The School of Education and Tertiary Access is a vibrant hub of energetic, passionate and knowledgeable staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and doctoral candidates committed to quality studies in the discipline of Education.

The School has an established history in the region, extending from the north of Brisbane through the Sippy Downs campus to Gympie and further north to the new Fraser Coast campus. Many public and independent schools throughout this large region closely align to the University by providing mentoring for our pre-service teachers.

The School has a strong team of academic staff and a range of administrative and support staff who serve to enhance students’ course and program experience through provision of program management, student management, research training and school/centre liaison.

Programs

Education programs include four-year degrees in primary education, early childhood education, secondary education, double degrees in secondary education, end-on postgraduate education, a Master’s degree in education and an active PhD program.

School objectives include sustaining the University’s five-star ranking for learning and teaching, enhancing blended learning opportunities, increasing research capacity and research outputs in fields of education and in cross-disciplinary contexts and extending engagement with regional schools, throughout the Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay and Fraser Coast districts.

Tertiary access

Many people dream of going to university to explore a different career path but may not have had the opportunity to successfully complete high school. Or you've obtained an OP, then took advantage of a gap year that may have lasted 10-15 years.

Enrolling in one or more of our bridging and preparatory courses including Tertiary Preparation Pathway (TPP) and the Tertiary Support Program can help you take the next big step in your career.

USC's uni pathways and preparation program has built a strong reputation in supporting students to achieve their goals through learning and supporting students to improve their knowledge and skills.

Education research

The School of Education and Tertiary Access researches Education across a wide range of contexts (including home, early childhood, compulsory school years, senior secondary, higher education, professional education, community and adult learning).

We are committed to building a community of research scholars and generating new knowledge about the political, social, environmental, cultural, historical, philosophical and psychological ramifications of Education theory, policy, pedagogy and practice. The School hosts the Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre at USC and has seven broad research strengths.

Our shared vision is of a vibrant, energetic research community where staff and HDR students all contribute to the richness of the School of Education’s research culture.

Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre

The School hosts the new Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre at USC. The Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre (ITRC) proudly partners with Indigenous, migrant, refugee and culturally diverse communities to deliver impactful research nationally and internationally that seeks to improve the lives and wellbeing of First Nations and culturally diverse peoples in Australia and around the globe.

The ITRC explores three research themes:

• Building Knowledge Systems: Building recognition and engagement with Indigenous, Southern, Eastern and other knowledge systems
• Creative Cultural Practices: To revive, document and extend the languages, educational and social and creative cultural practices through transdisciplinary explorations of poetry, art, music, dance, and other creative forms
• Community Capacity Engagement: To exchange knowledge and to enhance communities’ aspirations, research and practical skills and capacities