Bachelor of Communication in Creative Writing Master of Teaching in Secondary Education

Admissions information

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• Course description

  This course is designed for aspiring secondary school English teachers, including those interested in teaching English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD) or Society and Culture. Choose this course to gain comprehensive knowledge in Communication in Creative Writing alongside a Master of Teaching, equipping you to teach confidently in a rapidly evolving educational landscape. 

  What sets this course apart is its vertical structure (undergraduate and postgraduate degree), enabling you to gain a greater depth of disciplinary knowledge in English/Creative Writing,  and Society and Culture or EALD before commencing your teaching methods and foundation education subjects from your second year. Gaining a wider and deeper understanding in your disciplinary field, including of recent developments, aims to ensure you start your teaching career with confidence and are highly valued by schools.  It also means that you do not need to meet the standard three Band 5 HSC results, including English, for admission to an initial teacher education course.

  To ensure  you are academically prepared to  undertake the required level of study, you will need to achieve a credit average at the completion of four sessions of full-time study (or part-time equivalence), typically at the end of second year,  to progress into the final years of the program. If you do not meet the credit average, you will be transferred into the Bachelor of Communication in Creative Writing and complete studies to graduate with that qualification.  

  In the second half of the course, you'll continue your disciplinary subjects, and also develop knowledge and skills in lesson and assessment planning, classroom management, differentiation for diverse learners, educational sociology, Indigenous Australian studies, and the integration of digital technologies in teaching.   

  The course includes 80 days of professional experience across at least two of our 200+ partner schools throughout NSW. These placements provide authentic classroom experiences that will help you develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to become an effective secondary school teacher. They also offer opportunities to build valuable personal and professional networks within schools and the broader education community, supporting your transition into the teaching profession.  

  By completing this course, you'll fast-track your career, earning both undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in an accelerated timeframe, and be prepared for a diverse range of professional opportunities within and beyond education. 

  The combined "Vertical Stack" course (undergraduate + postgraduate degree) enables students to gain a greater depth of disciplinary knowledge in Communications (Writing and Publishing) before commencing their teaching subjects in the Master of Teaching from their second year of study. Gaining a wider and deeper understanding in their field of study gives students more confidence when they commence teaching. They enter the classroom up to date on the most current developments in the discipline, and this is highly valued by schools.

  The unique vertical structure of this combined course means students do not need to meet the standard three Band 5 HSC results, including English, for admission to an initial teacher education course.

  To ensure that a high quality of teachers is maintained in the education sector, students need to achieve a Credit average in the first two years of their university studies before progressing into the final years of the program.

  If students do not meet the Credit average, they can still continue in the Bachelor of Communications (Writing and Publishing) and graduate with that qualification.

  Students spend 80 days in one of more than 200 secondary schools across NSW. This practical experience with a trusted UTS partner school helps them gain the skills and confidence in curriculum and classroom management required for effective teaching in English (and EALD or Society and Culture if relevant), and also helps them develop personal and professional networks within and beyond education for their future career path.

  Not only are students accelerated in their career pathway to secondary teaching by achieving two qualifications, including one at postgraduate level, within the duration of a single undergraduate degree, they also have the benefits of a range of career options.

• Important dates

  Find out more about application dates relating to this course

• Year 12 adjustment factor scheme

  If you perform highly in your Year 12 subjects, your selection rank may be boosted by the Year 12 subject scheme.

  The scheme, which is automatically applied, awards selection rank adjustments to your application based on your marks in subjects that are relevant to the courses you have applied to.

• ATAR and selection ranks

  Your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a score between 0.00 and 99.95. It shows you how you rank compared to all the students in your year group in New South Wales. A selection rank combines your ATAR with any other adjustment points that make up your overall university entrance score. Your selection rank may differ from university to university, depending on the adjustment points granted to you at each institution.

• Scholarships and prizes

  Discover our scholarships for undergraduate, postgraduate and research students. Our scholarships celebrate diversity and academic excellence. Use the scholarship search tool to find the right scholarship for you.

  Scholarships for domestic students

  Scholarships for international students

• Commonwealth Prac Payment

  If you’re a domestic student studying teaching, you may be eligible to apply for a Commonwealth government payment to support your prac placements.  

  The payment is designed to provide you with financial support to help you manage ongoing costs while undertaking mandatory practical placements.
  
  Find out more

• Transdisciplinary Electives at UTS

  Employers tell us the skills our graduates acquire from undertaking a Transdisciplinary Elective sets them apart from the crowd. That’s why we have embedded this program into every undergraduate degree.

  All you need to do is choose the Elective that inspires you the most.

  Transdisciplinary Electives integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines, allowing you to approach complex problems from a range of perspectives.

  By combining methods and insights from various disciplines, transdisciplinary learning often leads to breakthrough ideas and creative innovations that may not be possible within the confines of a single discipline.

  If you find yourself rapt by the world of innovation – you can pair your core degree with a Diploma in Innovation, graduating with two qualifications in the same timeframe. 

  In both instances, you’ll work on a real-world challenge presented by an industry partner organisation – partners who often create career pathways for our graduates.

  * Excludes students concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation.

• Course duration

  The course duration is four years of full-time study.

  Course progression criteria apply to this course see the course Rules and Regulations below.

• Admission requirements

  Applicants must have completed an Australian Year 12 qualification, Australian Qualifications Framework Diploma, or equivalent Australian or overseas qualification at the required level.

  Applicants should also review the inherent requirements to ensure they are able to complete this course.

  Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.

  English language requirements

  IELTS Academic: overall 7.5, listening 8.0, speaking 8.0, reading 7.0, writing 7.0 TOEFL iBT (0-120): overall 102, listening 28, speaking 26, reading 24, writing 27 TOEFL iBT (1-6): overall 5, listening 6, speaking 5, reading 5, writing 5.5 Pearson PTE: overall 73, listening 79, speaking 79, reading 65, writing 65 Cambridge C1A/C2P: overall 191, listening 200, speaking 200, reading 185, writing 185

• Domestic course fees

  2026 Indicative tuition fees for government-supported domestic students

  All offers for domestic undergraduate students are for Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP).This means the Australian Government contributes to your education costs, and you pay the remaining tuition fees, known as the student contribution. If eligible, you can defer payment through HECS-HELP, or you can choose to pay your fees upfront each session.  

  2026 Tuition Fees

  Indicative first-year tuition fee: 

  Indicative total tuition fee:   

  Additional Costs 

  Your tuition fees do not include: 

  • The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF), which supports student services and activities. If eligible, you can defer this fee using SA-HELP.
  • Textbooks, materials, and other course-related costs.
  • Any applicable payment processing fees (e.g., credit card surcharges).

  Important Information 

  • Fees are shown in Australian Dollars (AUD).
  • The indicative tuition fees above are based on full-time study (1 year = 48 credit points).
  • Your actual fees depend on the year you enrol, your study load and the subjects you choose. Some subjects fall into different student contribution bands.
  • You can calculate your student contribution based on the amounts listed in the student contribution table. 

• Inherent requirements

  Inherent requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential for successfully completing a course at UTS. You can find the inherent requirements for your course via the inherent requirements directory.

• Professional recognition

  This course is currently accredited by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) as a recognised secondary school teaching qualification. UTS is seeking additional NESA approval for the proposed organisational and curriculum variations, to be implemented in Autumn 2027. To gain employment as a teacher in NSW schools, graduands must meet the requirements of the NESA, including language proficiency.