Undergraduate ECU-ECE-DEG-2023
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Studies)
Become a professional educator in early learning environments
Meet children’s educational needs in kinder, pre-primary school, and childcare settings. This nationally accredited teaching degree includes the opportunity to pick up a specialisation during Year 4, including Catholic Studies and Special Education.
Available loans
Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
Total subjects
31
Price
From
$16,600
Study method
Online & on-campus
Assessments
100% online
CSP Available
Yes
Credit available
Yes
Applications Close
- No dates available
ECU is ranked one of the world’s best young universities and Australia’s best public university for teaching quality. That quality extends to more than 30,000 students, many studying online through Open Universities Australia. ECU offers the same quality of teaching to you, regardless of where you’re studying in the world. Their flexible study solutions include a huge range of online courses, recognising your need to juggle work, family or other commitments.
Learn more about ECU.
Explore ECU courses.
QS Ranking 2023
28
Times Higher Education Ranking 2023
28
Degree details
At the end of the program, students of the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Studies)
can:
- Apply broad discipline knowledge to a range of theoretical and practical early childhood situations.
- Communicate early childhood knowledge and values in professional and public contexts.
- Demonstrate a global outlook with respect for cultural diversity, including Indigenous cultural competence.
- Demonstrate autonomy, accountability and judgement for own learning and professional practice.
- Think creatively to anticipate challenges and generate discipline specific solutions/responses.
- Think critically to analyse, interpret and conceptualise complex early childhood problems.
- Use digital technologies and literacies to access, evaluate and synthesise relevant information from multiple sources.
- Work collaboratively and demonstrate initiative to implement social, sustainable, and ethical values.
This course creates quality graduates ready to take up employment in education learning environments.
Possible future job titles: Kindergarten, Pre-Primary or Junior Primary Teacher, Child Care Professional, Pedagogical Leader, Centre Director
Professional recognition
Students will need to graduate to be eligible to register with the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA). Registration with the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA) is required to practice in the profession. This course is accredited by the TRBWA.
Graduates must meet the Teacher Registration Board of WA (TRBWA) literacy and numeracy proficiency requirements prior to graduation for teacher registration in Western Australia. Further information is available at http://www.trb.wa.gov.au
Higher education
The following course-specific admission requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied by all applicants. These requirements are in addition to or supersede the minimum requirements outlined within the Academic admission requirements band section below.
All applicants are required to satisfy non-academic criteria, in addition to satisfying academic entry criteria. Applicants' non-academic capabilities will be assessed based on completion of a Non-Academic Requirements for Teacher Entry (NARTE) online questionnaire.
All applicants must meet the academic admission requirements for this course. Academic admission requirements may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:
- AQF Cert IV;
- Successfully completed 0.25 EFTSL of study at bachelor level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent);
- Undergraduate Certificate;
- Special Tertiary Admissions Test;
- University Preparation Course;
- Indigenous University Orientation Course;
- Aboriginal University Readiness Assessment.
For international students, requirements include your secondary school results.
Secondary education
Alternatively, applicants can apply with the indicative or guaranteed ATAR is as published.
Work and Life
Alternatively, applicants can apply via Experience Based Entry Scheme, subject to eligibility.
English Proficiency Requirements
Students can satisfy English competency requirements by showing any
of the following:
• Results of Year 12 English ATAR or English Literature ATAR
with a grade C or better or equivalent.
• Results of a Special Tertiary Admissions Test to ECU’s
standards.
• An IELTS Academic Overall band minimum score of 6.0 (no
individual band less than 6.0).
• Completion of 1.0 EFTSL of study at bachelor level or higher
in the UK, Ireland, USA, NZ or Canada.
• Completion of an ECU University Preparation Course,
Indigenous University Orientation Course, or Aboriginal University
Readiness Assessment.
• Completion of a Diploma, Advanced Diploma or Associate
Degree as described by the Australia Qualifications Framework.
• Completion of 0.375 EFTSL of study at bachelor level or
higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent); or
• Completion of other tests, courses or programs as accepted
by ECU
Practicum placement
Practicum
In each year of the program, students undertake compulsory Professional Experience and in the final year, students undertake an Assistant Teacher Program (ATP) comprising of one term of approximately 10 weeks of continuous teaching practice. The Assistant Teacher Program is conducted during the final year of the course in the second term of the school year.
Attendance requirements
Generally host Schools and Centres require that the pre-service teachers attend the placement on a full time basis and otherwise meet their specific attendance requirements of the particular placement. There is limited scope for ECU to negotiate any deviations from these requirements.
Internship option
The internship equips Pre-Service Teachers with the mastery and knowledge to lead their own classrooms. Pre-Service Teachers are placed in either classrooms or early learning settings where they will fulfil a diversity of roles, tasks and duties to provide a well-rounded experience of working as a teacher. Students will be required to attend the school or early learning setting for 4 days per week (8 hours each day) during term 3.
Attendance requirements
Generally host Schools and Centres require that the Pre-Service Teachers attend the placement on a full time basis and otherwise meet their specific attendance requirements of the particular placement. There is limited scope for ECU to negotiate any deviations from these requirements.
Reduce the time it takes to finish your degree. For eligible students, ECU offers credit and recognition of prior learning (CRPL). There are 2 CRPL options:
• Credit transfer to acknowledge students’ formal learning at uni or TAFE.
• Recognition of students’ informal learning gained outside of the education system (for example workplace experience or volunteer training.)
This nationally accredited course is designed to graduate early childhood educators who are competent teachers ready to work in schools and a range of early childhood settings.
A key feature of this course is connecting theory with practice. Graduates will have the knowledge and be able to develop early childhood educational programs for children from birth to 8 years of age.
Partnerships with over 1,000 schools and early childhood settings allow pre-service teachers to gain experience in diverse settings, including public, private, metropolitan, regional and remote contexts working with children, families and communities.
In addition, a distinguishing feature of this course is that pre-service teachers have the opportunity in the fourth year of their course to specialise and broaden their knowledge and skills in an area of interest. Units are also available in the degree that enables pre-service teachers to complete accreditation requirements to teach in Catholic schools.
Final year Pre-Service Teachers can apply for a place in the internship program in either a school or early learning setting.
Recommended Study Pattern
This course has a Semester 1 intake only, commencing in February.
As a guide, core subjects in this degree can include:
- Drama Arts in Early Childhood Education
- Becoming an Early Childhood Educator
- Learning and Learners
- Communication Skills for Teaching and Learning
As part of your application, you’ll be guided through how to get the right degree structure in place for you.
Award Requirements
Students are required to complete 480 credit points which consists of 24 core units and a supplementary program.
Choose your subjects
Electives
The supplementary program options are: - an Internship plus one (1) unit from any of the listed specialisations; or - a School-based program plus one (1) unit from any of the listed specialisations; or - ECS4330 and ECS4261 plus a listed specialisation; or - ECS4330 and ECS4261 plus any 3 units from any of the specialisations (note - If students select this option no specialisation will be recorded on the academic transcript). Early Childhood Specialisations are: - Arts - Catholic Studies - Creativity in Early Childhood - Diversity in Early Childhood - Special Education