Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)

This four-year degree prepares you to teach children from birth to five years in early childhood settings, and up to eight years in some states. You'll study child development, play-based learning, literacy and numeracy in the early years, and how to work with families and communities. The course includes professional experience placements in childcare centres, kindergartens and preschools, so you graduate with real time in the room.

How the degree is structured

Like most Australian bachelor degrees, it runs over four years of full-time study, usually split into two semesters a year. You complete units of study, each worth a set number of credit points, and you need to pass the required total to graduate. The first year builds your foundations in child development and curriculum. Later years add specialisation units and more placement days. In your final year you'll typically do a capstone unit or a research project that pulls together what you've learned, plus a longer professional placement block.

Work-integrated learning and accreditation

Professional experience is built into every year of the degree. You'll spend time in early childhood centres and schools, supervised by qualified teachers, working your way up from observation to planning and teaching your own lessons. Australian early childhood teaching degrees are accredited by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and approved by state teacher regulatory authorities, so you can register as a teacher when you finish. Confirm the current accreditation and registration details on the official Western Sydney University page and the ACECQA website.

Skills you'll gain

You'll learn how to plan and run a curriculum for young children, assess their learning through observation and documentation, manage behaviour positively, and communicate with parents and carers. You'll also build skills in inclusion, working with children who have additional needs, and understanding the National Quality Framework and the Early Years Learning Framework. Research and critical reflection are part of the deal, because good teachers keep learning on the job.

Who this suits

This degree suits people who enjoy working with young children and want a professional career with a clear registration pathway. You might be coming straight from school, changing careers, or already working in early childhood and wanting to qualify as a teacher. It's a hands-on course with a lot of placement, so you need to be comfortable in busy childcare and preschool settings. English requirements for teaching courses are higher than for many other degrees, IELTS 7.0–7.5 overall is common, and you'll need a Working with Children Check before placement. International students can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while studying, and may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream after graduating. Check the official CRICOS entry for this course (code 110869J) for tuition and current details.

• Early childhood teacher in long day care, preschool or kindergarten
• Kindergarten or preparatory teacher in primary schools (depending on state registration)
• Early childhood educator or room leader
• Family day care coordinator or educational leader
• Children's services manager or director
• Early intervention support worker
• Curriculum resource developer for early childhood publishers
• Community or government early childhood policy and program officer

Employers include long day care centres, community preschools, independent and Catholic schools, state education departments, early intervention services, and not-for-profit organisations. Registration with your state or territory teacher regulatory authority is required to work as a teacher in a school or preschool setting.