Primary education courses

A primary education degree qualifies you to teach children between the ages of 5 and 12 years old. 

If you’d like to teach even younger children in preschools, you’ll need to complete an early childhood education course.

It depends on which pathway you take to become a primary school teacher.

If you jump straight into an approved primary teaching degree, it will take you 4 years of full-time study to complete a Bachelor of Education (Primary Education), or 2 years of full-time study to complete a Master of Teaching (Primary Education). 

If you decide on a more flexible online study path, you can choose how many subjects you take at once and graduate at a faster or slower pace.

Yes, through Open Universities Australia you can get in through two study pathways: 

An undergraduate certificate

If you didn’t finish Year 12 or get a high enough ATAR for teaching, you can enrol in an undergraduate certificate in education, like Curtin University's Undergraduate Certificate in Teaching Education Studies. This certificate doesn’t have any entry requirements and is open to everyone. Once you complete the four subjects, you will be eligible to continue straight into a Bachelor of Education with full academic credit. 

Single subjects

Alternatively, if you’re still on the fence about primary school teaching, you can try this study option. Through Open Universities Australia, you can enrol in single subjects from a Bachelor of Education without entry requirements, to get a feel for the study area. Once you finish those subjects, you can either walk away, or use them to qualify for entry into the full degree.

Book a consultation with a student advisor for more information about these study pathways.

You’ll learn how to: 

• teach primary school-aged students in the core Australian curriculum areas, including maths, English, science and technology, history and geography, and arts.  

• lead and manage a classroom of students from diverse backgrounds and a range of learning abilities. 

• make lesson plans and assess student work.

• teach using appropriate technologies. 

• understand child development and behaviour. 

You can also choose to specialise in an area that interests you, like STEM education, the International Baccalaureate Programme or Indigenous Australian education.

When you study primary education online, you still cover the same material as an on-campus student. But instead of attending classes in a physical classroom, you watch your lectures and complete your coursework through an online learning portal when it’s convenient to you. This gives you the flexibility to fit study around other commitments in your life like full-time work or carer responsibilities.  

Online study can also give you an advantage in the workforce. Former student Ally Kettle had time to volunteer at a local primary school when she completed her online Bachelor of Education with Curtin University. The extra practical experience gave her an edge when a graduate teaching position came up. She landed the role over hundreds of other applicants.

Yes, you’ll have the opportunity to complete professional placements at local, rural, regional or interstate schools and engage with students from all sorts of backgrounds. You’re required to complete a set number of hours in the classroom before you can qualify as a teacher in Australia.

Yes, you may be eligible to apply for a weekly Commonwealth Prac Payment to help cover your living costs while you're on placement.

You can apply for this payment through your chosen university.

Visit our Commonwealth Prac Payment page to read more about how it works and whether you're eligible.

Yes, the Bachelor of Education and Master of Teaching courses that are available through Open Universities Australia are approved teaching courses, or what’s known as Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses. 

Once you graduate, you will be eligible for registration as a primary school teacher in all Australian states and territories, and in countries that recognise Australian primary teaching qualifications. You will be able to teach in Australian Government, Catholic and Independent schools.

Primary education graduates aren’t just restricted to teaching careers. You could also work outside the classroom, in an area such as:

• school administration and management

• education reform and policy

• education research

• curriculum design

• inclusive education

• corporate training

• youth guidance counselling.

Before starting an enrolment, it’s important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you’re eligible to apply. If you don’t quite meet the requirements, we may be able to help you find a pathway into your course.

Chat with us to find out more.

Enrolling online is simple. Here’s how it works:

1. Find your course

• Browse the options on this page.

• Use our comparison tool to explore the different choices.

• Need help? Book a free phone consultation with a student advisor for personalised guidance.

2. Start your enrolment

• When you’re ready, click ‘Start studying now’ on the course page.

• Follow the prompts to begin your enrolment.

• You’ll need to provide supporting documents, such as:

  • Proof of identity

  • Your tax file number

  • A Unique Student Identifier (USI)

3. Wait for confirmation

Your chosen university will email you to confirm if your enrolment has been successful.

Note: Some courses have enquiries and applications handled directly by the university. If this applies, it will be clearly stated on the course listing page.

For more details, check our online self-service enrolment guide. And if you need help at any stage, contact us and we’ll talk you through it.