These inherent requirements apply to the following courses:

  • Master of Educational Leadership
  • Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership
  • Master of Leadership

Inherent requirements are the essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the abilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of the course or unit, while preserving the academic integrity of the University's learning, assessment and accreditation processes. The inherent requirements are the abilities, knowledge and skills needed to complete the course that must be met by all students. Students with a disability or chronic health condition may be able to have reasonable adjustments made to enable them to meet these requirements.

The School is committed to making reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, professional practice and other activities to enable students to participate in their course. Reasonable adjustments must not fundamentally change the nature of the inherent requirement. Students are required to undertake activities which reflect a diversity of educational and theological studies contexts which may include mixed gender, religious, and culturally diverse environments. For further information contact your Course Coordinator.

To support prospective and current students' decision making, a series of inherent requirements statements have been developed. These statements specify the essential skills, knowledge and abilities required for the course. Students should use this information to make informed decisions about their chosen course of study. The statements are clustered under six domains consisting of ethical behaviour, behavioural stability, communication, cognition, reflection and sustainable performance.

The inherent requirements outlined below provide a guide to inform decision making for students and staff.

If you are intending to enrol in a course in the Faculty of Education and Arts, you should look at these Inherent requirement statements and think about whether you may experience challenges in meeting these requirements.

If you think you may experience challenges related to your disability, chronic health condition or any other reason, you should discuss your concerns with a campus Disability Advisor or the School of Education staff, such as the Course Co-ordinator. These staff can work collaboratively with you to determine reasonable adjustments to assist you to meet the Inherent Requirements. In the case where it is determined that Inherent Requirements cannot be met with reasonable adjustments, the University staff can provide guidance regarding other study options.

These inherent requirements should be read in conjunction with other course information.

The inherent requirements are made up of the following five components and domains:

  • Level 1 - introduction to the inherent requirement
  • Level 2 - description of what the inherent requirement is
  • Level 3 - explanation of why this is an inherent requirement of the course
  • Level 4 - the nature of any adjustments that may be made to allow you to meet the requirement
  • Level 5 - examples of tasks that show you've met the requirement. These are examples only and not a comprehensive list

Inherent requirement domains

There are nine domains of inherent requirements in each of these courses. Some domains have a number of sub-domains.

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Students of ACU are expected to abide by the Student Conduct Policy and the Student Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy.

2

Student demonstrates knowledge of and engages in behaviour consistent with all relevant standards.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Compliance with ACU standards, codes, guidelines and policies facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and the people they engage with. This supports the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of all and accords with university mission and values.
  • Understanding and applying key ethical and conduct principles are requirements of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and the Australian Professional Standard for Principals.

4

Adjustments must ensure the codes and standards are not compromised or result in unethical behaviour. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Access and Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Demonstrating respect for the diversity of individual, family and community beliefs, values and practices.
  • Complying with privacy and confidentiality requirements including confidential information revealed through peer interactions.

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively and sensitively in educational settings associated with university study.

2

Student demonstrates:

  • Behavioural stability to work collaboratively, ethically, and constructively in the potentially diverse and challenging academic and educational environments.
  • Consistency in responding appropriately to peers, colleagues, ACU staff, in potentially stressful and challenging situations.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Behavioural stability is required to work individually and in teams in changing and unpredictable environments. Students may be exposed to complex and potentially stressful situations and will be required to demonstrate behavioural stability to manage these events objectively and professionally.
  • Students will be required to engage in peer debate and critical reflection of their own work practices and must demonstrate behavioural stability in these activities.

4

Adjustments must support stable, effective and professional behaviour in educational environments associated with university study and workplace projects. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Access and Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Demonstrating responsiveness and respect when responding to peer-review assignments and other forms of critique provided in online discussions.

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Education leadership and management are governed by a range of legislation, standards, codes, guidelines and policies.

2

Student demonstrates compliance with Australian Law, professional regulation requirements and standards relevant to persons working with children, young people and their families.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Knowledge, understanding, and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary pre-requisites for ethical, accountable practice as an education leader and/or teacher.
  • Compliance with these professional regulations and the Australian Law ensures that a student is both responsible and accountable for their practice.

4

Adjustments must ensure the legislation and regulations are not compromised. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Access and Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Peer discussions demonstrate respect and compliance with acceptable legal standards for healthcare leaders/managers.
  • Adhering to requirements of informed consent, privacy and confidentiality with organisational, family and child information in academic and education settings.

This course requires effective verbal, non-verbal and written communication

Verbal

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

The ability to effectively communicate in English and to accurately and effectively interpret spoken English is an essential requirement for all courses offered by the School of Education.

2

Pre-service Teacher demonstrates

  • Effective verbal communication with peers, academic and professional staff.
  • The ability to provide clear instructions and presentation of ideas to individuals and large or small groups relevant to the learning context.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Verbal communication is essential in developing and maintaining effective relationships with all educational stakeholders.
  • Effective verbal communication, in English, is required to demonstrate leadership and/or management skills within a education environment.

4

Adjustments must enable clear and accurate verbal communication that facilitates effective communication and safety. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Access and Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Using spoken English to communicate effectively and appropriately a range of stakeholders including with peers, academic and professional staff.
  • Communicating verbally with peers to engage in class-based and/or online group work.

Non-verbal

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

The capacity to use, recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to non-verbal behavioural cues and gestures is a fundamental part of effective communication with a range of stakeholders.

2

Student demonstrates the capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to non-verbal behavioural cues and gestures

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Non-verbal is essential in developing and maintaining effective relationships with all educational stakeholders.
  • Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of personal space, body movements and gestures, and moderating these for cultural differences; promotes the trust and respect necessary to develop effective professional relationships.
  • Safe and effective teaching requires the capacity to observe, interpret and respond appropriately to non-verbal communication, particularly in situations where their learners may not be able to verbalise distress, discomfort or fear.

4

Adjustments must enable the recognition, initiation of or appropriate response to effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Access and Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Recognising non-verbal cues and responding appropriately in lectures and tutorials.

Written

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

The ability to effectively communicate in written English to ensure accuracy, clarity and capacity to interpret written based text is an essential requirement for all courses offered by the School of Education.

2

Student demonstrates technical skills of writing proficiency. Including the ability to communicate complex information, argument and exposition.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Written communication is essential in developing and maintaining effective relationships with all educational stakeholders.

4

Adjustments must enable clear and accurate written communication that facilitates effective communication, demonstration of knowledge and safety. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Access and Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Using written English to communicate effectively and appropriately with peers, academic and professional staff.
  • Constructing an essay in a written form to convey complex information, argument and exposition.

Knowledge and cognitive skills

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Appropriate cognitive skills are required in order to locate, process, integrate, reflect on and implement theoretical knowledge in assessment tasks, lectures, tutorials and other structured learning activities

2

Student demonstrates

  • The capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information
  • The ability to process information relevant to practice
  • The ability to integrate, reflect on and implement theoretical knowledge

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Effective education leadership and/or management requires the capacity to identify, comprehend and integrate theoretical knowledge within the contextual nature of complex learning environments.
  • High level cognitive functioning is required to be an effective leader/manager.

4

Adjustments must support the student's ability to acquire, analyse and apply knowledge in educational environments. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Access and Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Conceptualising and using appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items
  • Students demonstrate the capacity to critique appropriate knowledge sources and discuss these with peers.
  • Students demonstrate the integration of new knowledge through reflective thinking.

Literacy

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Competent English language and literacy skills are essential for professional communication in educational leadership, including effective teaching.

2

Student demonstrates the ability to read, comprehend and respond to a range of texts in a variety of contexts including lectures, tutorials, assessment tasks and other learning activities.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey information is fundamental to teaching and learning

4

Adjustments must support students to demonstrate effective literacy skills. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Access and Disability Advisor

5

Exemplars:

  • Conveying a spoken message using appropriate vocabulary and conventions of speech.
  • Competently constructing and sharing a range of texts including digital, written, and visual texts in a range of learning environments.

Numeracy

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Competent and accurate numeracy data skills are essential for effective leadership within schools and educational systems.

2

Student demonstrates the ability to collect, analyse and use a range of quantitative data as evidence of learning.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • The ability to collect and analyse quantitative data as evidence of learning is an essential part of an postgraduate Education course.

4

Adjustments must support students to demonstrate effective numeracy skills. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Access and Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Demonstrating effective use of numeracy skills in matters related to learning.
  • Demonstrating the capacity to collect and analyse a range of quantitative data associated with learning.

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

The ability to use thoughtful analysis of experience to inform future leadership practice is an essential requirement for educational leaders.

2

Student demonstrates ability to:

  • conceptualise their own experience and behaviour in professional contexts as valuable information to be retained
  • seek and apply feedback on their teaching
  • analyse past practice in relation to discipline and pedagogical knowledge
  • use insights from their analysis of past experience to inform more effective professional practice.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • The ability to collect and analyse experiential data and use it in planning effective future practice is essential to developing teaching practice that responds effectively to the needs of diverse student cohorts and to changing educational contexts.

4

Adjustments must address the student's ability to acquire, analyse their attitudes and behaviours in educational environments and apply insights from that analysis to future practice. Adjustments specic to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Access and Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Review and reflect on personal responses and cultural paradigms around challenges in educational leadership
  • • develop safe and effective strategies that have the potential to improve student outcomes.

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Competent use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is required for accessing course content and to support contemporary teaching and leadership practices including data collection and reporting.

2

Student demonstrates the capacity to condently model ICT knowledge, skills and dispositions to learners in line with the requirements of the General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and the Australian Professional Standard for Principals.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Students are expected to use ICT to access and engage with course content, learning resources, feedback, results, course advice and to facilitate administrative tasks such as managing their enrolments.

4

Adjustments must support students to demonstrate effective ICT skills. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Access and Disability Advisor

5

Exemplars:

  • Using appropriate ICTs to communicate with peers, academic and professional staff and to gather information in accomplishing academic tasks.

Have a question?

We're available 9am–5pm AEDT,
Monday to Friday

If you’ve got a question, our AskACU team has you covered. You can search FAQs, text us, email, live chat, call – whatever works for you.

Live chat with us now

Chat to our team for real-time
answers to your questions.

Launch live chat

Visit our FAQs page

Find answers to some commonly
asked questions.

See our FAQs