Pathways to Steiner/Waldorf teaching
Becoming a qualified Steiner teacher -
Early Childhood and Primary School
The pathway to teaching, whether it be for Early Childhood, Primary or High School years begins with a Bachelor of Education or a Masters of Teaching degree and your state’s teaching registration.
The Advanced Diploma of Rudolf Steiner Education, (Course code 10825NAT, CRICOS code 107755A) provides an essential and critical pre-requisite pathway to a university Bachelor of Education. This combination qualifies graduates to teach in both Steiner schools and mainstream Australian schools and Early Childhood settings. There is currently a shortage of mainstream and Steiner-trained teachers in Australia.
Steiner schools place the highest priority on employing teachers who have attained this Advanced Diploma. We have a Memorandum of Understanding with schools around Australia which states “It is the employment practice of this school that wherever possible we employ suitable teachers with accredited Steiner Teacher Training.”
The Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) has approved this Advanced Diploma as a pathway program into initial teacher education (ITE).
Further, the recognition by the Australian Curriculum Assessment Reporting Authority (ACARA) of the Australian Steiner Curriculum Framework since 2011 underscores the fundamental necessity that teachers be professionally trained to deliver this curriculum. The Advanced Diploma of Rudolf Steiner Education has been written (and reaccredited 2019) with the Australian Steiner Curriculum Framework embedded throughout the units of competency. This qualification equips teachers with the knowledge and skills to work with this curriculum.
The Advanced Diploma of Rudolf Steiner Education is endorsed by Steiner Education Australia, the peak body representing Steiner Schools.
Graduates of the Advanced Diploma of Rudolf Steiner Education can complete a Bachelor of Education (Primary) through one of our partner universities or a university of their choice. The Advanced Diploma must be completed first before undertaking the Bachelor of Education.
Upon completion of the Bachelor of Education (Primary), graduates seek teacher registration through their relevant State authority and are then ready to teach in both mainstream schools and Steiner schools in Australia.
Many of our students who have completed their training through these pathways are now teaching in Steiner schools around Australia: Have a look on our Graduate Outcomes page to read their personal stories.
Details of our established Pathway partners are below.
We are pleased to announce a new partnership pathway with Swinburne University.
They offer Advanced Diploma pre-approved credits towards their on-campus or online Bachelor of Education Primary , Bachelor of Education Early Childhood and Primary, and Bachelor of Education Early Childhood.
Swinburne University Statement of Pre-approved Credits
Please note that credit arrangements between the Seminar and universities can change at any time depending on course updates and other factors.
Our relationship with Charles Darwin University extends back to 2010.
Their Bachelor of Education Primary (WEDP02) or Bachelor of Education Early Childhood and Primary (WEDEC2) course can be studied on-line or on their Darwin campus in the Northern Territory.
After the re-write of their course in 2023 the new pre-approved credit arrangement is:
BEd Primary (course code WEDP02)
(70 credit points):
ELA100 English Language for Literacy
ESC102 Scientific Inquiry for Primary Education
ETL102 Introduction to Teaching and Learning
ECU250 Performing Arts in Primary School
EPR220 Primary Professional Experience 1
EST245 Classroom Management and Student Wellbeing
ECU350 Visual Arts in Primary School
BEd Early Childhood/Primary (course code WEDEC2)
(50 credit points):
ESC105 Science & Humanities in Early Childhood
LAL100 - Language, Literacy Sustainability
ECU250 - Performing Arts in Primary School
EST245 - Classroom Management and Student Wellbeing
ECU350 - Visual Arts in Primary School
Please note that credit arrangements between the Seminar and universities can change at any time depending on course updates and other factors.
Other universities may also grant advanced standing to our Advanced Diploma graduates. The amount of credit will be determined by the university with documentation supplied to the student by the Seminar.
FAQs
To become an accredited teacher in a mainstream or Steiner school in Australia, you will need either a Bachelor of Education or a Masters of Teaching.
If you choose to do a Bachelor of Education, our Advanced Diploma can be part of that BEd if you do the Advanced Diploma first.
You may choose to complete a Masters of Teaching instead of the BEd. Universities do not accept credits from an Advanced Diploma for a Masters level course. If you pursue the Masters of Teaching, you may wish to either study the Advanced Diploma of Rudolf Steiner Education before or after you complete your Masters. Or you may enrol in our two-year part-time Primary Teaching in Rudolf Steiner Education course to give you the foundations of Steiner teaching to supplement your Masters of Teaching.
If you have no Bachelor of Education degree, the Advanced Diploma is highly regarded in Steiner schools to assist in the classroom; however employment criteria for assistants and aides is entirely at the discretion of the individual school.
Depending on your previous education and experience, you may qualify to be an assistant or aide after completion of our part-time Primary or Early Childhood course.
Employment criteria is at the discretion of the Steiner school. An Advanced Diploma in Rudolf Steiner Education will give you the resources you need to start in the classroom with confidence.
Many Steiner schools will also accept suitably qualified and experienced teachers who have completed our part-time online (non-accredited) Primary Teaching in Rudolf Steiner Education.
