Diploma of Education

The Diploma of Education, often abbreviated to DipEd or GradDipEd, is a postgraduate qualification offered in many Commonwealth countries including Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The diploma can build on the general or disciplinary knowledge of a bachelor's degree to prepare students to teach in schools although this is not true of the UK where Qualified Teacher Status is the recognized professional qualification for those wishing to teach in (state) maintained primary and secondary schools. The Graduate Diploma in Education is a one-year teacher preparation program for students who already hold a tertiary degree.

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 practicums (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.

In Australia the Graduate Diploma in Education, typically a 1-year programme, is gradually being phased out in favour of a 2-year Masters course. This is the result of a requirement by the Australian Institution for Teaching and School Leadership that post graduate qualification must be of 2 years' duration.

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