Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education)

Courses and Study Australian courses Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education)

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The early years of life are a time of rapid brain development as the foundations of learning and development are laid. High quality early childhood education makes a difference to the lives of young children during their prior-to-school years and the early years of schooling. As an ECE student you will focus on the education and care of children aged from birth to eight and throughout the primary school years, learning about development, behaviour and wellbeing.

Campus
Townsville, External, Cairns, Singapore
Available to Australian students for inter-campus study in Singapore.
Start dates
February, July
Duration
4 years full-time
Part time available
Study mode
On campus, Off campus
Prerequisites
At least ‘Sound Achievement’ in English, Mathematics A, B or C, plus an authority Science subject.
OP/Rank
14/69

Career opportunities

As a JCU Education graduate, you will have the skills and qualifications to seek employment across Australia and beyond.

Early Childhood Education is a specialised field of education that leads to work in schools, preschools, kindergartens and childcare centres. A typical day is active and rewarding, involves indoor and outdoor work, and may require after-school hours. Career opportunities have been increasing since national regulations came into effect in 2014. The Australian Government’s statistical service reports that employment for Early Childhood teachers is expected to continue its growth.

This course is nationally accredited through the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership(AITSL) in association with the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT). Graduates Off this course are eligible for Teacher registration in Australia.

The Bachelor of Education (ECE) is also fully accredited with ACECQA, which is the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority.

Course highlights

Gaining professional experience is an integral part of the Early Childhood Education at JCU, and commences in your first year of study.

Overall you will experience 100 days of workplace learning in a range of early childhood (prior to school) and school locations. We draw on our strong partnerships in a variety of educational settings to organise suitable placements for you in a variety of venues.

Upon completion of the degree, you will have gained a rich variety of professional experience that includes both prior to school and school settings.

JCU’s courses are designed to meet the demand for teachers in regional, rural, and remote areas.

All students are required to attend a compulsory 5-day on-campus intensive Professional Orientation Program at either the Cairns or Townsville campuses in their final year of study. This intensive program prepares you for your transition to teaching.

Course overview

Early Childhood Education (ECE) study areas include: child development, learning, behaviour, wellbeing, curriculum and pedagogy for the diversity of learners and learning needs within the early years.

You will develop specialist skills needed for teaching in rural and remote areas and you will be at the forefront of education for sustainability. Our program also focuses on ensuring you have the skills to help improve Indigenous education outcomes.

JCU’s ECE course allows you to complete your degree via external study (online) or through a mix of studying online and on campus. Please see the Handbook for further details. Please note that some subjects are only available online in this course. Mid-year entry is also available.

If you already hold a Certificate III or Diploma in Children's Services, you can receive credit for these qualifications - this may shorten the time it takes to complete your teaching degree.

All students must meet minimum literacy standards upon entry and upon completion as required by the Queensland College of Teachers.

Blue card

All students who are doing a teaching practicum within Queensland are required by law to hold a valid Blue Card, issued by the Public Safety Business Agency (PSBA). Students need to apply for their Blue Card as soon as they have accepted their offer in order to ensure sufficient time for processing before their first practicum placement.

How to apply

Check the QTAC information and apply by clicking on the relevant link below depending on where you wish to study.

Take note of the QTAC code for this course in the location you've chosen because you'll need to enter it as part of your QTAC application.

Townsville (313311) - Apply now
 Cairns (323311) - Apply now
 External (313319) - Apply now

OP Score/Rank is representative of 2017 entry requirements and is therefore indicative only. Entry scores for 2018 will be finalised in the major offer round.


All applicants for initial teacher education courses (pre-service teachers) must satisfy both academic and non-academic entry criteria.

Your application must include a written statement that outlines:

  • Why you want to be a primary school teacher, and
  • If you have any involvement in personal learning and leadership activities.

Information on the selection guidelines including the process for assessing an applicant's non-academic capabilities is available from the QTAC initial teacher education webpage

English Language Requirements

Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the following English language proficiency requirements:

  • An overall score of 7.5 in Academic IELTS (or equivalent) with no sub-score less than 8 for Speaking and Listening and no sub-score less than 7 for Reading and Writing.

If you do not meet the English language requirements you can apply to study a University-approved English language program.

Our campuses in Singapore and Brisbane operate on a trimester system – three semesters per year. View academic calendars.

Subjects

Course Structure

CORE SUBJECTS

Level 1

ED1401:03 Foundations of Education

ED1411:03 Foundations of Sustainability in Education

ED1421:03 Foundations of Language and Literacy in Education

ED1440:03 Technologies for Early Childhood Education

ED1481:03 Foundations of Educational Psychology

ED1491:03 Foundations of Mathematics and Numeracy in Education

IA1015:03 Indigenous Australian World Views 1: Survival, Identity and Cultural Diversity

Level 2

ED2090:03 Health and Physical Education for Early Childhood

ED2093:03 Early Childhood Mathematics and Numeracy 1

ED2094:03 Early Childhood Language and Literacy 1

ED2440:03 Technologies Across the Early Childhood Education Curriculum

ED2488:03 Second Year Professional Experience [Australia] or ED2388:03 Second Year Professional Experience [Singapore]

ED2491:03 Teaching for Learning 1

ED2590:03 Early Childhood Education and Care 1

ED2990:03 Education for Cultural Diversity

Level 3

ED3090:03 Humanities and Social Science Education for Early Childhood

ED3092:03 Science Education for Early Childhood

ED3093:03 Teaching for Learning 2 (ECE)

ED3094:03 Arts Education for Early Childhood

ED3442:03 Inclusive Education for Special Needs

ED3443:03 Teaching ESL to Indigenous Students

ED3488:03 Third Year Professional Experience [Australia] or ED3388:03 Third Year Professional Experience [Singapore]

ED3590:03 Early Childhood Education and Care 2

Level 4

ED4090:03 Teaching for Learning 3 (ECE)

ED4460:03 Service Learning for Sustainable Futures

ED4461:03 Indigenous Futures

ED4488:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience A [Australia] or ED4388:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience A [Singapore]

ED4489:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience B [Australia] or ED4389:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience B [Singapore]

ED4590:03 Early Childhood Language and Literacy 2

ED4591:03 Early Childhood Mathematics and Numeracy 2

ED4999:03 Teaching for Learning 4

OPTIONS

Select 3 credit points of specified level 1 subjects from List 1

List 1

BA1001:03 Time, Truth and Human Condition

CU1010:03 Effective Writing

CV1200:03 Effective Speaking

EL1100:03 Critical Reading

EL2047:03 Children's Literature

HM1061:03 Foundations of Sport and Physical Activity

NM1200:03 Digital Photography

PY1101:03 Exploring Psychology

SS1010:03 Australian People: An Introduction to the Social Sciences

SS1111:03 Introduction to Counselling

SS1113:03 Introduction to Child and Adolescent Mental Health

SY1001:03 Australian Society: An Introduction to Sociology

FR1001:03 Foundation French 1

GR1001:03 Foundation German 1

IT1001:03 Foundation Italian 1

JA1001:03 Foundation Japanese 1

Course Structure [SINGAPORE]

CORE SUBJECTS

Level 1

ED1401:03 Foundations of Education

ED1411:03 Foundations of Sustainability in Education

ED1421:03 Foundations of Language and Literacy in Education

ED1440:03 Technologies for Early Childhood Education

ED1481:03 Foundations of Educational Psychology

ED1491:03 Foundations of Mathematics and Numeracy in Education

IA1015:03 Indigenous Australian World Views 1: Survival, Identity and Cultural Diversity

Level 2

ED2090:03 Health and Physical Education for Early Childhood

ED2093:03 Early Childhood Mathematics and Numeracy 1

ED2094:03 Early Childhood Language and Literacy 1

ED2388:03 Second Year Professional Experience [Singapore] or ED2488:03 Second Year Professional Experience [Australia]

ED2491:03 Teaching for Learning 1

ED2590:03 Early Childhood Education and Care 1

ED2990:03 Education for Cultural Diversity

ED2440:03 Technologies Across the Early Childhood Education Curriculum

Level 3

ED3090:03 Humanities and Social Science Education for Early Childhood

ED3092:03 Science Education for Early Childhood

ED3093:03 Teaching for Learning 2 (ECE)

ED3094:03 Arts Education for Early Childhood

ED3388:03 Third Year Professional Experience [Singapore] or ED3488:03Third Year Professional Experience [Australia]

ED3442:03 Inclusive Education for Special Needs

ED3443:03 Teaching ESL to Indigenous Students

ED3590:03 Early Childhood Education and Care 2

Level 4

ED4090:03 Teaching for Learning 3 (ECE)

ED4388:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience A [Singapore] or ED4488:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience A [Australia]

ED4389:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience B [Singapore] or ED4489:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience B [Australia]

ED4460:03 Service Learning for Sustainable Futures

ED4461:03 Indigenous Futures

ED4590:03 Early Childhood Language and Literacy 2

ED4591:03 Early Childhood Mathematics and Numeracy 2

ED4999:03 Teaching for Learning 4

OPTIONS

Select 3 credit points of specified level 1 subjects from List 1

List 1

BA1001:03 Time, Truth and Human Condition

CU1000:03 English for Academic Purposes

CV1200:03 Effective Speaking

PY1101:03 Exploring Psychology

SS1111:03 Introduction to Counselling

SY1001:03 Australian Society: An Introduction to Sociology

Pathway into course

On successful completion of the Diploma of Higher Education you may be eligible to continue into an Education degree, and you may be able to receive some credit for successfully completed subjects.

Handbook

Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education)

Course code

109210

Course type

Bachelor Degree (AQF Level 7)

Professional accreditation status

This course is nationally accredited through the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) in association with the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT). Graduates of this course are eligible for Teacher registration in Australia.

Division

Tropical Environments and Societies

Award Requirements

Admission Requirements

Course pre-requisites

English, Mathematics A or B or C and Authority Science

Minimum English language proficiency requirements

Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of an overall IELTS (or equivalent) score of 7.5 (with no score below 7 in any of the four skills areas, and a score of no less than 8 in speaking and listening) The cost of the testing will be met by the applicant. English test results must be no more than two years old.

Additional selection requirements

All students must meet minimum literacy and numeracy standards as required by the Queensland College of Teachers.

Post admission
requirements

Professional practice:

This course includes prescribed professional placements. Students may be required to undertake such placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled, at their own expense.

Further information about placements can be found at Enrolment Policy – Coursework Students

Suitability to Work with Children Card (blue card):

This course includes prescribed professional placements that may involve contact with children under 18 years of age. Students are required to obtain a Suitability to Work with Children Card (which involves a criminal history check undertaken by the Queensland Police) before the start of the first placement in an Australian school setting. Students undertaking professional placements in Australian school settings must retain a current Suitability to Work with Children Card for the duration of their course, as failure to do so will result in the termination of their admission to the course.

For more information, refer to:

Blue Card Services

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Credit points

96 credit points as per course structure

Additional completion requirements

For students undertaking the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) online, participation in a five (5) day intensive Professional Orientation Program on campus in the final year of the course is a requirement to complete this degree. This program may be undertaken at either the Cairns or Townsville Campus.

Course learning outcomes

In the context of a JCU graduate, on successful completion of the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education), graduates will be able to:

  • Demonstrate broad and coherent understanding of professional knowledge, practice and engagement with depth in the National Professional Standards for Teachers, and the Early Years Learning Framework.

  • Demonstrate broad and coherent understanding of underlying principles and concepts, and teaching and learning approaches in Early Childhood Education for the tropics in the areas of Indigenous education, education for sustainability, rural and regional education

  • Review critically, analyse, consolidate and synthesise professional knowledge, practice and engagement to enhance outcomes for diverse students

  • Communicate professional knowledge clearly and coherently through oral and written modes to students and key stakeholders during professional practice and engagement

  • Identify and solve problems and make informed decisions in diverse professional contexts with well-developed judgment and initiative

  • Develop and demonstrate dispositions required for effective teaching that embrace responsibility and accountability for professional knowledge, practice, and engagement including collaboration with stakeholders.

Course Structure

CORE SUBJECTS

Level 1

ED1401:03 Foundations of Education

ED1411:03 Foundations of Sustainability in Education

ED1421:03 Foundations of Language and Literacy in Education

ED1440:03 Technologies for Early Childhood Education

ED1481:03 Foundations of Educational Psychology

ED1491:03 Foundations of Mathematics and Numeracy in Education

IA1015:03 Indigenous Australian World Views 1: Survival, Identity and Cultural Diversity

Level 2

ED2090:03 Health and Physical Education for Early Childhood

ED2093:03 Early Childhood Mathematics and Numeracy 1

ED2094:03 Early Childhood Language and Literacy 1

ED2440:03 Technologies Across the Early Childhood Education Curriculum

ED2488:03 Second Year Professional Experience [Australia] or ED2388:03 Second Year Professional Experience [Singapore]

ED2491:03 Teaching for Learning 1

ED2590:03 Early Childhood Education and Care 1

ED2990:03 Education for Cultural Diversity

Level 3

ED3090:03 Humanities and Social Science Education for Early Childhood

ED3092:03 Science Education for Early Childhood

ED3093:03 Teaching for Learning 2 (ECE)

ED3094:03 Arts Education for Early Childhood

ED3442:03 Inclusive Education for Special Needs

ED3443:03 Teaching ESL to Indigenous Students

ED3488:03 Third Year Professional Experience [Australia] or ED3388:03 Third Year Professional Experience [Singapore]

ED3590:03 Early Childhood Education and Care 2

Level 4

ED4090:03 Teaching for Learning 3 (ECE)

ED4460:03 Service Learning for Sustainable Futures

ED4461:03 Indigenous Futures

ED4488:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience A [Australia] or ED4388:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience A [Singapore]

ED4489:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience B [Australia] or ED4389:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience B [Singapore]

ED4590:03 Early Childhood Language and Literacy 2

ED4591:03 Early Childhood Mathematics and Numeracy 2

ED4999:03 Teaching for Learning 4

OPTIONS

Select 3 credit points of specified level 1 subjects from List 1

List 1

BA1001:03 Time, Truth and Human Condition

CU1010:03 Effective Writing

CV1200:03 Effective Speaking

EL1100:03 Critical Reading

EL2047:03 Children's Literature

HM1061:03 Foundations of Sport and Physical Activity

NM1200:03 Digital Photography

PY1101:03 Exploring Psychology

SS1010:03 Australian People: An Introduction to the Social Sciences

SS1111:03 Introduction to Counselling

SS1113:03 Introduction to Child and Adolescent Mental Health

SY1001:03 Australian Society: An Introduction to Sociology

FR1001:03 Foundation French 1

GR1001:03 Foundation German 1

IT1001:03 Foundation Italian 1

JA1001:03 Foundation Japanese 1

Course Structure [SINGAPORE]

CORE SUBJECTS

Level 1

ED1401:03 Foundations of Education

ED1411:03 Foundations of Sustainability in Education

ED1421:03 Foundations of Language and Literacy in Education

ED1440:03 Technologies for Early Childhood Education

ED1481:03 Foundations of Educational Psychology

ED1491:03 Foundations of Mathematics and Numeracy in Education

IA1015:03 Indigenous Australian World Views 1: Survival, Identity and Cultural Diversity

Level 2

ED2090:03 Health and Physical Education for Early Childhood

ED2093:03 Early Childhood Mathematics and Numeracy 1

ED2094:03 Early Childhood Language and Literacy 1

ED2388:03 Second Year Professional Experience [Singapore] or ED2488:03 Second Year Professional Experience [Australia]

ED2491:03 Teaching for Learning 1

ED2590:03 Early Childhood Education and Care 1

ED2990:03 Education for Cultural Diversity

ED2440:03 Technologies Across the Early Childhood Education Curriculum

Level 3

ED3090:03 Humanities and Social Science Education for Early Childhood

ED3092:03 Science Education for Early Childhood

ED3093:03 Teaching for Learning 2 (ECE)

ED3094:03 Arts Education for Early Childhood

ED3388:03 Third Year Professional Experience [Singapore] or ED3488:03Third Year Professional Experience [Australia]

ED3442:03 Inclusive Education for Special Needs

ED3443:03 Teaching ESL to Indigenous Students

ED3590:03 Early Childhood Education and Care 2

Level 4

ED4090:03 Teaching for Learning 3 (ECE)

ED4388:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience A [Singapore] or ED4488:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience A [Australia]

ED4389:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience B [Singapore] or ED4489:03 Fourth Year Professional Experience B [Australia]

ED4460:03 Service Learning for Sustainable Futures

ED4461:03 Indigenous Futures

ED4590:03 Early Childhood Language and Literacy 2

ED4591:03 Early Childhood Mathematics and Numeracy 2

ED4999:03 Teaching for Learning 4

OPTIONS

Select 3 credit points of specified level 1 subjects from List 1

List 1

BA1001:03 Time, Truth and Human Condition

CU1000:03 English for Academic Purposes

CV1200:03 Effective Speaking

PY1101:03 Exploring Psychology

SS1111:03 Introduction to Counselling

SY1001:03 Australian Society: An Introduction to Sociology

Campus

COURSE AVAILABLE AT

NOTES

Cairns

 

Townsville

 

Singapore

Available on-campus only

External

Mandatory on campus component is a 5 day intensive Professional Orientation Program in the final year

Candidature

Expected time to complete

4 years full-time or equivalent part-time

Maximum time to complete

11 years

Maximum leave of absence

3 years

Progression

Course progression requisites

Nil

Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)

This course includes prescribed professional placements. Students may be required to undertake such placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled, at their own expense. Only those students who complete the majority (12 credit points or more) of prescribed education placements in schools in Australia will be automatically verified for teacher registration in Queensland.

Further information about placements can be found at Enrolment Policy – Coursework Students.

To undertake the final Professional Experience and Co-requisite subjects, students must have completed 72 credit points of level 1, 2 and 3 subjects in this course.

Special assessment requirements

Students undertaking their placement in Australia:

Suitability to Work with Children Care (blue card)

This course includes prescribed professional or clinical placements that may involve contact with children under 18 years of age. Students undertaking professional placements in Australian school settings are required to obtain a Suitability to work with Children Card (which involves a criminal history check undertaken by the Queensland police) before the start of the first placement. Students must retain a current Suitability to Work with Children Card for the duration of their course, as failure to do so will result in the termination of their admission to the course.

For more information, refer to:

Education Blue Card

Students who do not complete the required number of days of a professional experience subject or a professional component of a subject, without the approval of the Director of Professional Experience, will be determined to have failed the subject.

Refer to Review of a Student’s Suitability to Continue a Course Involving Placement policy.

Professional accreditation requirements

Students intending to apply for Teacher registration in Australia must have successfully completed Literacy and Numeracy tests commensurate with the requirements set by the Commonwealth Government.

Graduates are eligible for employment in the early childhood area (0-8 years) as an educator or service provider. In Queensland the Regulatory Authority is the Office for Early Childhood Education and Care, Department of Education, training and Employment and at the National level it is the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).

Graduates must attain an overall IELTS (or equivalent) score of 7.5 (with no score below 7 in any of the four skills areas, and a score of no less than 8 in speaking and listening) upon completion as required by the Queensland College of Teachers.

Maximum allowed Pass Conceded (PC) grade

Nil

Supplementary exam for final subject

Not applicable

Advanced Standing

Eligibility

Students may apply for advanced standing for previous tertiary study in accordance with the Advanced Standing and Articulation policy and associated procedures.

Maximum allowed

63 credit points

Currency

Advanced standing will be granted only for studies completed in the 10 years prior to the commencement of this course.

Expiry

Advanced standing gained for any subject shall be cancelled 21 years after the date of the examination upon which the advanced standing is based if, by then, the student has not completed this course.

Other restrictions

The maximum advanced standing allowable for professional development courses is three credit points except where one course is judged to be larger in size than one university subject.

Advanced standing may be granted for professional development courses smaller than a university  subject. However, no advanced standing will be given for courses smaller than two credit points, or equivalent.

Recognition of Current Competence (RCC) may apply where a teacher education student can clearly demonstrate outcomes relevant to a specific professional experience component of a Bachelor of Education program. If these outcomes can be demonstrated, the pre-service teacher will be granted advanced standing for a part of the requisite days of the professional experience requirement. Demonstration of attainment of outcomes may be in the form of professional experience reports from other institutions and/or statements of teaching or related service.

Award Details

Award title

BACHELOR OF EDUCATION (EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION) 1

or

BACHELOR OF EDUCATION

1Students will be eligible for this award if they have completed the majority (12 credit points or more) of prescribed education placements in schools in Australia

Approved abbreviation

BEd(ECE) or BEd 2

2The approved abbreviation for students graduating with the Award BACHELOR OF EDUCATION

Inclusion of majors on testamur

Not applicable – this course does not have majors

Exit with lesser award

Students who exit the course prior to completion, and have completed 72 credit points of study and appropriate subjects, may be eligible to receive the award of Bachelor of Educational Services.

Course articulation

Not applicable

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This website is intended as general guide. Prospective students should contact the university to confirm admission requirements and the availability of courses. James Cook University reserves the right to alter any course or admission requirement without prior notice.