This degree is closed to new applications. You may be interested in other courses in Geography
Graduate Certificate in Geography Teaching
PostgraduateCUR-GYT-GCE2024
Course information for 2024 intake
Inspire your own students to wonder about the world
With no prior geography knowledge required you'll explore the environmental, social and economic aspects of human activity. Upskill to teach about climate change, cultural diversity, indigenous perspectives and the need for sustainable development.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 6 months full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 4
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
Graduate Certificate in Geography Teaching
About this degree
On completion of the degree students will be able to:
- apply interdisciplinary concepts and methods to understanding the environmental, social and economic aspects of development. Extend the boundaries of knowledge and understanding about the environment in the context of a politics of scale. Understand the approaches most appropriate to the teaching of geography
- think critically, creatively and reflectively to generate innovative solutions to environmental imperatives and apply the most appropriate approaches to the teaching of geography
- access, evaluate and synthesise information from various sources and integrate it for understanding environmental concerns and the most relevant teaching methods
- communicate effectively through a variety of written, oral and other formats to diverse audiences in ways appropriate to the teaching of geography to children
- use of current technologies when applied to finding information and making decisions
- utilise lifelong learning skills and strategies for understanding geography and its impact on human activities and the ecology, use current teaching knowledge and skills to enhance the teaching of geography
- describe the global context of environmental issues, such as climate change and the need for a change to sustainable development, explore best international practices for finding solutions, apply these concepts within a regional/local context
- recognise the importance of cultural diversity, including indigenous perspectives, in understanding and responding to environmental and social imperatives
- work independently to find effective policies and ethical solutions to geographical issues, apply knowledge and skills gained for teacher preparation and/or classroom practice to improve the teaching of geography.
The National Curriculum requires all primary and lower secondary school teachers to teach Geography. This degree is designed to provide up skilling of teachers in the discipline of Geography to enable them to meet the demands of the National Curriculum. It requires no prior knowledge of Geography. The Graduate Certificate will be targeted at a national audience.
Recommended study pattern
Complete 4 out of the following 5 subjects below:
- GPH510 Human Geography
- GPH512 Physical Geography
- GPH513 Global Cities and Regions
- GPH514 Geographies of Food Security
- EDU575 Curriculum and Instruction - Social Sciences (Upper Secondary)
Students should speak to the Teachers Registration Board relevant to the state they wish to teach in, for further advice (State-based Teacher Registration Bodies).
Award requirements
Successful completion of 4 subjects.
Students should speak to the Teachers Registration Board relevant to the state they wish to teach in, for further advice (State-based Teacher Registration Bodies).
Choose your subjects
Majors
There are four Open Subjects in this degree. Students can study any or all of the four discipline-specific subjects as open subjects. However, should student wishes to complete the ‘Graduate Certificate in Geography Teaching’, the student MUST submit an Application Form and ensure that entry requirements are met. Please note that students who complete the four open GPH subjects cannot be awarded the ‘Graduate Certificate in Geography Teaching’ unless entry requirements have been satisfied.
Students who do not satisfy all the degree eligibility requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Geography Teaching can apply for the‘Graduate Certificate in Geography’. Entry requirements for this Graduate Certificate will include an undergraduate degree but not specific to Teaching.
Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.
This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.
Transition arrangements are changes that occur when courses are updated or phased out. This happens regularly as part of continuous improvement. It may affect you if you are currently enrolled in this course, or if you plan to use credit from previous study towards it.
This program has been withdrawn. Final intake was SP4 2023.
EDU575 Curriculum and Instruction- Social Sciences (Upper Secondary) has been retired. Any students who will still need to complete EDU575 will be able to take MTS508 Curriculum and Instruction Lower Secondary: Humanities and Social Science as a substitute. The GPH subjects within this will continue to be delivered at OUA as a similar program, the Graduate Certificate in Geography, is still offered.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative total fee $11,933
The amount shown here is indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
Start your career with Curtin’s globally recognised courses and extensive industry connections. Through OUA, their online courses offer an interactive and collaborative learning experience that gets you the same degree as if you studied on campus. Curtin is a global university with a vibrant culture of innovation and collaboration and is ranked in the top one per cent of universities worldwide.
Learn more about Curtin University.
Explore Curtin courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 13
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 14
Entry requirements
There are four open enrolment subjects in this degree. However, students who wish to be awarded with the ‘Graduate Certificate in Geography Teaching’ MUST apply. Please refer to the Degree Structure Details section below for more information.
Applicants must possess a teaching qualification, normally a Bachelor of Education, Master of Teaching or a Graduate Diploma of Education (or equivalent).
Applicants need to meet Curtin’s English Language requirement as all degrees are taught in English.
If your education degrees were not solely in English, as per the International Handbook of Universities or the World Higher Education database please attach a scanned original copy of English Proficiency Test results. Admission requires an overall International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) (or equivalent test) score of at least 6.5 and competence in all test components (IELTS score of 6.0).
Please refer to the 'Minimum English Entry Requirements' document at: https://study.curtin.edu.au/applying/english-language-requirements/.
Applicants are required to meet University academic and English language entry standards; details are provided at: https://study.curtin.edu.au/applying/english-language-requirements/accepted-english-proficiency-tests/
*** Please Note: If any academic or legal document is not in English, you must provide a colour scan of the non-English documents, including a colour scan of the official English translations of these documents. This is for comparison purposes. ***
Credit for Recognised Learning (CRL) is assessed on individual merit and is awarded for different types of learning, for example, studies you have previously completed or for relevant work experience.
Students must be admitted in an award degree of study before lodging their completed CRL application, along with all required supporting documentation for a formal assessment.
To apply for CRL, please visit the Curtin University website: https://study.curtin.edu.au/credit/
It is important to note accepted documentation includes scans of the original Transcripts and/or Award Certificate; front and back; in colour; and original size. For further information see the scanned documents and certification requirements and guidelines.
More information about the policies and procedures related to CRL assessment and appealing a CRL assessment outcome can be found in the Credit for Recognised Learning Policy (PDF).
Career opportunities
Australian Council for Educational Research statistics show that Geography is ranked first for teachers teaching “out of field” in secondary schools. The Graduate Certificate in Geography Teaching is considered an advanced preparation for teaching geography in a secondary setting. It is therefore an advantage when seeking employment in a high school setting. Adding the Graduate Certificate in Geography Teaching to your education qualifications will allow you to keep apace of a rapidly evolving educational landscape.
Professional recognition
Articulation with other award programs is decided on a case-by-case basis.
Below is link to the list of state-based teacher registration bodies for reference.
State-based Teacher Registration Bodies (PDF, 30Kb)
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
| Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teachers | $93K to $120K | Up 2.7% |
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