If you believe that enriched learning experiences shape us, regardless of our capabilities or circumstances, then the Master of Special and Inclusive Education is for you. The program offers educators and other professionals working in inclusive education or disability sectors, the opportunity to develop specialised skills and advanced knowledge to support children and adolescents with additional needs. The program focuses your skills and builds your qualifications, knowledge and understanding to teach and support students in special or inclusive settings.

The program is suitable for regular teachers working within inclusive contexts and also for teachers who wish to gain additional qualifications with a view to employment as a special education teacher. The program will enable qualified allied health professionals to understand and utilise educational strategies to assist children and adolescents with additional needs.

Combining the latest research with practical coursework will ensure you are equipped to implement a range of evidence-based approaches and strategies to address student needs and promote students’ learning and social functioning. The program provides theoretical and practical skills so you can cultivate a rich learning environment for students facing unique challenges, supported by your specialised skills in diversity programming and adjusted learning activities which support individual students.

What you will study

The University of Newcastle’s Master of Special and Inclusive Education covers a range of general and specialised courses driven around your passion for supporting the learning outcome of students with a diverse range of abilities and disabilities. This program will have immeasurable value for those in the teaching and learning sector. The coursework is designed to develop your skills in how to progress the learning and participation of students with additional needs or diagnosed disabilities.

Core courses to support your drive and direction include:

• education of students with learning difficulties
• teaching methods and techniques in special and inclusive education
• critiquing and designing research in inclusive, special education or disability service settings
• Accredited teachers requiring an in-school placement in Special or Inclusive Education should complete EDUC6109 Integrated Fieldwork Studies, or EDUC6056 Pedagogical Practices for Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (EDUC6056 is only available to those completing the Deaf Studies and Deaf Education Specialisation).
• Scholarship recipients from the Department of Education and Training Victoria must complete EDUC6109 as a compulsory course or EDUC6056 (EDUC6056 is only available to those completing the Deaf Studies and Deaf Education Specialisation).

Specialisations

In addition to the core courses students will be required to select an area of specialisation in which they will undertake a combination of compulsory and directed courses to support their learning. All specialisations within the program are accredited with the Department of Education. Students can select to specialise in one of the following four areas:

1. Deaf Studies and Deaf Education - this specialisation will equip you with skills to support children and young people who are deaf or hard of hearing in early intervention programs or in specialised units or facilities. Qualified teachers will be prepared to take the role of a teacher of the deaf.
2. Early Childhood - this specialisation explores contemporary issues in early childhood prevention and intervention including working collaboratively with families and other professionals to support young children’s learning, socialisation and communication.
3. Emotional Disturbance/Behavioural Problems - this specialisation explores how to assess, program and intervene in behaviour problems, and master the teaching methods and techniques to educate students with emotional or behaviour problems.
4. General Special Education - this specialisation diversifies and deepens your understanding across a range of areas including education of students with learning difficulties and behaviour problems and understanding developmental disabilities.

The University of Newcastle’s Master of Special and Inclusive Education will position you as an expert in the area of special needs learning outcomes, whether that focus is on face-to-face education and support, curriculum development, working with families or executive leadership in teaching and learning for students with additional needs. For those with a teaching qualification you will be proficiently equipped with skills and knowledge to assess student needs and abilities and to address identified learning difficulties or challenge-specific areas. Your learning journey will empower you to apply research-based strategies to your curriculum or professional context.

For graduates with a prior degree in an allied health related field – you can be part of a brighter future in community or disability services. You will be equipped with the insight to understand the impacts of deficit or disability in a student’s social, physical and academic functioning and of the intervention strategies that can contribute to their ongoing development.

Upon completion of the program, qualified teachers will have the opportunity to embark on career pathways in special or inclusive education settings or early childhood intervention services. Career pathways for those with an allied health degree include special care worker, developmental support worker, community/disability support worker, or therapeutic support staff. Please note the program does not provide a pre-service teaching qualification.