Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Studies)

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This nationally accredited course is designed to graduate early childhood educators who are competent teachers ready to work in schools and a range of early childhood settings.

A key feature of this course is connecting theory with practice. Graduates will have the knowledge and be able to develop early childhood education programmes for children from birth to 8 years of age.

Partnerships with over 1,000 schools and early childhood settings allow pre-service teachers to gain experience in diverse settings, including public, private, metropolitan, regional and remote contexts working with children, families and communities.

In addition, a distinguishing feature of this course is that pre-service teachers have the opportunity in the fourth year of their course to specialise and broaden their knowledge and skills in an area of interest. Units are also available in the degree that enables pre-service teachers to complete accreditation requirements to teach in Catholic schools.

Final year pre-service teachers can apply for a place in the internship programme in either a school or early learning setting.

Course Entry

Academic Admission requirements (Band 3)

The following course-specific admission requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied by all applicants. These requirements are in addition to or supersede the minimum requirements outlined within the Academic admission requirements band section below.

All applicants are required to satisfy non-academic criteria, in addition to satisfying academic entry criteria. Applicants' non-academic capabilities will be assessed based on completion of a Non-Academic Requirements for Teacher Entry (NARTE) online questionnaire.

All applicants must meet the academic admission requirements for this course. The indicative or guaranteed ATAR is as published (where applicable) or academic admission requirements may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

• AQF Cert IV;
• Successfully completed 0.25 EFTSL of study at bachelor level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent);
• Special Tertiary Admissions Test;*
• University Preparation Course;*
• Indigenous University Orientation Course;*
• Aboriginal Student Intake Test; or*
• Experience Based Entry Scheme.*

* Further information can be found on the Study course entry page.

For international students, requirements include your secondary school results.

English Language requirements (Band 5)

International students must attain an IELTS Academic with an average level of 7.5 or more, across the four components of listening, speaking, reading and writing; no score below level 7.0 in any of these components; and, a score of 8.0 or more in the components of speaking and listening. Internationally schooled applicants may also be required to meet this requirement.

Minimum English standard requirements for this course may also be satisfied with one of the following:

• Year 12 English ATAR/English Literature ATAR grade C or better or equivalent;
• Special Tertiary Admissions Test;*
• Successfully completed 1.0 EFTSL of study at bachelor level or higher in the UK, Ireland, USA, NZ or Canada;
• University Preparation Course;
• Indigenous University Orientation Course;*
• Aboriginal Student Intake Test;*
• AQF Diploma, Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree; or
• Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at bachelor level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent).

Note:

If secondary education and degree studies were completed within a period of 2 years before applying for registration in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the USA, applicants do not need to provide proof of English competency.

Applicants who have completed their secondary education in South Africa in English and have an undergraduate degree taught in English from a South African University are deemed to have met English language requirements.

Applicants from Seychelles:

Successful completion of the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) grade C or above, PLUS a completed 4 year National Diploma.

Course Details

Semester availability

• Semester 1: Study full-time at Joondalup, Mount Lawley

Course Structure

Students must complete the above two units LIT1200 (Personal Literacy) and NUM1200 (Personal Numeracy) to satisfy the requirements of the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students (LANTITE). All students who enrol in an accredited pre-service teacher education course (undergraduate and graduate) from 1 January 2017 will have to successfully complete tests about their personal levels of literacy and numeracy to graduate. Students who enrol in the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Studies) will need to complete successfully both components of the personal Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students (LANTITE) to enrol beyond 240 credit points within their course.

Year 1 - Semester 1

Year 4 - Semester 2

Students are required to select one of the following four options:

Option 1

Course Learning Outcomes

• Apply broad discipline knowledge to a range of theoretical and practical early childhood situations.
• Communicate early childhood knowledge and values in professional and public contexts.
• Demonstrate a global outlook with respect for cultural diversity, including Indigenous cultural competence.
• Demonstrate autonomy, accountability and judgement for own learning and professional practice.
• Think creatively to anticipate challenges and generate discipline-specific solutions/responses.
• Think critically to analyse, interpret and conceptualise complex early childhood problems.
• Use digital technologies and literacies to access, evaluate and synthesise relevant information from multiple sources.
• Work collaboratively and demonstrate initiative to implement social, sustainable, and ethical values.

Professional Recognition

Accredited by: Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)

Accredited by: Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA)

Career Opportunities

This course creates quality graduates ready to take up employment across the early childhood education sector, including teaching children from birth to 8 years of age.

Possible future job titles

Kindergarten, Pre-Primary or Junior Primary Teacher, Child Care Professional, Pedagogical Leader, Centre Director.