Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood)

The Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood) is a one-year qualification for people who already hold a bachelor degree and want to teach young children, typically from birth to age five or eight depending on the state or territory. Study sits at postgraduate level and covers child development, early years curriculum, play-based learning, literacy and numeracy in the early years, and working with families and communities. You will also look at inclusion, behaviour support and the regulatory frameworks that govern early childhood services in Australia, including the National Quality Framework and the Early Years Learning Framework.

As a graduate diploma, this course is shorter than a master's and usually consists of eight units of study, each worth a set number of credit points, delivered over two semesters or trimesters. Many students take it full time over one year, though some institutions offer part-time study. Expect a supervised professional placement in an early childhood setting, a long day care centre, a preschool or a kindergarten, because practical experience is how teaching qualifications are assessed in Australia. Placement hours are set by the state or territory teacher regulatory authority, not by the university alone, so the number of days is fixed.

The skills you build are specific: planning and running learning experiences for young children, observing and documenting children's development, talking with parents about progress and concerns, and meeting the compliance requirements that come with running an early childhood service. You will learn to write program plans, assess children against the outcomes in the Early Years Learning Framework, and adjust your teaching for children with additional needs or from different cultural and language backgrounds.

This course suits career changers and graduates from fields such as psychology, social work, human services, arts or health who want to work with young children. It also suits people already working in early childhood who want to move into a qualified teaching role. If you plan to register as an early childhood teacher in Australia, check with the teacher regulatory authority in the state or territory where you intend to work, registration requirements and the approved qualification list are set by those bodies, not by the institute. International applicants should confirm English language requirements on the official page, as teaching courses typically sit at the higher end of the IELTS scale. The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available after graduation, and student visa holders can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while studying. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 116569F.

• Early childhood teacher in long day care, preschool or kindergarten settings
• Kindergarten teacher in a school-based early years program
• Room leader or educational leader in an early learning centre
• Family day care educator or coordinator
• Early intervention assistant working with children with developmental delays
• Playgroup facilitator or community early years program officer
• Roles in state education departments, local councils and not-for-profit early years organisations
• Pathway to further study, such as a master's degree in education or early childhood