Objectives
Admission requirement: Applicants for the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education must have completed a two-year diploma of children's services or equivalent, from a TAFE institution or other approved registered training organisation. In recognition of this prior study, you commence this two-year degree course at level 3. The Bachelor of Early Childhood Education covers the education requirements of young children from birth to five year-olds and will qualify you as a teacher in childcare centres, kindergartens and early learning centres. As Australia is on the cusp of significant growth in the early childhood education sector, this course has been developed as a new teacher education program to address the potential shortage of four year trained kindergarten and childcare centre teachers. Deakin's focus on experiential learning in workplace settings and communities is very different from most early childhood teacher education courses. Up to half of all the teaching and learning activities of this course is undertaken in the real context, giving you the opportunity to meld theory and practice and to become a fully prepared early childhood educator. The course was prepared in consultation with practitioners, parents and early childhood professionals, and course content and delivery draws on the expertise and experience of these groups. The Australia-wide standard for early childhood education teachers is now four years of tertiary study. As a graduate of this course you will be eligible for employment as an early childhood teacher working with young children as required by the registering body. This two year course follows on from studies undertaken at TAFE, such as a two year Diploma of Children's Services. It is available to qualified early childhood staff and kindergarten teachers seeking to extend their studies and upgrade their qualifications to the four-year degree level. The Bachelor of Early Childhood Education enables you to complete the course requirements of 20 credit points of study in a minimum of two years of full-time study (or part-time equivalent), inclusive of professional experience. The course content covers all areas of program preparation, professional understandings and the experience and skills required of early childhood educators. As a course requirement, level 3 students will complete a minimum of 45 days of supervised professional experience in a range of early childhood settings. The program is offered in two experience-based pathways: a rural, community-based program offered through the Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds and the Warrnambool Campus, and an on-campus, city-based program offered through the Melbourne Campus at Burwood. In most instances, you will be able to combine employment with your studies. You may undertake part of your professional experience placements at your current early childhood workplace and also arrange to exchange workplaces with other students. Students enrolled in the rural program are required to attend intensives throughout the course. Each year the first intensive will be held on campus, with the remaining two-day intensives, each including an evening community seminar, to be held in community-based early childhood centres. There will be approximately one intensive held every six weeks. In addition, in level 3 you will be placed in early childhood settings (including kindergartens, long day care centres) for supervised professional experience for a minimum of two days per week. You will be expected to keep the remaining three days per week for study, assignment preparation and Deakin Studies Online (DSO) contact. The city program will have the same features as the rural program, including supervised professional experience in city kindergartens and childcare centres, and will offer community seminars. The city program also has weekly lectures, tutorials, and workshops throughout each trimester (two days per week), embedding a series of professional student and teacher seminars held at the Melbourne Campus at Burwood. The city program will be suitable for domestic and international students living in the Melbourne area.
Course description
Professional recognition
Graduates of the course will be eligible for employment as kindergarten and childcare centre teachers. The course has been accredited by the Victorian Department of Human Services upon recommendation from the Victorian branch of Early Childhood Australia.
Fees and charges
Equivalent Full Time Student Load (EFTSL)
EFTSL is the standard annual full time load. Eight credit points is the standard full time load for one year of study.
Commonwealth supported place (CSP)
A Commonwealth supported place is one for which the university receives some government funding. As such, students enrolled in these places are required to contribute only part of the cost of their course. To be eligible for a Commonwealth supported place you must be an Australian citizen, or a New Zealand citizen or holder of a permanent visa who will be residing in Australia for the duration of your unit/s of study. All Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens and holders of a permanent visa will receive a Student Learning Entitlement (SLE). The SLE entitles a student to the equivalent of 7 years of full time study in a Commonwealth supported place.
* The "indicative annual course fee" cited has been provided as a guide only. It has been calculated on the basis of a typical enrolment of a student undertaking the course in 2009, and reflects the cost involved in undertaking a full-time quota of units within the specified discipline.
The actual fees charged by Deakin University will depend upon the discipline from which each individual unit is chosen, and may vary from the indicative course fee cited, particularly if units are chosen from a number of disciplines.
Please note that the fees per unit/credit point may increase annually due to rises in the cost of course delivery and service.
Deakin assumes no responsibility for persons relying on "indicative course fees" to calculate the total future cost of their course.
Career opportunities
Graduates will have career opportunities in childcare facilities, kindergartens and early learning centres, with scope in the future for positions such as institution director, coordinator, pre-school field officer, adviser or senior adviser within early childhood facilities. Opportunities also exist for employment in government agencies, community services or in not-for-profit organisations.
Course Rules
The degree requires students to complete 20 credit points over the equivalent of two years of full-time study, inclusive of the minimum 45 days of supervised professional experience.
The course comprises 10 credit points of study at 3rd level and 10 credit points of study at 4th level. Studies include units in language and literacy and mathematics, children’s social, physical and behavioural development, management, program issues in early childhood settings and professional leadership and advocacy.
Course structure
Level 3
Trimester 1
ECE300 Language and Literacy Development
ECE301 Understanding Early Childhood Education and Learning Environments
ECE302 Children's Mathematical Development
ECE303 Children as Individuals
ECP331 Professional Experience 3A
ECP332 Professional Experience 3B
Trimester 2
ECE306 Young Children's Art and Drama
ECE307 Program Planning and Evaluation
ECE308 Young Children's Movement and Music
ECE309 Critical Issues in Safety and Child Protection
ECP333 Professional Experience 3C
ECP334 Professional Experience 3D
Trimester 3
ECE310 Transition Case Study
ECE410 Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership
Or
ECE411 Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy
Notes:
(i) Students need to enrol in and complete ECE310 Transition Case Study in Trimester 3 only, to graduate. Full-time and part-time enrolled students can choose to complete ECE10 at the end of level 3 or level 4. In addition, part-time students can further choose to complete ECE310 in the middle of level 3 or in the middle of level 4.
(ii) ECE410 Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership and ECE411 Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy are work experience in industry units and do not attract fees. They are available for enrolment in Triesters 1, 2, and Trimester 3 (year round). ECE410 and ECE411 are not to be enrolled in concurrently.
Level 4
Trimester 1
ECE400 Cultural Perspectives Through Dance
ECE401 Advanced Management of Young Children's Behaviour
ECE402 Promoting Science and Environmental Awareness
ECE403 Developing Partnerships
ECE410 Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership
Or
ECE411 Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy
Trimester 2
ECE405 Inquiry Into Social and Cultural Development
ECE406 Research On Organisation of Early Childhood Settings
ECE407 Child, Family and Community Health and Physical Development
ESE499 Independent Project
ECE410 Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership
Or
ECE411 Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy
Notes:
(i) ECE307, ECE406 and ESE499 are Wholly Online units for this course (E420).
(ii) All units are 1 credit point value unless noted otherwise:
ECP331, ECP332, ECP333, ECP334 are 0.25 credit point units.
ECE301, ECE303, ECE307, ECE309 are 0.75 credit point units.
ECE310 is a 2 credit point unit.
(iii) ECE410 Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership and ECE411 Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy are work experience in industry units and do not attract fee. They, are available for enrolment in Trimesters 1, 2, and Trimester 3, ECE410 and ECE411 are not to be enrolled in concurrently.
Bachelor of Early Education (Honours) Units – Refer to E421 Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Honours) course. Students complete an alternative Level 4 course structure that includes the following research units.
EXR480 Research Perspectives and Practices
EXR490 Research Design and Development
EXR498 Minor Thesis Part A
EXR499 Minor Thesis Part B
Admission requirements - general
Deakin University offers admission to undergraduate courses through a number of Admission categories. In all categories of admission, selection is based primarily on academic merit as indicated by an applicant's previous academic record.
For more information on the Deakin Admissions Policy visit The Guide.
Admission requirements - specific
Applicants must hold an approved 2-year post Year 12 Diploma, Advanced Diploma, or Associate Degree in Children’s Services, Childcare or Early Childhood, obtained from a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) or TAFE, or hold an approved three year tertiary qualification in Early Childhood Education.
Applicants are ranked according to their most recent qualification, relevant professional experience or professional development related to early childhood education.
Additional admission requirements: Where previous studies were not undertaken in English, applicants require an IELTS score of at least 7, with no individual band score less than 7.
Advanced standing - general
The University aims to provide students with as much credit as possible for approved prior study or informal learning which exceeds the normal entrance requirements for the course and is within the constraints of the course regulations. Students are required to complete a minimum of one-third of the course at Deakin University.
You can also refer to the Advanced Standing System which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree.
Advanced standing - specific
Students are advised to contact the Faculty for information regarding applying for credit for prior tertiary study.
How to apply
Applications for the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education course must be made directly to the university through the Applicant Portal referring to closing dates for applications as dates for particular courses may vary.
Your faculty may require further information from you when submitting your application. Please refer to the faculty information website for further details.
Further study
Graduates of this course may be eligible to apply for admission into a higher coursework degree or a higher degree by research.
Early Childhood professional experience requirements
The course includes a minimum of 45 days of supervised professional experience. Forty-five days to be completed over two trimesters in Level three. 20 days to be undertaken in a long day care setting, working with 0-2 year old children. The remaining 25 days to be spent in a 3-5 year old kindergarten setting.
Professional experience comprises two blocks of 5 days. One scheduled at the beginning of the placement to allow students to familiarise themselves with the children and the environment in which their placement takes place, and the other near the end of the placement when students take full responsibility for the remaining of the program. Between the two blocks, students undertake two days a week placement to build up their experience.
Successful completion of this professional experience is required for progression to a 4th year of study.
Some of this experience may take place in special settings where pre-school children undertake educational programs (e.g. museums, hospitals, special development centres). A strength of the course for graduates is this wider conception of community and family learning contexts.
In level four, students undertake two valuing experience units where they have the opportunity to choose to work in settings that will further their knowledge in management, leadership and advocacy. These experiences are tailored to the students needs and interests.
Working With Children Check
The Working with Children Act 2005 (Vic.) requires a person who engages in child-related work, as defined in the Act, to obtain an assessment notice under the Act, known as a Working with Children Check (WWCC). The Act is administered by the Department of Justice: justice.vic.gov.au
Professional experience placements in early childhood settings in the course of a university degree are “child-related work”. Under the Working with Children Act 2005 (Vic.), administered by the Department of Justice, a student teacher must obtain a Working with Children Check (WWCC) before commencing professional experience placements. The WWCC must remain current throughout the course. It is an offence under the Act to engage in professional experience without holding a WWCC.
While the University will hold on file documentation relating to the WWCCs obtained by students engaged in professional experience, it is each student’s responsibility to ensure that he or she can produce the WWCC card to the early childhood setting upon request and to keep the WWCC current under the Act.
Students are required to apply for a WWCC through a participating Australia Post outlet (which can be found on the Australia Post website or the Department of Justice website) and provide proof to the faculty that the WWCC has been undertaken.
Should a student fail to obtain a WWCC, practical training in an early childhood organisation will not be provided, and as practical training is a requirement for completion of a teaching degree, the student may be unable to complete the degree. Should such a situation arise, the University will provide advice on options for tertiary study.
It is the responsibility of students undertaking placements outside Victoria to enquire about and, where necessary, to meet any similar legislative or other requirements concerning working with children.
Professional Experience requirements
Students are required for registration purposes (and for the award of the degree) to have completed a minimum of 45 days of professional experience over the duration of their course. Professional experience placements are organised by the Professional Experience Office. Students should note that normally any paid or unpaid work undertaken in an early childhood organisation as an unqualified teacher/teacher’s aide will not be considered for credit by recognition of prior learning (RPL) in supervised professional experience for this course. Students may be required to complete the professional experience component of the course outside the academic year. A satisfactory level of competence during supervised professional experience is required for award of the degree. An “unsatisfactory” result on any professional experience placement will be referred to the Faculty Academic Progress and Discipline Committee.
Professional Experience enrolment
Students must follow Faculty rules in relation to the number of days of professional experience to be completed for each placement as per the Professional Experience Handbook (available from the campus of enrolment) which includes the published professional experience timetable. Students should note that a ‘day’ constitutes a whole day (not part thereof).
Schedule of Professional Experience and Work Experience in Industry units
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
The course includes a minimum of 45 days of professional experience, and some advanced standing may be given for prior supervised professional experience days. Advanced standing must be applied for and granted via formal Faculty processes, in the absence of which, students will be placed for professional experience as per the timetable and course requirements.
Level 3
Trimester 1
ECP331 Professional Experience 3A
ECP332 Professional Experience 3B
Trimester 2
ECP333 Professional Experience 3C
ECP334 Professional Experience 3D
Level 4
Trimester 3, Trimester 1 or Trimester 2
ECE410 Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership
Or
ECE411 Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy
Note: ECE410 Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership and ECE411 Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy are work experience in industry units and do not attract fees. They are available for enrolment in Trimesters 1, 2, and Trimester 3 (year round). ECE410 and ECE411 are not to be enrolled in concurrently.
Students are assessed on an Ungraded Pass(UP)/Fail(N) basis. Students will receive a fail grade for unsatisfactory performance, professional experience days commenced but not completed or if no contact is made with Professional Experience Office for placement.
