Bachelor of Education (Secondary)

The single degree of Bachelor of Education (Secondary) is a four-year program (full-time equivalent, FTE) for intending secondary school teachers to teach Grade 7 – 12 or its equivalent.  Students combine studies in Humanities, Business or Science with both theoretical and practical aspects of education. The course requires the completion of a range of specialist subjects in education and professional studies. Each student also completes a core selection of religion studies that integrate moral values and learning. In each year, students develop skills in classroom competence and spend a minimum total of 320 hours over a duration of 80 days on supervised teaching practice in allocated secondary schools.

The program is designed to be relevant, practical and specific to the educational needs of the Adventist Church in Papua New Guinea and in other oceanic countries of the South Pacific. It also accommodates the needs of other students who desire a Christian foundation for their Secondary Education program of study. The program has been constructed to develop competent, reflective teachers and graduates are thus recognized by the Teaching Service Commission of Papua New Guinea as eligible to teach across the whole curriculum in national secondary schools, grades 7 – 12.

Each student chooses one discipline area as a major teaching field and one area as a minor teaching field. A minor in Religious Studies is incorporated into the course by default. A Religion major, however, can be selected. A major requires the completion of 10 subjects and a minor requires the completion of 5 subjects. The course requires the completion of a range of specialist subjects in education and curriculum studies. Each student also completes a core selection of religion studies that integrate moral values and learning.

Majors and Minors are offered in the following discipline areas:

• Biology
• Business
• Computing
• Chemistry
• English
• Geography
• History
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Religious Studies

Teaching Fields Pattern

The major area, minor area and elective area MUST all be chosen from only ONE of the following content areas A, B and C. For example, if a student chooses SPECIALISATION A then the student’s major and minor teaching specialisation must be all selected from the disciplines areas listed in SPECIALISATION A.

Specialisation A is for students who would like to specialise in teaching in humanities/social sciences. 
Specialisation B is for students who would like to specialise in teaching science and mathematics. 
Specialisation C is for students who would like to specialise in teaching business and computing.

1 Religious Studies can only be selected as a major.
2 Physics cannot be selected as a major/minor with Biology hence can only be selected with either Mathematics or Chemistry.
3 Business can only be selected as a major if Computing and Accounting is the minor.
4 Computing can only be selected as a major if Mathematics is the minor.
5 Mathematics can only be a minor of Computing and Accounting
6 Accounting can be a major and can combine with Business, Computing and Mathematics.

A Major Teaching Specialisation is made up of 9 subjects and will normally subscribe to the following pattern:

2 subjects at level 4 (Year 1)
2 subjects at level 5 (Year 2)
2 subjects at level 6 (Year 3)
3 subjects at level 7 (Year 4)

A Minor Teaching Specialisation is made up of 5 subjects and will normally subscribe to the following pattern:

2 subjects at level 4 (Year 1)
2 subjects at level 5 (Year 2)
1 subject at level 6 (Year 3)

Students need to choose their Major and Minor fields of study carefully, taking into account their own specific subject preferences and interest and must meet the minimum entry requirements of chosen major or minor fields In making the choice of fields, students need to give consideration to the normal combination of subjects required of teachers in the school system. Thus personal interest needs to be balanced by the needs of the workplace.

During the first year of the programme the student will study subjects from two content areas. Then, based on the level of their interest and grades the student will be asked to narrow down their choice to one preferred major area of study and one minor area of study. This choice is made by the student before the end of the second semester of the first year. The introductory discipline subject fills the place of electives in the student’s programme in the second year.

Under exceptional circumstances and conditions some changes may be permitted during a second year but this normally means that a student must plan on additional time of one year or more for the completion of their course. Special permission and approval of the Appeals and Petitions Committee is required to authorise such a change.

Students who wish to choose Science and Business as their major must obtain a 2.5 GPA in their first content subject in order to proceed in the discipline.

Practicum is conducted during the Mid-Year Break:

EO211.2 Practicum 2: STEP (Service Type Education)
EO311.3 Practicum 3: Junior High School
EO322.4 Practicum 4: Junior or Senior High School

A minimum B pass in Mathematics A for students taking Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, or Physics as Science content area. A minimum upper C pass in subjects directly related to major and minor content areas in Business and Humanities. However, exception is made for Religious Studies, since this subject is not always studied at Higher School Certificate level.