Bachelor of Education (Early Years)
2021 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2021 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Bachelor of Education (Early Years) |
| Campus |
(For students who commenced prior to 2021 only) |
| Duration | 4 years full-time, 3 year fast-track or part-time equivalent#* |
| CRICOS course code | 093571F Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Deakin course code | E330 |
Note: #Students with a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care are able to complete the course in 3-years full-time or part-time equivalent. | |
The final intake to this course was in Trimester 1 2020. Students should contact a student advisor for course and enrolment information. Further course structure information can be found in the handbook archive. | |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Professional recognition
- Participation requirements
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Other learning experiences
Course overview
Deakin’s Bachelor of Education (Early Years) allows you to teach young children in early childhood and primary school settings. With professional experience opportunities and the option to choose from a range of curriculum areas, you’ll graduate with a qualification that’s in high demand, meeting the significant growth of the Australian early childhood education sector.
Are you interested in an exciting and rewarding career teaching children?
Deakin’s dual accredited early years degree opens up a range of career opportunities, spanning the early childhood and primary education sectors. Studies focus on contemporary issues in children’s learning and development, curriculum theories and pedagogies, discipline knowledge and the changing work context within early childhood and primary education.
Early years teaching specialisations include:
- Aboriginal knowledge and experiences
- arts education
- promoting equity, social justice and inclusivity.
Primary teaching specialisations include:
- language and literacy
- science.
The Professional Experience Program is a key part of every Deakin teaching student’s course experience. Working with more than 1400 schools across Australia, we’ll arrange at least 115 days of placements for you in schools where you’ll learn from experienced teachers.
Students also have access to specialised teaching spaces on campus to prepare for teaching.
Give your studies a different perspective and take part in our Global Education Program. Learn about Aboriginal culture while teaching in remote communities in the Northern Territory, or head to countries including Chile, Nepal or Vanuatu and learn about intercultural education.
Deakin maintains close links with the education sector to ensure our courses are developed and reviewed with industry and professional input. You’ll be taught by staff members who have industry experience and who are recognised as leaders and innovators in their fields. This means you can be confident that what you learn at Deakin will be relevant to your future teaching career.
Choose to study at our award-winning Cloud Campus and have the additional flexibility to balance work, life and study. Studying online is collaborative and engaging, while still allowing you to complete your studies when and where it suits you.
Before beginning your degree, prospective teaching students need to successfully complete the Casper test – an online, video scenario-based test that lets you demonstrate your suitability for a teaching career.
Start your journey to becoming an early years teacher with a Deakin degree and learn how you can change the lives of others.
Professional recognition
This course is approved by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACEQA) as an early childhood teaching qualification in Australia.
It is also accredited by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) for the purposes of teacher registration in Victoria. Students are eligible to apply for registration with VIT upon successful completion of this degree.
Participation requirements
Placement can occur at any time, including during the standard holiday breaks listed here: https://www.deakin.edu.au/courses/key-dates.
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. Click here for more information.
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
| Discipline specific knowledge and capabilities | Acquire broad and coherent body of knowledge of education principles and practice, and in depth theoretical and applied knowledge of early childhood that incorporates early childhood and primary education. |
| Communication | Use and engage effectively interpersonal communication skills (oral, written, digital and nonverbal) to convey knowledge and ideas with diverse individuals and groups (such as children, families, parents and caregivers, colleagues and other professionals, community organisations) to enhance children’s learning and wellbeing. |
| Digital literacy | Employ a range of technologies to collect, analyse, synthesise and evaluate and disseminate information for the purposes of teaching and learning in a rapidly changing global environment. |
| Critical thinking | Critically engage with and analyse contemporary issues and research in early years education and changing societal contexts at local, national and global scales, and be able to make informed judgements relating to teaching and learning. |
| Problem solving | Use critical reflection and analytical skills to determine creative, innovative and authentic solutions to real-life and complex problems encountered in teaching and learning and adapt these solutions to diverse contexts, communities and learners. |
| Self-management | Work autonomously and responsibly in early childhood and primary school contexts, drawing on knowledge and skills of teaching and learning and demonstrate abilities and dispositions underpinning lifelong learning and personal attributes that enable a positive contribution to society including critical thinking, creative and problem solving skills. |
| Teamwork | Work, advocate, and learn collaboratively with colleagues, other professionals, families and members of the wider community who share responsibility for the learning and wellbeing of young children. |
| Global citizenship | Demonstrate understandings of the diversity of Australian society and the influences on development of culture, family contexts, gender and disability and the influences of these on the education and care of children. Adapt knowledge and skills to culturally and socially diverse contexts and communities. |
| Approved by Faculty Board June 2014 | |
Course rules
To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Education (Early Years), students must complete 32 credit points comprising:
- 29 credit points of core units;
- 1 credit point of Early Years Teaching Specialisation in one of either: i) Promoting Equity, Social Justice and Inclusivity; ii) Arts Education; or iii) Aboriginal Knowledge and Experiences
- 2 credit points of Primary Teaching Specialisation in either: i) Science; or ii) Language and Literacy
- AAI018 Academic Integrity (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
This course includes 115 days of supervised professional experience, and students must successfully complete the Deakin Teaching Performance Assessment (DTPA)*.
Students are also required to complete below two zero (0) credit point units ELN010 and ELN011 as part of the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) in order to graduate from their course.
* Students who do not pass the DTPA must seek advice from the course director.
Course structure
Year 1
| ELN010 | Australian Literacy Test (zero (0) credit points) |
| ELN011 | Australian Numeracy Test (zero (0) credit points) |
| ECE110 | Child Development 1 |
| ECE111 | Curriculum 1: Pedagogies and Play |
| ECE112 | Curriculum 2: Planning and Assessment for Teaching and Learning |
| ECP128 | Professional Knowledge (0-2 Years) |
| ECE130 | Partnerships with Families and Communities |
| ECE120 | Contemporary Perspectives of Education |
| ECE116 | Promoting Health, Wellbeing and Nutrition |
| ECE140 | Creative Arts 1: Young Children and the Arts |
Year 2
| ECE212 | Curriculum 3: Planning and Assessment for Teaching and Learning |
ECP227 Professional Practice 1 (3-5 Years) (No longer available for enrolment, alternate unit ECL101)
| ECE220 | Science 1: Science and Environmental Awareness for Young Children |
| ECE230 | Language and Literacy Development in Early Childhood |
| ECE211 | Mathematical Learning in the Early Years |
| ECE241 | Creative Arts 2: Music and Visual Arts |
| ECP228 | Professional Practice 2 (3-5 Years) |
1 credit point from early years teaching specialisation
Year 3
| ECE312 | Lifespan Development |
| ECE360 | Protective Education and Child Well-Being |
| ECE370 | Guiding Engaged, Resilient Learners |
| ECE491 | Perspectives of Management and Leadership |
| ECE404 | Inclusive Education for Young Children (commences 2018) |
| ECP410 | Professional Teaching Practice and Child Study (0-3 Years) |
| ECE420 | Supporting Children Making Transitions |
| ECE430 | Teacher as Researcher |
Year 4
| ECE320 | Science 2: Science and Design Technology |
| ECE330 | Multiliterate Learners in Early Years and School Environments |
| ECE455 | Effective Primary Mathematics Learning |
| ECP327 | Professional Engagement 1 (Primary School 1) |
| ECP427 | Professional Engagement 2 (Primary School 2) |
| EEO320 | Humanities Education Across the Primary Levels |
2 credit points from primary teaching specialisation
Early Years Teaching Specialisations
Select one of the following three specialisations:
Promoting Equity, Social Justice and Inclusivity
EAA301 Personalising Learning: A Transdisciplinary Approach (no longer available)
Arts Education
| ECE340 | Creative Learning Through the Arts |
Aboriginal Knowledge and Experiences
| IND201 | Unit description is currently unavailable |
Primary Teaching Specialisations
Select one of the following two specialisations:
Science
| SLE209 | Science and Society |
ECE345 Integrated Science and Technology Education [No longer available for enrolment, alternate unit EES245]
Language and Literacy
| ALL153 | Literature for Children and Young Adults |
| ECL351 | Diversity, Language and Literacy |
Professional Experience Placement
Students are required to apply for a Working with Children Check. Apply online as a volunteer at https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/.
For further information contact the School of Education, Professional Experience office.
Course duration - additional information
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.
Other learning experiences
There will be opportunities throughout the course for students to engage with educational or industry professionals. These experiences will be integrated into units where students will have early childhood directors, principals, inclusive education providers and Department of Human Services workers provide content to more closely connect the learning experience with industry practices.