This subject requires you to do a practical placement, please see Additional Requirements for more information.
Early Childhood Professional Experience: Learning Environments for Birth to 4-year-olds
UndergraduateCUR-EDEC20342026
Course information for 2026 intake
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 24 May 2026
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Start dates
- 1 June 2026,
- 30 Nov 2026
- Price from
- $877
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Early Childhood Professional Experience: Learning Environments for Birth to 4-year-olds
About this subject
At the completion of this subject students will be able to:
- create and implement meaningful planned learning experiences, to industry standards, for infants, toddlers and young children within early learning settings
- demonstrate a developing leadership style through engagement with an organisational culture and professional learning community
- synthesise understandings developed in the unit to advance and maintain collaborative relationships with families and colleagues as teacher professional identity, resilience and emotional wellbeing is strengthened
- appraise national and state laws and policy, and the impact these have on early learning environments, families and children.
- NQS Assessment & Rating Process
- Interpreting and Documenting data from observations
- Planning the environment and preparing for teaching
- Quality interactions and building relationships with children, families, and the community
This professional experience subject includes both a theory and a practical component (a Professional Experience placement with children aged birth to 4 years. This subject will require the practical application of curriculum and early childhood pedagogy appropriate to young children in early learning centres. Planning and implementing high quality learning experiences and supportive environments to maximise learning opportunities for infants, toddlers and young children will be a feature of this subject. The theoretical component includes roles and responsibilities; planning and programming learning environments; health and safety; fostering cognitive, language, emotional and social development; as well as observing and documenting learning. The subject will examine national and state laws and policy and the impact these have on early learning environments, families, and children. Students will be provided with an opportunity to develop a leadership style through engaging with the organisational culture and professional learning community while attending a practicum in an accredited Early Learning Centre working with babies, toddlers, and young children. The placement will comprise of a 1-day visit for 5 weeks aligned to five theory topics immediately followed by a block of 15 consecutive days. Students will aim to build collaborative partnerships with families and colleagues during the placement. All required clearances to work with children must be obtained and valid, and all other professional experience requirements met. Both theory and practical components must be passed in order to pass the subject.
Please Note: If it’s your first time studying a Curtin University subject, you’ll need to complete their compulsory ‘Academic Integrity Program’. It only takes two hours to complete online and provides you with vital information about studying with Curtin University. The Academic Integrity Program is compulsory, so if it’s not completed your subject grades will be withheld.
Find out more about the Academic Integritymodule.
- Case Study (50%)
- Reflection (50%)
- Professional Experience Placement
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Core
- CUR-ECE-DEG-2026 - Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education)
Elective
- CUR-FAST-DEG-2026 - Fast track your Curtin on campus study
Equivalent subjects
You won't be able to enrol into this subject if you've already successfully completed or currently enrolled in the following subject(s) as they are considered anti-requisites due to the similarity of the content.
Others
Successful completion of 200 credit points in Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) before enrolling in this subject
Additional requirements
- Placement requirements - Includes Placements - Please note that all relevant, valid working with children checks and clearances must be provided as requested prior to commencement of the placement.
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education)
UndergraduateCUR-ECE-DEG
Fast track your Curtin on campus study
UndergraduateCUR-FAST-DEG