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CourseDiplomaDipTertStuds

D0502 Diploma of Tertiary Studies

Faculty of Education

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Diploma of Tertiary Studies (D0502) is a 1 years full-time, 48-credit-point, diploma course from the Faculty of Education, taught at Peninsula. Map your units semester by semester with the MonMap planner.

Credit points
48
Duration
1 years full time
Campus
Peninsula
On campus
Guaranteed ATAR
50

This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.

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Requisite map

Overview

The Diploma of Tertiary Studies is a pathway course to university study. If you have the drive and desire to study at university but have experienced educational disadvantage, don't quite meet the entry requirements for entry into your preferred course at Monash University, are returning to study after some time away, or would benefit from additional learning support, the Diploma of Tertiary Studies can help you achieve your academic goals. The course will enhance your critical and analytical thinking, and oral and writing skills. It will provide you with the skills to become an independent learner and will also provide you with an introduction to tertiary studies in your area of interest.

When you apply for the Diploma of Tertiary Studies, you will select a stream from business, education or nursing. These streams provide a direct pathway into the second year of specified Monash degree courses.

You may also use your successful completion of the Diploma of Tertiary Studies as the basis for an application to other courses at Monash. All your study is at university level so if you progress to a bachelor's degree course, you will be eligible to apply for credit for prior study. The amount of credit granted will be at the discretion of the relevant faculty and will not automatically allow for progression into the second year of your preferred course.

Business

In business, you will be introduced to a range of core business disciplines and the impact they have on multi-discipline decision making in organisations spanning the business, professional and public policy communities.

Education

In education, you will be introduced to studies about learning, learners and teaching and build a foundation in the professional skills and knowledge required to practise as a teacher/educator in a range of educational settings, from early childhood to secondary schools.

Nursing

In nursing, you will be introduced to nursing and healthcare as a profession. You will study foundational knowledge in human bioscience, nursing and midwifery, health assessment and professional practice.

Course structure

Part A. Foundation knowledge12 credit points
You must complete the following unit

Additional foundation knowledge unit

6 credit points
You must complete one of the following units.

Note 1: If you are enrolled in the education stream: EDF1012 is a compulsory unit for you and is the mathematics prerequisite for entry into the Bachelor of Education (Hons)

Note 2: If you are enrolled in the business administration stream: Take EDF1012 or ECC1550 if you need to meet the mathematics prerequisite for Bachelor of Business Administration

Note 3: If you are enrolled in the business stream: Take ECC1550 if you need to meet the mathematics prerequisite for the Bachelor of Business. This unit is only offered at Clayton campus

Note 4: If you are enrolled in the nursing stream: Take EDF1012 if you need to meet the mathematics prerequisite for Bachelor of Nursing
Part B. Specialist discipline knowledge36 credit points
You must complete the units listed in your chosen destination stream

Business - Business or business administration

36 credit points
You must complete 24 credit points from the following units. If you choose ACB1020 or ACB1120, note that only one of these units can be included in your 24 credit points.

Note: If you are interested in pursuing studies in accounting, it is recommended you undertake ACB1120.

Faculty of Business and Economics units

12 credit points
You must complete 12 credit points from the following units, chosen in consultation with the Faculty of Business and Economics.

Education

36 credit points
You must complete the following units and the units listed from one of the following destination specialisation options

Early childhood and primary education

36 credit points
You must complete the following units

Primary education

36 credit points
You must complete the following units

Primary and secondary health and physical education

36 credit points
You must complete the following units

Secondary health and physical education

36 credit points
You must complete the following units

Nursing

36 credit points
You must complete the following units
The handbook's description of this structure

The course is structured into two parts: Part A. Foundation knowledge and Part B. Specialist discipline knowledge within the area of study corresponding to your chosen stream.

Part A. Foundation knowledge

These units will provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to be an independent learner who can succeed at university studies. You will develop enhanced writing and critical reading skills and learn how to produce essays and reports that present a critical argument and adhere to the conventions of academic presentation. You will also learn how to maximise lectures, tutorials and learning materials and understand the expectations of university studies.

If you do not have the mathematics prerequisites for your desired Monash course, you will have the opportunity to gain the required level of mathematics in the introductory units. If you already meet the mathematics prerequisites for the Nursing or Business streams, you will take a unit in understanding knowledge and its contexts, which will help you to identify, compare and discuss different approaches to knowledge.

Part B. Specialist discipline knowledge

You will complete specialist discipline knowledge units taken from your destination course. These units will introduce you to the fundamentals of your chosen stream of business, education or nursing and will ensure you have the knowledge and skills necessary to take the next step in your higher education studies.

Course progression maps

The course progression maps provide guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

The course comprises 48 points structured into two parts: Part A. Foundation knowledge (12 points) and Part B. Specialist discipline knowledge (36 points) from your chosen stream of study.

Part A. Foundation knowledge (12 points)

You must complete:

  • EDF1010 Learning in a university context

and one of:

  • EDF1011 Knowledge and context

  • EDF1012 Mathematics for tertiary study (Notes 1, 2, 4)

  • ECC1550 Introductory mathematics for business and economics (Notes 2, 3)

1 If you are enrolled in the education stream: EDF1012 is a compulsory unit for you and is the mathematics prerequisite for entry into the Bachelor of Education (Hons)

2 If you are enrolled in the business administration stream: Take EDF1012 or ECC1550 if you need to meet the mathematics prerequisite for Bachelor of Business Administration

3 If you are enrolled in the business stream: Take ECC1550 if you need to meet the mathematics prerequisite for the Bachelor of Business. This unit is only offered at Clayton campus

4 If you are enrolled in the nursing stream: Take EDF1012 if you need to meet the mathematics prerequisite for Bachelor of Nursing

Part B. Specialist discipline knowledge (36 points)

You must complete the units listed in your chosen destination stream.

Business

Business or business administration
You must complete:

  • ACB1020 Accounting in business or ACB1120 Financial accounting 1*
  • BTB1010 Commercial law
  • ETB1100 Business statistics
  • MGB1010 Introduction to management

and two units chosen in consultation with the Faculty of Business and Economics, such as:

  • BFB1001 Foundations of finance
  • ECB1101 Introductory microeconomics
  • ECB1102 Introductory macroeconomics
  • MKB1700 Fundamentals of marketing

*If you are interested in pursuing studies in accounting, it is recommended you undertake ACB1120.

Education

Early childhood and primary education
You must complete:

  • EDF1021 Early childhood professional experience 1L (0 pts)
  • EDF1061 Working in education: An introduction to the profession
  • EDF1062 Approaches to teaching and learning
  • EDF1065 Foundational numeracy for learning
  • EDF1067 Introduction to early childhood
  • EDF1068 Contemporary approaches to learning for young children: Theories and practice
  • EDF1084 English and literacies 1

Primary education
You must complete:

  • EDF1022 Primary professional experience 1L (0 pts)
  • EDF1061 Working in education: An introduction to the profession
  • EDF1062 Approaches to teaching and learning
  • EDF1065 Foundational numeracy for learning
  • EDF1070 Understanding students as learners
  • EDF1079 Digital technologies
  • EDF1084 English and literacies 1

Primary and secondary health and physical education
You must complete:

  • EDF1023 Secondary professional experience 1L (0 pts)
  • EDF1061 Working in education: An introduction to the profession
  • EDF1062 Approaches to teaching and learning
  • EDF1075 Biophysical and behavioural foundations of health and physical education
  • EDF1076 Health and education: Frameworks, concepts and practices
  • EDF1079 Digital technologies
  • EDF1084 English and literacies 1

Secondary health and physical education
You must complete:

  • EDF1023 Secondary professional experience 1L (0 pts)
  • EDF1061 Working in education: An introduction to the profession
  • EDF1062 Approaches to teaching and learning
  • EDF1073 Introduction to health and physical education
  • EDF1075 Biophysical and behavioural foundations of health and physical education
  • EDF1076 Health and education: Frameworks, concepts and practices
  • EDF1078 Beyond the classroom: Local and global environmental and sustainability learnings

Nursing
You must complete:

  • NUR1014 Indigenous health and cultural safety in healthcare practice
  • NUR1112 Fundamental skills and knowledge for nursing and midwifery practice 1 (12 pts)
  • NUR1113 Law, ethics and leadership in nursing and midwifery
  • NUR1114 Fundamental skills and knowledge for nursing and midwifery practice 2 (12 pts)

 

Learning outcomes

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework and Monash Graduate Attributes.

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that you will be able to:

  1. 1

    achieve success in your studies and proceed to a Monash University undergraduate degree course

  2. 2

    achieve first-year equivalent standard in an area of study in order to gain entry to a relevant degree course

  3. 3

    demonstrate the intellectual capabilities necessary for tertiary study and scholarship

  4. 4

    operate as a self-directed and independent tertiary learner through the development of positive learning habits including analytical, problem-solving, oral and writing skills.

Entry requirements

Guaranteed ATAR and selection rank

50

Other applicants

Applicants must satisfy the English language requirements equivalent to the VCE English and have an overall level of achievement equivalent to a minimum of an ATAR of 50. This can be achieved through: Recognised graded TAFE Certificate IV - a minimum distinction grade average (70%). Recognised graded TAFE Diploma - a minimum credit average (60%). Preference will be given to students whose prior studies are related to the course in which they are seeking admission. Programs that involve competency-based assessment without grades or marks will not meet the admission requirements.

English language

Monash Level A, that is: IELTS (Academic): 6.5 overall (no band lower than 6.0); or Pearson Test of English (Academic): score of 58 overall with no band lower than 50; or TOEFL Internet-based test: score of 79 overall with minimum scores: Writing: 21, Listening: 12, Reading: 13 and Speaking: 18; or Equivalent approved English test.
 
 

Additional information for Nursing stream applicants:

In addition to meeting the VCE English prerequisite, applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency either by providing a written declaration that English is their primary language or evidence that they have achieved the minimum English language test results as specified in the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia's (NMBA) English language skills registration standard. Information on this requirement can be found at Nursing Find a Course.

More information

Progression to further studies

If you achieve the required minimum average grade, you are eligible for articulation into either the Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Education (Honours) or Bachelor of Nursing courses.

To be eligible to apply for an internal course transfer to gain direct admission into the second year of a destination course, you must:

  • pass each unit in the diploma on the first (and only) attempt
  • achieve the average mark required for the destination course
  • for Education stream only, successfully complete a literacy hurdle test

If you do not meet this requirement, you are encouraged to apply for admission through VTAC. Should you gain successful admission through VTAC, you will receive credit towards the degree for the units you have passed in the diploma.

Business

  • B2000 Bachelor of Business
  • B2007 Bachelor of Business Administration

Education

  • D3001 Bachelor of Education (Honours)

Specialisations:

  • Early childhood and primary education
  • Primary education
  • Primary and secondary health and physical education
  • Secondary health and physical education

Applicants must sit a Situational Judgement test to be eligible for entry into this course. The Situational Judgement test is a requirement for many of the initial teacher education courses in Victoria. It is an online test designed to assess an applicant's personal and professional attributes. For more information on the test type options visit the Situational Judgement test website.

Once enrolled in the BEd(Hons), students will be required to achieve the standard in the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students. See D3001 Bachelor of Education (Honours) for more information.

Nursing

  • M2006 Bachelor of Nursing

The Diploma of Tertiary Studies course can also provide a pathway into other Monash degree courses that are not destination degrees. You can apply for other courses through VTAC and will need to make sure that you have met the prerequisites for those courses.

Other information

The Diploma of Tertiary Studies is a pathway course to university study. If you have the drive and desire to study at university but have experienced educational disadvantage, don't quite meet the entry requirements for entry into your preferred course at Monash University, are returning to study after some time away, or would benefit from additional learning support, the Diploma of Tertiary Studies can help you achieve your academic goals. The course will enhance your critical and analytical thinking, and oral and writing skills. It will provide you with the skills to become an independent learner and will also provide you with an introduction to tertiary studies in your area of interest.

When you apply for the Diploma of Tertiary Studies, you will select a stream from business, education or nursing. These streams provide a direct pathway into the second year of specified Monash degree courses.

You may also use your successful completion of the Diploma of Tertiary Studies as the basis for an application to other courses at Monash. All your study is at university level so if you progress to a bachelor's degree course, you will be eligible to apply for credit for prior study. The amount of credit granted will be at the discretion of the relevant faculty and will not automatically allow for progression into the second year of your preferred course.

Business

In business, you will be introduced to a range of core business disciplines and the impact they have on multi-discipline decision making in organisations spanning the business, professional and public policy communities.

Education

In education, you will be introduced to studies about learning, learners and teaching and build a foundation in the professional skills and knowledge required to practise as a teacher/educator in a range of educational settings, from early childhood to secondary schools.

Nursing

In nursing, you will be introduced to nursing and healthcare as a profession. You will study foundational knowledge in human bioscience, nursing and midwifery, health assessment and professional practice.

Common questions

How long is Diploma of Tertiary Studies?

1 years full time, 48 credit points. At 24 credit points a semester, that is 2 semesters of full-time study.

What ATAR do I need for Diploma of Tertiary Studies?

The guaranteed ATAR listed for 2025 entry is 50.

Where can I study Diploma of Tertiary Studies?

At Peninsula.

How do I plan my Diploma of Tertiary Studies units?

Open the course in the MonMap planner. It lays out your semesters, checks prerequisites as you drag units in, and tracks the credit points each requirement still needs.

Course details

Qualification
Diploma
AQF level
Level 5
Credit points
48
Full time
1 Years
Maximum time
3 years
Faculty
Faculty of Education
CRICOS code
066336G
Abbreviation
DipTertStuds
Award title
Diploma of Tertiary Studies
Handbook years
20202021202220232024202520262027