Graduate Diploma of Education (Professional Development Studies) (GradDipEd[PDS])


General information

Gippsland campus (distance education)
Course code: 1736 (formerly EGPDDG)
Contact: Associate Professor Tony Taylor (please telephone (03) 51 22 6969 or (03) 9902 6969 for initial inquiries)

Introduction to course

The Graduate Diploma of Education (PDS) is a flexible program offered to allow professional educators to upgrade their qualifications.

Objectives

The objectives of the Graduate Diploma of Education (Professional Development Studies) course are to provide students with:

1 subject skill enhancement whereby a student may, by completing subjects in a certain discipline, improve, enhance and update his/her disciplinary skills;
2 the addition of another discipline whereby a student may add the equivalent of a teaching sub-major by studying four subjects in a new discipline;
3 improvement of management skills whereby a student may, by taking a combination of business management and educational management subjects, improve his/her workplace management skills;
4 improvement of teaching and communication skills whereby a student may, by taking a mixture of Education and other subjects, improve his/her teaching and communication skills;
5 improvement of research skills whereby a student may improve his/her research skills by taking research-based subjects.

Admission requirements

Admission to this course will be open to applicants who possess a degree or diploma and who are qualified educators or who have suitably acceptable experience in a related field.

Credit provision

Applicants contemplating admission to this course may seek formal credit or recognition of prior learning. Applicants should apply for credit prior to enrolment but currently enrolled students may also apply. The Faculty of Education considers each application on its merits within the context of the faculty guidelines on credit transfer which are contained in a booklet Learning from experience available from the Professional Development Institute, Faculty of Education, Monash University, Gippsland campus, Churchill 3842 ($7 postage and packing).

Course structure

The qualifications are designed to be very flexible and will permit a wide range of studies and activities in professional development to be drawn together including credit for non-award programs, workplace research, formal subjects of study, supervised independent study and so on, as part of a 'recognition of prior learning' program.
There are three recommended pathways through this program:

All subject choices will be contingent upon prerequisites which are stated in the various faculty handbooks.
It should be noted that professional development pathways may be contracted by educators in industry or professionals other than school teachers.

Length of course/workload required

The graduate diploma course is equivalent to forty-eight credit points of study and is normally completed over two years part-time by distance education. Study modes will vary according to the needs of program components and may include, for example, a variety of forms of distance education; lectures, seminars, workshops or tutorials at a nominated centre; teleconferences or video conferences; residential schools, research and/or development; and direct experience through innovation.

Further information

Further information regarding this course may be obtained from the senior administrator, Faculty of Education, Gippsland campus (telephone (03) 51 22 6969 or (03) 9902 6969) or visit our web site at http://www.education.monash.edu.au/