DipEdSt(TertPrep)

Credit points

80

Minimum duration

1 year full-time or equivalent part-time


Approved locations

  • Ballarat
  • Blacktown
  • Brisbane
  • Canberra
  • Melbourne
  • North Sydney
  • Strathfield

EFTSL value of units : All 10cp units in this course have an EFTSL value of 0.125. Units with a credit point (cp) value of a multiple of 10 have corresponding EFTSL values.

Admission requirements

An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.

To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have completed:

a. Year 12 with the ACU minimum eligibility rank for Diploma programs; or

b. Entry via an alternative pathway as approved for ACU; or

c. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants may be selected following an interview with the course coordinator and staff of the campus Indigenous Higher Education Unit. An applicant should have:

  1. Minimum of three years’ work experience; or
  2. Year 12 or equivalent; or
  3. Relevant tertiary study skills or successful completion of a Tertiary Communication Skills program.


International students need to meet the English Language Proficiency requirements as defined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.

Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2024 Admission.



Completion requirements

To qualify for the award, a student must complete 80 cp consisting of:

1. 10 cp of Academic Support units (Part A)

2. 0 - 30 cp of Foundation units (Part B)

3. 40 cp of Core Education units (Part C)

4. 0 - 30 cp of General units (Part D)

*5. 0 cp from ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Units (Part E)

*Optional and recommended for students transferring to Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses

Exit points

A student who has completed 40 credit points from units prescribed for the Non-Award Certificate in Educational Studies may exit with that award.

Progression requirements

Students are required to follow the pattern of unit enrolment set out in the relevant Course Enrolment Guide, unless otherwise approved by the Course Coordinator. In all aspects of progress through the course, students will be advised by the Course Coordinator.

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Schedule of unit offerings

Complete exactly 10 credit points from the following:

  • DPED100Academic Literacy in Education10 CP

Complete 0 to 30 credit points from the following:

Students in Queensland or Victoria who have not met prerequisite requirements in English, Mathematics and/or Science must complete the relevant prerequisite units as part of the Diploma.

Complete exactly 40 credit points from the following:

  • EDES100Understanding Learning and Teaching10 CP
  • EDES103Understanding Learners and Their Contexts10 CP
  • EDES104Digital Cultures and Capabilities10 CP
  • EDMA163Exploring Mathematics and Numeracy10 CP
  • EDES105Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges, Histories and Cultures10 CP

Students should undertake units that are relevant to the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course to which they are seeking entry. In particular, students seeking to articulate into Primary ITE courses in NSW must have already met the Band 4 maths requirement or study EDMA163.

Complete 0 to 30 credit points from the following:

  • EDEN100Foundations of Literacy10 CP
  • EDEN102Children's Literature for Early Reading10 CP
  • EDSE111Attitudes and Inclusive Practice10 CP
  • EDSI100Science in Our World10 CP
  • EDSI168Science, Inquiry and Sustainability10 CP
  • NMBR140Introduction to Mathematical Thinking10 CP
  • NMBR142Geometry and Measurement in Mathematics10 CP

Or up to 20cp of units from either the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science, or up to 80cp of other education units with Course Coordinator approval.


Students who wish to seek entry to a secondary ITE course should select units from Foundation Units to meet prerequisite requirements in Queensland and Victoria and up to 2 discipline units from Arts or Exercise Science that correspond to their intended teaching areas, in consultation with the Course Coordinator. 

Students should undertake units that are relevant to the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course to which they are seeking entry.

Complete 0 to 3 of the following:

  • LNTE110Literacy and Numeracy Diagnostic0 CP
  • LNTE100LANTITE - Literacy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students0 CP
  • LNTE101LANTITE - Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students0 CP

Course map

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Always check your Course Enrolment Guide before you finalise your enrolment.

Course maps are subject to change.


Commencing Semester 1

  • Academic Support UnitsDPED100Academic Literacy in Education10 cp
  • Core Education UnitsEDES104 Digital Cultures and Capabilities ORCore Education UnitsEDMA163 Exploring Mathematics and Numeracy 10 cp
  • Foundation UnitsEDLA111Introductory English

    ** The course coordinator may approve a unit from Part C

    10 cp
  • Foundation UnitsEDMA111Introductory Mathematics

    ** The course coordinator may approve a unit from Part C

    10 cp
  • (OPTIONAL) ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Units (OPTIONAL) ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Units LNTE110 Literacy and Numeracy Diagnostic

    Optional for students progressing to teaching courses

    0 cp
  • Foundation UnitsEDST111Introductory Science

    ** The course coordinator may approve a unit from Part C

    10 cp
  • Core Education UnitsEDES100Understanding Learning and Teaching

    ** The course coordinator may approve a unit from Part D

    10 cp
  • Core Education UnitsEDES103Understanding Learners and Their Contexts

    ** The course coordinator may approve a unit from Part D

    10 cp
  • Core Education UnitsEDES105Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges, Histories and Cultures

    ** The course coordinator may approve a unit from Part D

    10 cp
  • (OPTIONAL) ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Units (OPTIONAL) ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Units LNTE100 LANTITE - Literacy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students AND(OPTIONAL) ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Units LNTE101 LANTITE - Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students

    Students must register with ACER to undertake the 2 LANTITE tests.

    Optional for students progressing to teaching couses.

    0 cp

Commencing Semester 2

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