Bachelor of Education (Primary)

At the end of the program, students of the Edith Cowan University (ECU) Bachelor of Education (Primary) can:

1. Apply broad discipline knowledge to a range of theoretical and practical Primary education situations.
2. Communicate disciplinary (Primary education) knowledge and values in professional and public contexts.
3. Demonstrate a broad and coherent body of knowledge in the underlying philosophies, theories, principles and processes of learning including how they relate to practice and the role of teachers, from a global perspective.
4. Demonstrate a global outlook with respect for cultural diversity, including Indigenous cultural competence.
5. Demonstrate autonomy, accountability and judgement for own learning and professional practice.
6. Demonstrate broad and coherent body of knowledge with depth in the underlying principles and concepts in primary education.
7. Demonstrate knowledge of socio-cultural backgrounds, including Indigenous and their impact on students' learning needs (1,12)
8. Think creatively to anticipate challenges and generate Primary education specific solutions/responses.
9. Think critically to analyse, interpret and conceptualise complex Primary education problems.
10. Use digital technologies and literacies to access, evaluate and synthesise relevant information from multiple sources.
11. Work collaboratively and demonstrate initiative to implement social, sustainable, and ethical values.

This nationally accredited course is dedicated to producing future teachers ready to enter the primary education teaching profession.

A key feature of this course is the range and number of professional practice experiences offered to Pre-Service Teachers, ensuring they can make the essential connection between theory and practice, while building both professional and generic employability skills in real teaching environments.

Partnerships between ECU and over 1,000 schools and early learning centres allow for Pre-Service Teachers to gain experience in diverse settings, including public, private, metropolitan, regional, rural or remote schools, working with children from diverse economic, social, ethnic and educational backgrounds. Final year Pre-Service Teachers can apply for a place in the internship program in a school.

Pre-Service Teachers also have the opportunity to complete a formal specialisation in their Primary Education qualification. This enables you to obtain a deeper and broader level knowledge and understanding in a particular Learning Area at the graduate level. Units are also available in the degree that enable students to complete accreditation requirements to teach in Catholic schools.

Recommended study pattern

This course has a Semester 1 intake only, commencing in February. 

As a guide, subjects in this degree can include:

• Introduction to Teaching
• Learning and Learners
• The Arts in Education 1
• Foundations of Primary Mathematics.

Plus there’s a selection of specialisations to choose from. 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.

Choose your subjects

Electives

Students are required to complete 480 credit points which consists of core units and a supplementary program. 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; alternatively, Students could complete a Primary Technologies unit with 4 units from their specialisation. The Specialisations that can be studied are Arts, Catholic Studies, English, Health and Physical Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Languages, Mathematics, Music, Science and Special Education.

Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.

Indicative total fee $18,600

The amounts shown here are indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.

Fees may vary depending on:

• the subjects you choose
• credit from previous work experience
• your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.

To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.

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.

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QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

29

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

24

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. One or more of the majors in this course has admission requirements. Refer to the major for more information.

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*; OR
• Aboriginal University Readiness Assessment*.

*For international students, requirements include your secondary school results.

Alternatively, applicants can apply with the indicative or guaranteed ATAR.

Alternatively, applicants can apply via Experience Based Entry Scheme, subject to eligibility. Our Experience Based Entry Scheme allows you to be considered for entry to an undergraduate course through an assessment of your ability to succeed in higher education. This is based on a portfolio of evidence you provide to us.

International students must attain an IELTS Academic with an average level of 7.5 or more, across the four components of listening, speaking, reading and writing; no score below level 7.0 in any of these components; and a score of 8.0 or more in the components of speaking and listening. Internationally schooled applicants may also be required to meet this requirement.

Applicants who have completed secondary education, bachelor degree or master degree studies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the USA are not required to provide an IELTS Academic test. Minimum English standard requirements may be satisfied with one of the following:

• Year 12 English ATAR/English Literature ATAR grade C or better or equivalent
• Special Tertiary Admissions Test*
• Successfully completed 1.0 EFTSL of study at bachelor level or higher in the UK, Ireland, USA, NZ or Canada
• University Preparation Course
• Indigenous University Orientation Course*
• Aboriginal Student Intake Test*
• AQF Diploma, Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree; OR
• Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at bachelor level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent).

Note: Applicants who have completed their secondary education in South Africa in English, or have an undergraduate degree taught in English from a South African University are deemed to have satisfied English language requirements.

Applicants from the Seychelles: Successful completion of the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) grade C or above, PLUS a completed 4 year National Diploma.

If you have completed units of study at University, undertaken a Diploma qualification or higher, or have relevant professional experience, you may be eligible for Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning (CRPL).

To assess your eligibility for credit, we first need you to apply for and accept an offer in your course of interest with us. You can then submit an Application for Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning via your Student Portal.

Practicum requirement

In each year of the program, students undertake compulsory Professional Practice and in the final year, students undertake an Assistant Teacher Program (ATP) comprising 8 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.

Students will complete:

• 7 distributed days and 2 weeks in Year 1 (EDL1240 and PPA1260)
• 4 weeks in Year 2 (PPA2360)
• 5 weeks in Year 3 (PPA3260)
• 8 weeks in Year 4 (ATP4440).

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 unit (EDU4227) enables final year Pre-Service Teachers to fulfil a diversity of roles and/or assume increasing responsibility for the tasks and duties normally performed by employees in an approved context that may include school, community or industry.

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.