Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary)

Upon successful completion, students should be able to:

1. Investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information, concepts, theories and current debates relevant to primary education and apply this knowledge to their teaching practice and professional engagement.
2. Plan, build and evaluate positive learning environments that support equitable and ethical outcomes and the advancement of disadvantaged communities, including those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, based on effective communication and well-established relationships with key stakeholders.
3. Research, create, and apply curriculum knowledge, theorised pedagogical approaches, and learning resources to address a range of problems in their teaching and evaluate their effectiveness through a process of evidence-based inquiry, working both autonomously and in collaboration with others.
4. Facilitate demonstrable learning and development of students across all learning areas of the primary curriculum, including both academic and social/emotional, and demonstrate advanced pedagogy and teacher leadership in a specialised learning area.
5. Critically analyse and evaluate issues of equity and social justice in Australian classrooms, schools, and education systems, and their impact on students and communities, identifying needs for and potential means of improving classroom, school, and systemic outcomes in education through teacher leadership.
6. Meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teaching at the Graduate level and demonstrate highly effective teaching in a specialised learning area of the Primary curriculum.
7. Meet the Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority curriculum specification requirements.

The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary) is a graduate-entry, pre-service teacher education course for those who want to qualify as both an early childhood and primary school teacher. This course cultivates graduates who are passionate about, and committed to, the generation and dissemination of knowledge, skills and attitudes that facilitate high-quality learning in a child’s early years. Delivered fully online, this course is made up of a series of online units and block day placements in early childhood and primary school settings.

An exceptional benefit to this course is you will be able to build on your undergraduate studies and graduate with a teaching specialisation area within the primary curriculum.

Achieve your goals with a scholarship.  

A generous Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship is available to support new undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolling in an initial teacher education (ITE) program to help meet the costs of their study. Learn more about eligibility and how to apply here.

Recommended study pattern

To qualify for the degree, a student must complete 160 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings, consisting of:

• 60 cp Education Studies and Effective Teaching (Part A)
• 100 cp Curriculum Studies Units (Part B)
• 0 cp from ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Units (Part C).

Award requirements

To qualify for the degree, a student must complete 160 cp from the schedule of subject offerings, consisting of:

• 60 cp Education Studies subjects and Effective Teaching
• 100 cp Curriculum Studies subjects
• 0 cp from ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Units.

Exit points

A student who has successfully completed the following requirements may exit from the course with that qualification. Note that none of these qualifications qualifies a student to teach in Australia.

• Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies: 40 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings
• Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies:80 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings.

A student who does not meet the LANTITE requirements may exit with the Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies or Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies if they meet the requirements of those awards.

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

Indicative total fee $9,808

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.

Australian Catholic University – So much more

An Australian Catholic University (ACU) education is grounded in the Catholic understanding of faith and reason working together in the pursuit of knowledge, promotion of human dignity, and advancement of the common good.

ACU aims to transform lives and communities. Students are challenged to look beyond the classroom, solve real-world problems, develop their own search for meaning and cultivate strong professional ethics. They are invited to stand up for people in need and causes that matter.

Opportunities for personal and professional growth are critical to ACU. It is a university of service – so much so that it is built into the curricula. All ACU courses offer work placements, internships or volunteering opportunities.

Learn more about Australian Catholic University

Explore Australian Catholic University courses

QS World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:

33

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:

27

To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must:

• Have successfully completed a bachelor degree or equivalent qualification, with:
  • subject content studies equivalent to one year of full-time study in one or more learning areas of the primary school curriculum; including
  • subject content studies equivalent to one quarter of a year in a selected subject specialisation.
• Demonstrate suitability for teaching as evidenced by completion of the relevant State assessment which will be provided in the application process.

Applicants who completed bachelor degrees outside Australia should review Admission to Coursework Programs Policy to determine if they are required to meet additional English Language Proficiency requirements for entry into the course.

Applicants seeking teacher registration in Australia should check with state registration bodies to confirm English Language Proficiency requirements for teacher registration.

IELTS no score less than 7 in reading and writing. No score less than 8.0 in listening and speaking.

If your prior study or relevant work experience has provided you with knowledge, skills or experience aligned with the learning outcomes of units in your new course, you may be eligible to gain credit for study or have your prior learning recognised. This means you may be able to complete your ACU course in a shorter timeframe.

• Pre-service educators must complete a Professional Experience Program in a relevant prior-to-school and formal primary school settings in line with the requirements of national teacher accreditation authorities. During this time they are required to be available on a full-time basis. In the Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary) program Professional Experience totals 70 days and is supervised by a registered teacher.
• Supervised professional experience is at the heart of all our pre-service teacher education courses and the Faculty will find appropriate placements to suit the needs of your course.
• Placements will usually be arranged for the scheduled placement period in the professional experience calendar though this may not always be possible.

All students enrolled must have the appropriate approvals before they may enter a classroom. These are: Blue Card (QLD), Working with Vulnerable People (ACT) or Working with Children Check (NSW and VIC). Students in other states and territories should check their local requirements. To meet the requirements for working in settings other than schools, a National Police Check may also be required.

International students must bring police check documentation from their own countries. Australian students who have lived in another country for 12 months or more must provide a police check from that country for that period.