Master of Education in Inclusive and Special Education

What you will study

To complete the Master of Education in Inclusive and Special Education, students must complete 96 credit points.

Part A. Orientation to education

You must complete the following units

• Interacting with research in education contexts (12 credit points)
• Investigating education issues in global contexts (12 credit points)

Part B. Expert studies in education

You must complete the following units

• Research project in inclusive education and applied behaviour analysis (12 credit points)
• Developing and evaluating positive behaviour support school programs and practices (12 credit points)
• Creating inclusive learning environments
• A systems approach to implementing inclusive education

Part C. Professional inquiry

You must complete the following units

• School leadership in inclusive education
• Using systems of support in literacy instruction and intervention

Pathway to graduate research (optional)

A pathway to graduate research (e.g. master's by research, PhD) is available if you achieve a weighted average mark of at least 75% in the units of this course.

If you are completing this pathway, you will need to make the following unit substitutions:

• Research approaches in education (12 credit points) to replace EDF5766 Shaping digital futures (12 credit points) (Part B)
• Research project in education (12 credit points) to replace 12 credit points of approved Level 5 units from selected Faculty of Education graduate coursework programs (Part C).

If you have already completed EDF5766, your Part B elective will be replaced with EDF5613 Research approaches in education (12 credit points).

Note: This pathway is not available at the point of entry; your eligibility to undertake this pathway will be checked before the beginning of EDF5613.

If you are commencing at entry level 1 or 2, you must take the required two units in the final semester of your studies. If you are commencing at entry level 3, you must transfer into the general education studies specialisation.

If you are completing this pathway, you must complete the following units.

• Research approaches in education (12 credit points)
• Research project in education (12 credit points)

Entry requirements

Entry level 1: Duration: Two years full-time, four years part-time (96 points to complete)

• An Australian bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with at least a credit (60%) average.

Entry level 2: Duration: 1.5 years full-time, three years part-time (72 points to complete)

• An Australian bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with at least a credit (60%) average and a minimum of two years of full-time equivalent relevant professional experience.
• An Australian bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Education or a related discipline, including but not limited to teaching, special education, STEM education or social justice, with at least a credit (60%) average.
• A four-year Australian bachelor's honours degree or an Australian graduate certificate or an Australian graduate diploma (or equivalent) with at least a credit (60%) average.
• An Australian master's degree (or equivalent) with at least a credit (60%) average.

Entry level 3: Duration: One year full-time, two years part-time (48 points to complete)

• An Australian bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Education or a related discipline, including but not limited to teaching, special education, STEM education or social justice, with at least a credit (60%) average and a minimum of two years of full-time equivalent relevant professional experience.
• A four-year Australian bachelor's honours degree or an Australian graduate certificate or an Australian graduate diploma (or equivalent) with at least a credit (60%) average and a minimum of two years of full-time equivalent relevant professional experience.
• A four-year Australian bachelor's honours degree or an Australian graduate certificate or an Australian graduate diploma (or equivalent) in Education or a related discipline, including but not limited to teaching, special education, STEM education or social justice, as relevant to the specialisation, with at least a credit (60%) average.
• An Australian master's degree (or equivalent) with at least a credit (60%) average and a minimum of two years of full-time equivalent relevant professional experience.
• An Australian master's degree (or equivalent) in Education or a related discipline, including but not limited to teaching, special education, STEM education or social justice, with at least a credit (60%) average.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Your previous studies can be credited towards your postgraduate studies, provided they meet the relevant course requirements.

If you receive an offer of enrolment and you’ve undertaken prior learning, you may be eligible to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning. The procedure is governed by the university's Recognition of Prior Learning policy. Contact the university for more details.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

• Demonstrate an understanding of an advanced body of knowledge that is contemporary and context-specific within an aligned professional practice and scholarship
• Interact with the significant theories and contemporary debates in the field through independent study and application of this interaction
• utilise your knowledge to critically evaluate and analyse research, literature and knowledge in the field and demonstrate this through independent judgement
• Communicate your understanding and awareness of contemporary debates through coherent, sustained and informed dissemination of knowledge, through academic writing for a particular audience, context and purpose
• Synthesise and apply knowledge to your own professional practice and research scholarship in education
• Demonstrate an understanding of theoretical methodologies within specific professional contexts
• Analyse and evaluate emerging research and professional practice through an alignment with contemporary and established research in the field
• Generate your own ideas on an abstract level, as they apply and interact with complex concepts and ideas in the field.

Fees and FEE-HELP

Estimated first-year tuition fee in 2026: $31,100 (domestic full-fee paying place).

All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of 48 credit points (normally eight units) per year.

A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:

• The number of units studied per term.
• The choice of major or specialisation.
• Choice of units.
• Credit from previous study or work experience.
• Eligibility for government-funded loans.

You may also need to pay the student services and amenities fee.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.