Special needs education

Personalised by

Use this icon to personalise the page to your pathway, preferred campus and study level.

Personalisation is not available through private browsing.

Education enhances the life of every learner

As a teacher working in special education, your knowledge, skills and creative talents will focus on the capabilities, interests and learning styles of individual students. You'll be a learning specialist, teaching students with diverse needs in typical primary and secondary schools, and also in other settings such as special schools and education units. As a Griffith graduate in the field, your credentials will give you high standing and the advantage of exceptional employment opportunities at both primary and secondary school levels. In fact it's one of the few teaching areas with a 95 per cent employment rate of graduates over the last five years.

Skip to degrees

Flexible study options

Learn how we can help make University work for you.

Find out more about Flexibility

Study special needs education at Griffith

Our teachers are in high demand.

Griffith’s special and inclusive education degrees are benchmarks in Australia within this specialist teaching area. Final year students are often offered positions even before they officially graduate.

Working with people who have emotional or physical disabilities or learning problems, special education teachers require deep compassion and enormous patience. Your professional skills will be valued and appreciated by the community and bring you into contact with people of all ages.

Studying at Griffith, you’ll acquire the knowledge and experience to promote rich educational opportunities for all special needs students in a range of settings. You’ll learn how to achieve maximum learning outcomes for them, develop their positive communication skills, and build resilience through a supportive and inclusive classroom.

With the Graduate Certificate in Special Needs Education, you’ll develop special education skills at an advanced level and acquire an understanding of the general principles and practices of educating students with special needs.

The Master of Special Needs and Intervention Education will equip you with the knowledge and skills to advance your professional career in special and inclusive education, including moving into leadership roles. At the masters level you will also develop research skills that will be applied to a research project in special and inclusive education.

Todd Winton

Griffith education graduate

As a learning diversity teacher working with students from Years 8 to 10, education graduate Todd Winton's role involves teaching small group classes and tailoring learning experiences to suit students' individual educational needs. 'My Griffith degree gave me the confidence and experience with a vast range of teaching practices,' he says. 'It also helped me develop a range of appropriate practices to improve student outcomes.'

Study options

{"executionContext":"Public","query":null,"originalQuery":null,"collection":{"id":"gu-study-programs","profiles":{"_default":{"id":"_default","facetedNavConfConfig":{"facetDefinitions":[],"metadataFieldsUsed":[]},"padreOpts":null}},"facetedNavigationConfConfig":null,"facetedNavigationLiveConfig":null,"metaComponents":[],"type":"local"},"profile":"_default","clive":null,"form":"simple","cnClickedCluster":null,"cnPreviousClusters":[],"metaParameters":["+discipline:0086|T:Single|B:|W:|J:"],"systemMetaParameters":[],"additionalParameters":{"personalise":["yes"],"city":[""],"num_ranks":["1000"],"origin":["-33.861496,151.2055"],"REMOTE_ADDR":["43.245.40.214"],"REQUEST_URI":["/s/search.json"],"fmo":["on"],"sort":["title"],"REQUEST_URL":["http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0086%7CT%3ASingle%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on"],"HTTP_HOST":["search.griffith.edu.au"],"location":[""]},"environmentVariables":{"REMOTE_ADDR":"43.245.40.214","REQUEST_URI":"/s/search.json","HTTP_HOST":"search.griffith.edu.au","REQUEST_URL":"http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0086%7CT%3ASingle%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on"},"dynamicQueryProcessorOptions":["-qlog_file=/opt/funnelback/data/gu-study-programs/live/log/queries-griff-search01.log"],"userKeys":[],"selectedFacets":[],"selectedCategoryValues":{},"facetsQueryConstraints":[],"facetCollectionConstraints":null,"facetsGScopeConstraints":null,"impersonated":false,"requestId":"43.245.40.214","logQuery":null,"rawInputParameters":{"personalise":["yes"],"query_and":["discipline:0086|T:Single|B:|W:|J:"],"HTTP_HOST":["search.griffith.edu.au"],"city":[""],"num_ranks":["1000"],"REMOTE_ADDR":["43.245.40.214"],"REQUEST_URI":["/s/search.json"],"fmo":["on"],"location":[""],"sort":["title"],"collection":["gu-study-programs"],"REQUEST_URL":["http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0086%7CT%3ASingle%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on"]},"inputParameterMap":{"query_and":"discipline:0086|T:Single|B:|W:|J:","REQUEST_URL":"http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0086%7CT%3ASingle%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on","city":"","fmo":"on","personalise":"yes","sort":"title","collection":"gu-study-programs","location":"","HTTP_HOST":"search.griffith.edu.au","REQUEST_URI":"/s/search.json","REMOTE_ADDR":"43.245.40.214","num_ranks":"1000"},"questionType":"SEARCH","locale":"en_US","location":{"areaCode":0,"city":"Sydney","countryCode":"AU","countryName":"Australia","dmaCode":0,"latitude":-33.861496,"longitude":151.2055,"metroCode":0,"postalCode":"1001","region":"02"},"hostname":null,"funnelbackVersion":{"major":15,"minor":20,"revision":0},"customData":{},"queryStringMapCopy":{"personalise":["yes"],"query_and":["discipline:0086|T:Single|B:|W:|J:"],"city":[""],"num_ranks":["1000"],"fmo":["on"],"location":[""],"sort":["title"],"collection":["gu-study-programs"]},"extraSearch":false}

Degrees	Campus	OP
Bachelor of Education	Gold Coast Logan Mount Gravatt	13
Graduate Certificate in Special Needs Education	Online
Master of Autism Studies	Online
Master of Education	Mount Gravatt Online
Master of Special Needs and Intervention Education	Online

{"executionContext":"Public","query":null,"originalQuery":null,"collection":{"id":"gu-study-programs","profiles":{"_default":{"id":"_default","facetedNavConfConfig":{"facetDefinitions":[],"metadataFieldsUsed":[]},"padreOpts":null}},"facetedNavigationConfConfig":null,"facetedNavigationLiveConfig":null,"metaComponents":[],"type":"local"},"profile":"_default","clive":null,"form":"simple","cnClickedCluster":null,"cnPreviousClusters":[],"metaParameters":["+discipline:0086|T:Double|B:|W:|J:"],"systemMetaParameters":[],"additionalParameters":{"personalise":["yes"],"city":[""],"num_ranks":["1000"],"origin":["-33.861496,151.2055"],"REMOTE_ADDR":["43.245.40.213"],"REQUEST_URI":["/s/search.json"],"fmo":["on"],"sort":["title"],"REQUEST_URL":["http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0086%7CT%3ADouble%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on"],"HTTP_HOST":["search.griffith.edu.au"],"location":[""]},"environmentVariables":{"REMOTE_ADDR":"43.245.40.213","REQUEST_URI":"/s/search.json","HTTP_HOST":"search.griffith.edu.au","REQUEST_URL":"http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0086%7CT%3ADouble%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on"},"dynamicQueryProcessorOptions":["-qlog_file=/opt/funnelback/data/gu-study-programs/live/log/queries-griff-search01.log"],"userKeys":[],"selectedFacets":[],"selectedCategoryValues":{},"facetsQueryConstraints":[],"facetCollectionConstraints":null,"facetsGScopeConstraints":null,"impersonated":false,"requestId":"43.245.40.213","logQuery":null,"rawInputParameters":{"personalise":["yes"],"query_and":["discipline:0086|T:Double|B:|W:|J:"],"HTTP_HOST":["search.griffith.edu.au"],"city":[""],"num_ranks":["1000"],"REMOTE_ADDR":["43.245.40.213"],"REQUEST_URI":["/s/search.json"],"fmo":["on"],"location":[""],"sort":["title"],"collection":["gu-study-programs"],"REQUEST_URL":["http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0086%7CT%3ADouble%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on"]},"inputParameterMap":{"city":"","fmo":"on","personalise":"yes","query_and":"discipline:0086|T:Double|B:|W:|J:","sort":"title","collection":"gu-study-programs","location":"","REQUEST_URL":"http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0086%7CT%3ADouble%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on","HTTP_HOST":"search.griffith.edu.au","REQUEST_URI":"/s/search.json","num_ranks":"1000","REMOTE_ADDR":"43.245.40.213"},"questionType":"SEARCH","locale":"en_US","location":{"areaCode":0,"city":"Sydney","countryCode":"AU","countryName":"Australia","dmaCode":0,"latitude":-33.861496,"longitude":151.2055,"metroCode":0,"postalCode":"1001","region":"02"},"hostname":null,"funnelbackVersion":{"major":15,"minor":20,"revision":0},"customData":{},"queryStringMapCopy":{"personalise":["yes"],"query_and":["discipline:0086|T:Double|B:|W:|J:"],"city":[""],"num_ranks":["1000"],"fmo":["on"],"location":[""],"sort":["title"],"collection":["gu-study-programs"]},"extraSearch":false}

It is important to check the degree requirements including placement requirements, before you apply.

Scholarships

Over 600 Scholarships available.

Find out more about Scholarships

Career outcomes

Qualifications that make a difference in children's lives

Griffith University has the highest education graduate success rates in Australia

Our graduates are in demand and your special education degree will qualify you to teach your chosen subjects in the independent, Catholic and state education systems in Queensland as well as overseas. You could choose to follow a different path and find satisfying employment opportunities in:

Training settings in industry and government
Environmental education
Adult health education
Student counselling
Libraries
Educational research
Education policy
Curriculum development

Create a personalised study guide

Explore what Griffith has to offer

Get started

Life at Griffith

You can gain more than just a degree at Griffith. With plenty of opportunities to balance life and study, you can make memories and mates to last a lifetime.

Learn more about life at Griffith University

News

View all news articles

25 Sep 2019

Griffith research nationally recognised

19 Sep 2019

UNESCO invites Griffith Education Professor to deliver education research workshops

Key dates

View all key dates

Monday 21 October — Friday 25 October

Trimester 3: Orientation

Get the right start and find out everything you need to know about starting at Griffith.

Find out more.

Tuesday 29 October — Thursday 31 October

Application Support Nights

Need help with your university application? Receive personalised advice and assistance from one of our expert study advisers to start and/or complete your university application.

Find out more.

Monday 16 December — Thursday 19 December

Explore your options

If your OP or ATAR result changes your direction, chat online with our expert study advisers to explore your study options. Find out about admissions pathways, entry requirements and changing your preferences.

Find out more.