An online Masters in Education is a career booster for teachers and other educators. Consisting of 8 to 12 subjects, you can specialise in fields such as early childhood education and educational leadership.
Advance your career with a 100% online Master's in Education. An M.Ed. gives you the skills and credentials to take on bigger roles. Graduates are skilled educators who do well in school teaching, administration and workplace training.
A Masters in Education online is a program of 8-12 subjects that you can complete in 16-24 months of part-time study. The degree is a career development opportunity for professionals already involved in education, including current schoolteachers. You can choose your preferred specialisation.
Specialisations
Early Childhood Education
A Master of Early Childhood Education is a professional development course for graduates with practical teaching experience. You explore how to optimally work with young children aged from 0 to 8 years. The degree opens up career opportunities in primary and early childhood education.
ECU Master of Education (Early Childhood Education)
The Master of Education (Early Childhood Education) from Edith Cowan University is an accelerated, 100% online course for already qualified teachers. The 8-subject program prepares you to be an outstanding leader and expert in this field. Accelerated learning is available, meaning you can study part-time and finish inside 16 months. The degree covers topics such as language and literacy, the theory and practice of leading in early childhood, contemporary issues, and leading family and community in the early childhood years (0-8).
Educational Leadership
A Masters in Educational Leadership prepares you to lead and manage in an education setting, such as an early learning centre, school, college, university or the workplace. The postgrad degree combines your existing professional experience with theory and applied instruction. You should graduate as a more confident and capable leader.
UTS Online Master of Education (Learning and Leadership)
The 100% online Master of Education (Learning and Leadership) is designed for education and training professionals looking to support and lead innovation in learning across school and higher education institutions, and in learning and development in corporate, public and community settings. Through this course, you will learn how to design learning for diverse environments and create improvements applicable to your professional setting. You will be introduced to cutting-edge and critical approaches to innovation and develop the leadership capabilities to initiate and support learning transformation in your organisation.
ECU Master of Education (Leading Education)
For current and future school leaders, Edith Cowan University has an education master's degree with a Leading Education specialisation. The 8-subject program explores how to lead staff, engage the community, improve learning outcomes, and lead under challenging circumstances. You can earn the online degree over 16 months of part-time study, completing a unit every 2 months. The university is a specialist in the education field, having started as a teachers' college in 1902. ECU consistently receives excellent ratings for teaching quality in graduate surveys.
SCU Online Master of Education (Educational Leadership)
Southern Cross University ticks all the boxes for a well-rounded education degree. You can do a graduate certificate (4 subjects) or masters (8 subjects) fully online. Students do subject unit at a time, each taking around 7 weeks. There's a short break before you move to the next one. By studying this way, you can complete a full masters in 16 months of low-stress, part-time study. SCU Online's affordable program is delivered on a modern platform. The Educational Leadership specialisation strengthens your administration and management skills. Topics include human resource management, accounting for managers, evaluation for improved teaching and learning, and positive leadership.
Guidance and Counselling
To work as a guidance officer, guidance counsellor or similar in Australian schools, you need to be an appropriately qualified teacher. Gain the counselling skills and qualifications you need with a Masters in Guidance and Counselling.
USQ Master of Education (Guidance and Counselling)
The Master of Education (Guidance and Counselling) from the University of Southern Queensland is for school teachers wanting to work as a guidance officer, school counsellor or other education leader. You'll learn how to advise young people and work with stakeholders to achieve positive education, career and life outcomes. The 12-subject program explores topics such as individual assessment, communication and consultation, career development, child abuse prevention, and emotional and behavioural problems. Commonwealth Supported Places are available to reduce tuition fees.
Inclusive Education
Inclusive education is a specialisation you may want to consider as part of a Masters in Education. You learn how to facilitate access and full participation of students in learning, overcoming potential challenges due to varying backgrounds and abilities. Graduates can apply their skills in the classroom and across the broader school community.
SCU Master of Education (Educational Inclusion and Diversity)
You can study Educational Inclusion and Diversity within Southern Cross University's education master's. The 100% online course helps education graduates to positively impact Australia's schooling system. Students gain a greater appreciation of diversity in the student population, learn how to promote the social and emotional wellbeing of students, cultivate a philosophy and strategy to deliver inclusive education, and explore how to use digital technologies to support student participation. The affordable 8-subject degree can be completed over 16 months of part-time study.
Religious Education
If you have a keen interest in religious education, you can cultivate that into subject expertise with a Master of Religious Education. To be admitted, you should be a qualified school teacher or otherwise have a strong educational background. Graduates may work in school teaching, education administration or research, curriculum development, or policy making.
ACU Master of Religious Education
The Master of Religious Education from the Australian Catholic University consists of 12 subjects and is only available online. You can choose subjects to meet your learning and career goals, with units broadly grouped into religious education, theological studies, research and related courses. Professional recognition of your qualification may depend on the requirements of the locale where you wish to teach. Applicants are advised to check with the relevant Catholic or state education office.
Special Education
A Master of Special Education helps classroom teachers build skills and knowledge to support kids with special needs. Learning to overcome learning challenges is useful training for any classroom teacher, whether you have one special needs student in your class or are a specialist in this field.
Torrens Master of Education (Special Education)
The Master of Education (Special Education) trains current teachers and other educators to support people with special learning needs in mainstream classrooms. The program focuses on the topics of Autism, Mental Health and Learning. The autism stream builds skills in supporting autistic students; the mental health stream explores issues such as anxiety, depression and eating disorders; and the learning stream examines evidence-based practice for helping students with different learning needs. The 12-subject course is available online and in Sydney and Melbourne. Study full-time or part-time.
Student Wellbeing
Student wellbeing and positive mental health is a field you can major in as part of a Masters of Education in Australia. The specialisation is useful for any teacher and for other school staff, including those in designated wellbeing roles. Recognising that a school is much more than just a place of learning, you explore how to enhance the social and emotional welfare of students.
SCU Master of Education (Educational Wellbeing)
Become an expert on maximising student wellbeing with the Master of Education (Educational Wellbeing) from Southern Cross University. Four of the eight subjects in the specialist program are about student wellbeing. You will learn to appreciate diversity among students, including with respect to special needs, language barriers and cultural differences. As well, you'll gain instruction in how to support students in difficulty, provide leadership on wellbeing issues, and develop social and emotional health strategies. The 100% online master's degree is among the most affordable in Australia.
What You'll Study (Course Structure)
For qualified teachers, a Masters in Education program normally consists of 8 subjects. To specialise in a given field, you may need to complete the program's core subjects plus the electives in your specialist study stream. Here are example course structures from three universities.
Online Masters of Education degrees from Edith Cowan University consist of four core subjects and four specialist subjects.
Core units
- Leading Education in a Global Context
- Assessment in Education: Policies, Pedagogy and Equity
- Inquiry-Based Practice
- Advanced Seminar
Early Childhood specialisation
- Leading Early Childhood Pedagogy and Practice (0-8 years)
- Leading Family and Community in the Early Years (0-8 years)
- Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Education
- Language and Literacy in Early Childhood
Leading Education specialisation
- Leading Under Challenging Circumstances
- Leading for Improvement
- Leading Staff
- Leading Community Engagement
To earn the online Master of Education, complete 4 core subjects and 4 electives. Choose electives across any specialisation for a generalist master's. To specialise in Leadership, Wellbeing, or Inclusion and Diversity, you need to complete specific electives.
Core subjects
- Contemporary Educational Leadership
- Contemporary Educational Contexts
- Leading Professional Learning
- Educational Investigation
Electives
- Accounting for Managers
- Human Resource Management
- The Positive Leader
- Evaluation for Improved Teaching and Learning
- Supporting Students in Difficult Times
- Valuing Diversity
- Educational Leadership and Wellbeing
- Enhancing Student Wellbeing
The online Master of Education (Learning and Leadership) consists of 12 online subjects: 9 core subjects and 3 electives.
If you have teacher education qualifications, you may be eligible to gain credit for 4 subjects.
Core subjects
- Learning and its Trajectories
- Designing Innovative Learning
- Leading Learning
- Learning in the Digital Age
- Professional Learning and Practice
- Leading Innovative Practices
- Evaluating Learning and Innovation
- Research Practices
- Investigating Learning and Innovation Project
Electives
- Strategic Learning in Workplaces
- Mentoring in the Workplace
- Data Ethics and Regulation
- Policy, Power and Politics in Health Care
A one-year Master of Education online?
School teachers and other educators often hope to earn a Masters of Education online in just 1 year. The only way to do this is to study full-time, which is impractical for most people.
The best online programs instead allow you to earn an education masters over 16 to 24 months while studying part-time. A shortish part-time masters is made possible by accelerated learning.
- Distance learning courses are made available continuously, including over the summer months. Students complete a subject every 2 months.
- An 8-subject master's degree may be achieved in 8 x 2 months, which is 16 months.
The accelerated, part-time arrangement is generally considered better than a 1-year online course. The degree is 16 months or more but you only have to do one subject at a time.
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes from a Master's in Education online depend on the program and your chosen area of specialisation. M.Ed. programmes are a blend of core subjects and electives, with groups of electives forming majors. Broadly, however, you can expect the following learning outcomes.
Specialist knowledge
You'll gain specialist knowledge in your chosen field of specialisation. That could be in areas such as school counselling, leadership, cultural awareness, enhancing student welfare, and strategies for organisational learning.
Lifelong learning and research skills
Almost all Masters in Education make research and self-directed learning a priority in the curriculum. Expect to explore topics such as inquiry-based practice, educational investigation, professional learning and practice, and learning in the digital age.
Confidence and leadership
A Masters of Education degree is an impressive qualification that will expand your opportunities and give you the confidence to strive for more out of your career. As well, you may hone your management and leadership style by formally studying leadership principles and methods.
Career Opportunities
Today's online Masters in Education programs target skills and knowledge, including leadership strategies, that are directly relevant to education delivery and management in Australia. Online learning has a student-first approach. You can balance M.Ed. study with other life commitments.
By doing an education masters, you benefit from refreshing and enhancing existing skills. You also acquire knowledge and skills in new areas. And, after re-examining the methods and goals of instruction, your motivation for teaching may grow.
Job opportunities depend on your career path and goals. Some of the senior roles taken by masters graduates include lead teacher, principal, education consultant, education researcher, program manager, learning designer, corporate learning manager, and head of learning and development.
Entry Requirements
Entry requirements for Masters in Education degrees vary by course type. For masters aimed at qualified teachers, education credentials equal or comparable to a 4-year Bachelor of Education may be required. Other courses have alternative entry paths based on professional experience.
Here are examples of course admission requirements. Enquire for further details.
Course admission requirements are a Bachelor of Education OR a bachelor's degree in any other field plus a Graduate Diploma of Education or Master of Teaching. You also require 2 years experience in an educational setting or organisation.
Special entry may be considered for students with a bachelor degree in another area or a 3-year trained teacher, both supported by extensive professional experience.
More informationFor the Master of Education online, you must have a four-year Bachelor of Education degree or equivalent OR a bachelor degree and a 4th-year level teaching qualification or equivalent OR a 3-year bachelor degree in Teaching and an education-specific graduate certificate.
More informationApplicants must have completed a bachelor's degree or an equivalent or higher qualification OR submitted evidence of general and professional qualifications that demonstrate potential to pursue postgraduate study.
For applicants with an academic qualification, the applicant must have at least two years' professional work experience.
Applicants who don't satisfy these requirements may still be considered based on assessment of a CV and personal statement outlining your interest in, and understanding of, the course.
Graduate certificate pathways: Master's degree pathways are available via the successful completion of the Graduate Certificate in Education (Learning and Leadership) or Graduate Certificate in Professional and Organisational Learning.
More informationFAQs
A Masters of Education in Australia generally costs in the range of $20,480 to $32,040.
We looked at the programs from three universities and tuition fees per subject for 2022 were all similar, at $2,560, $2,590 and $2,670.
What really makes a difference is the number of subjects you study. Eight subjects at $2,560 per subjects works out to $20,480. On the other hand, 12 subjects at $2,670 produces a total course fee of $32,040.
The length of your course depends on program rules, including advanced standing for prior education and experience. But most qualified teachers should be able to find an 8-subject master's program for them.
For Australian and New Zealand citizens, FEE-HELP loans are available to reduce up-front costs to essentially nothing.
Yes and No.
For many M.Ed. programs, an education background in essential since the course is concerned with teaching, schooling or education management.
But some programs don't require you to have any particular background. An example is the Learning and Leadership masters from UTS Online, which is aimed at workplace trainers among others.
An 8-subject M.Ed. can be completed in 1 year full-time. A 12-subject master's represents 1.5 years of full-time study.
Online accelerated programs make it possible to finish in a reasonable timeframe while working full-time. Allow two months per subject, meaning course duration is 16 to 24 months of part-time study.
