Program Overview

Indigenous Languages Education

Overview

The Master of Indigenous Languages Education is a one-year full-time degree open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers seeking to develop their skills in Indigenous language teaching.

The master’s program provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively implement the NSW Aboriginal Languages Syllabus from Kindergarten to Year 12, as well as being equipped to teach syllabi from other states and territories.

Course content is arranged into three strands – linguistics, theory, and practice strands – and is applicable to all Indigenous Australian languages. Students do not need to be fluent in an Indigenous Australian language to enter the course.

Course Accreditation

The NSW Department of Education and Training accepts this program as providing appropriate training for qualified Aboriginal teachers seeking additional approval to teach an Aboriginal language.

The program has been designed to meet the need for qualified instructors to participate in the delivery of Indigenous Australian languages education programs in a range of educational settings.

The Master of Indigenous Languages Education does not substitute a standard teaching qualification, but does provide professional development to teachers in Indigenous Languages in Education, training for others to assist teachers or work in community education in Indigenous Australian languages.

Capstone Experience

The capstone experience is completed in the last semester of the award course. It provides an opportunity to integrate ideas and understandings drawn from units of study taken in the course.

Candidates may elect to undertake a research project on an approved topic relating to one of the many Indigenous languages worthy of further documentation, investigation, and research.

Awards and Requirements

Master of Indigenous Languages Education

To qualify for the award, candidates are required to complete 48 credit points, including:

• 24 credit points of core units of study
• 18 credit points of selective units of study
• 6 credit points of capstone units