Course Catalogue

Graduate Diploma of Specialist Education (TEDU01)

2026

Course Structure

The Graduate Diploma of Specialist Education offers two core units, which equip students with contemporary educational and research perspectives and approaches. The programme also offers a choice of specialist areas encompassing Digital Learning Futures, Inclusive Education, Indigenous Knowledges Education, International Education, Managing and Leading Education, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), or University Teaching and Learning.

A candidate must successfully complete units totalling 80 credit points (cp) as detailed below. All units are valued at 10 credit points unless otherwise indicated.

Unit type	Credit Points	Specific requirements
Core Units (2 units)	20cp	Compulsory Core units totalling 20 credit points as detailed below. EMG501 Contemporary Issues in Education EMG505 Research Methodologies in Education
Specialist Elective (4 units)	40cp	Choose one of the Specialist Elective specialisations as listed below and complete 40 credit points or choose units from across specialisations: DIGITAL LEARNING FUTURES Complete all 40 credit points of: DLF511 Hacking the Matrix: Video Fames, Cyber Security and the Digital Paradigm (not offered 2026) DLF512 Digital Technologies in Education Aid and Development DLF513 Digital Cultures, Curricula and Assessment DLF514 Education, Apps and Mobile Devices DLF515 Digital Technologies: Digital Literacies and Data Literacy UTL521 Technologies for Teaching and Learning INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Complete all 20 credit points of: EIE501 Inclusive Education, Policies and Practice EIE502 Promoting Positive Behaviour Plus 20 credit points of the following: EST533 Primary Specialisation: Special Education, Language and Literacy IAS537 Building Relationships in Indigenous Contexts IAS538 Challenging Educational Paradigm SWK572 Creative Ways of Working with Children and Young People EST535 Society and Education (no longer available from 2023) INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGES EDUCATION Complete all 20 credit points of: IAS533 Indigenous Knowledges and Epistemologies IAS538 Challenging Educational Paradigm Plus 20 credit points of the following: IAS522 Indigenous Research Methodologies IAS524 Indigenous Representation and Ethical Practice (not offered 2026) IAS530 Neocolonialism, Advocacy and Critique of Development IAS531 Indigenous Policy Agendas in Federal and State Politics IAS536 Indigenous Sovereignty and the Challenges of Reconciliation IAS537 Building Relationships in Indigenous Contexts IAS547 Indigenous Knowledges and Wellbeing INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION Complete 40 credit points of the following: EMG502 Philosophies and Ethics in Education (not offered 2026) EMG503 Assessment and Quality Assurance in Learning and Teaching EMG504 Leadership in Education IAS532 Indigenous Knowledges, Property Rights and Economic Participation IAS538 Challenging Educational Paradigm IAS531 Indigenous Policy Agendas in Federal and State Politics MPP501 Theoretical Approaches to Public Policy in Northern Contexts MANAGING AND LEADING EDUCATION Complete 40 credit points of the following: HRM506 Global Human Resources (replaces BUS506 Global Megatrends from 2026) (not equivalent) BUS508 Business Analytics EMG502 Philosophies and Ethics in Education (not offered 2025) EMG504 Leadership in Education ENT502 Entrepreneurship (replaces ENT501 Sustainable Entrepreneurship from 2026) (not equivalent) IAS531 Indigenous Policy Agendas in Federal and State Politics IAS538 Challenging Educational Paradigm MAN517 Executive leadership (replaces MAN516 Resilience Management and Leadership from 2026) (equivalent) TESOL Complete all 40 credit points of the following: TES501 Research Methods in Applied Linguistics TES502 Language, Meaning and Learning (unit title change 2023) TES503 Applied Language Teaching Methodologies TES504 Understanding Language Acquisition TES505 Intercultural Communication TES506 Language Testing and Evaluation University Teaching and Learning Complete all 30 credit points of: UTL520 Effective Tertiary Teaching UTL521 Technologies for Teaching and Learning UTL522 Designing Curriculum and Assessment Plus 10 credit points of the following: DLF513 Digital Cultures, Curricula and Assessment DLF514 Education, Apps and Mobile Devices DLF515 Digital Technologies: Digital Literacies and Data Literacy EMG503 Assessment and Quality Assurance in Learning and Teaching IAS538 Challenging Educational Paradigm UTL523 Scholarship of Tertiary Teaching UTL524 University Teacher as HDR Supervisor
General Electives (2 units)	20cp	Units totalling up to 20 credit points may be selected from postgraduate units offered by the University. Students may select units from any of the approved specialisations (as above) as electives or by cross institutional enrolment that is approved by the course coordinator.
	80cp	Total Credit Points

Course Rules (unless otherwise indicated in the above course structure)

See the Higher Education Course Rules (Award Requirements) in the Units and Courses Policy.

COURSE CHANGES and Transitional Arrangements for 2026

Course Changes:

From 2026, specialist electives will reduce to 40cp, with 20cp of general electives introduced. Any specialist electives completed beyond 40cp will be recognised as general elective credit.

BUS506 Global Megatrends has been replaced by HRM506 Global Human Resources (not equivalent)
ENT501 Sustainable Entrepreneurship has been replaced by ENT502 Entrepreneurship (not equivalent)
MAN516 Resilience Management and Leadership has been replaced by MAN517 Executive Leadership (equivalent)

Transition Arrangements:

Students who have completed BUS506 Global Megatrends should not complete HRM506 Global Human Resources.
Students who have completed ENT501 Sustainable Entrepreneurship should not complete ENT502 Entrepreneurship.
Students who have completed MAN516 Resilience Management and Leadership should not complete MAN517 Executive Leadership

Further Assistance

For further assistance please contact Student Central on 1800 061 963 (freecall) or student.central@cdu.edu.au. Student Central staff will assist you with applying for or enrolling in a course and provide assistance with timetables, fees, HELP (Higher Education Loan Program), external materials, enrolment changes and many other issues.

Unit Catalogue - provides general information about each unit including a brief description, the semester and mode offered as well as the fees for Commonwealth Supported places.
Timetables - provides information about individual class times for units offered internally. Timetables for the following academic year are published early in December each year.
Bookshop - if text books have been prescribed, recommended or ordered for units in this course, details are available by unit code through the Casuarina Campus Bookshop.