Diploma of Education
Encyclopedia
The Diploma
of Education, often abbreviated to DipEd or GradDipEd, is a postgraduate qualification offered in many Commonwealth
countries including Australia
, Sri Lanka
and the United Kingdom
. The diploma builds on the general or disciplinary knowledge of a bachelor
's degree to prepare students to teach in schools.
Specialisation within the course usually enables one to become a primary
or secondary
teacher, or a teacher in an adult education environment such as TAFE or a business college, and to join the relevant professional association. Achievement of a Diploma of Education does not normally confer registration status, but is a pathway to registration as a teacher.
The DipEd typically takes one year of full-time study (up to two years part-time) and students are generally required to undertake professional practicum
s (or "pracs") alongside their theory units in order to graduate. It offers an alternative to the three- or four-year Bachelor of Education
for those who already have a degree in another area (e.g. Bachelor of Science
or Bachelor of Arts
) and wish to specialise in that area.
The course is referred to as a Diploma of Teaching in New Zealand
.
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
of Education, often abbreviated to DipEd or GradDipEd, is a postgraduate qualification offered in many Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
countries including Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The diploma builds on the general or disciplinary knowledge of a bachelor
Bachelor
A bachelor is a man above the age of majority who has never been married . Unlike his female counterpart, the spinster, a bachelor may have had children...
's degree to prepare students to teach in schools.
Specialisation within the course usually enables one to become a primary
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
or secondary
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
teacher, or a teacher in an adult education environment such as TAFE or a business college, and to join the relevant professional association. Achievement of a Diploma of Education does not normally confer registration status, but is a pathway to registration as a teacher.
The DipEd typically takes one year of full-time study (up to two years part-time) and students are generally required to undertake professional practicum
Practicum
A practicum is a college course, often in a specialized field of study, that is designed to give students supervised practical application of a previously or concurrently studied theory. Practicums are common for education and social work majors...
s (or "pracs") alongside their theory units in order to graduate. It offers an alternative to the three- or four-year Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Education
A Bachelor of Education is an undergraduate academic degree which qualifies the graduate as a teacher in schools.-North America:...
for those who already have a degree in another area (e.g. Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
or Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
) and wish to specialise in that area.
The course is referred to as a Diploma of Teaching in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.