Deakin University's Warr?nambool campus will next year offer a new postgraduate degree to fast-track teachers into the classroom within two years.

It will be the first time Deakin Warrnambool has trained secondary school teachers and comes as the region grapples with a shortage of specialist maths and science teachers.

Three full-time maths/science teaching positions are currently advertised by south-west secondary schools.

The two-year Master of Teacher course covers classroom management, student assessment, applied learning and school internships. There are more than 280 teacher vacancies across the state, 17 in south-west schools.

Deakin pro vice-chancellor Sue Kilpatrick said a shortage of maths and science teachers was a major problem for many south-west secondary schools. "It has become apparent that there is a very real shortage of maths and science teachers in our area so we hope this new course will address that problem," Professor Kilpatrick said.

She expected up to 20 post-graduate students would be enrolled in 2010.

"The course is a postgraduate degree, so we're not just looking for students that have just finished a science degree, although we expect that's where most of our enrolments will come from.

"We would also like to see people who work in science-related occupations such as water management, agriculture and so on who are considering a career change to look seriously at teaching."

Professor Kilpatrick said the region's energy industry boom meant securing more maths and science teachers had become increasingly important.

"Engineering and environmental science undergraduates need a solid start in science at secondary school," she said.

"These are the graduates we will need in the area to manage and operate our new energy facilities, catchment management authorities, water boards, farms and agri-businesses."