2 courses)

In-service (Online )

1. hold a university degree or equivalent; and
2. be currently engaged in a minimum of two hours tertiary teaching per week.

Postgraduate Diploma in Education
(4 courses)

In-service (Blended)

1. Obtained the degree of Bachelor of the University of the South Pacific with a GPA of at least 3.0 in the 200 and 300 level courses in the appropriate (Education) major, or
2. Obtained from some other tertiary institution a qualification deemed by Senate or its delegate to be equivalent to the requirements set out in (a) above; or
3. Obtained a professional qualification deemed by Senate to be equivalent to the requirements set out in (a) above; or
4. Met the mature student admission criteria.

Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Leadership)
(4 courses)

In-Service (Blended)

As per Postgraduate Diploma in Education. However, the four courses in it include ED491, ED492, ED493 and ED459.

Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Tertiary Teaching)
(4 courses)

Online (Moodle platform)

To be admitted in a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Tertiary Teaching), a person must complete the GCTT or equivalent.

Master of Education
(Option 1 PGDE + 2 courses +SRP)
(Option 2 PGDE + 4 courses)

In-Service (Blended)

1. Obtained the degree of Bachelor of the University of the South Pacific with a GPA of at least 3.5 in the 200 and 300 level courses in the appropriate (Education) major or;
2. obtained an appropriate Postgraduate Diploma of the University of the South Pacific with a GPA of at least 3.0 in the 200 and 300 level courses in the appropriate major; or
3. a tertiary qualification deemed by Senate or its delegate to be equivalent to the qualifications above.

The MEd degree program consists of two postgraduate courses plus a Supervised Research Project or four postgraduate courses for (MEd by coursework).

MA in Education
(PGDE + thesis)

Enrolment requirements for entry into the Masters program are:

1. obtained the degree of Bachelor of the University of the South Pacific with a GPA of at least 3.5 in the 200 and 300 level courses in the appropriate (Education) major or;
2. obtained an appropriate Postgraduate Diploma of the University of the South Pacific with a GPA of at least 3.0 in the 200 and 300 level courses in the appropriate (Education) major; or
3. a tertiary qualification deemed by Senate or its delegate to be equivalent to the qualifications above.

PhD

Persons with a Masters or Bachelor of First Class Honours are eligible to apply.  Senate or its delegate may approve a student’s application to transfer their registration to a Phd degree after a minimum period of one year’s work on the Master’s thesis has submitted documents indicating:

1. how the original Master’s thesis proposal would be ungraded to PhD level;
2. the work completed to date for the Master’s thesis; and
3. how the work done to date would support the proposed transfer.