Bachelor of Education (Primary)
2027 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2027 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Bachelor of Education (Primary) |
| Deakin course code | E359 |
| Course credit points | 32 |
| Course version | 6 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts and Education |
| Campus | Offered to continuing students only at Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong) and Warrnambool |
| Final intake | The final intake to this course was in Trimester 1, 2025. Students should contact Student Central for course, course map and enrolment information. Further course structure information can be found in the handbook archive. |
| Duration | 4 years full-time or part-time equivalent or 3 years full-time accelerated mode* |
| CRICOS code | 015204J Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Warrnambool |
| Supplementary information | *An optional accelerated course structure is available in this course, allowing students to complete the course in 3-years duration by enrolling into 8 consecutive trimesters. Students undertaking the accelerated course structure are required to enrol in Trimester 3 of the first and second year of the course. All students are advised to seek course advice prior to attempting the accelerated course structure from Student Central. Students have until the start of Trimester 2 of Year-1 to decide whether to enrol into the accelerated course structure. The Languages specialisation and Inclusive Education Elective Sequence are unavailable in the accelerated course structure. International students on a student visa who complete the course earlier than the registered 4-year course duration will have their early completions reported to the Department of Home Affairs, resulting in their CoEs updating to ‘Finished’ status. International students who complete the course early are required to either enrol into another CRICOS registered course that is of the same AQF level as their visa was granted for or depart Australia within 28-days from the date of their early completion reporting. International students are advised to seek visa advice by contacting a Registered Migration Agent on the MARA website. |
Course sub-headings
Professional recognition
This course is accredited by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) as a nationally accredited course and students are eligible to apply for registration with VIT upon graduation. If you intend to apply for registration in Victoria or interstate you may be required to provide further information. Applicants are advised to check the registration requirements in their state or territory, carefully.
Contact Hours
For each unit of study, you are expected to participate in at least three hours of formal contact each week of trimester. A minimum of 6-hours of study time in addition to the formal contact is also expected for each unit each week.
You will complete a minimum of 80-days supervised school experience over the duration of the course, providing hands-on experience in a primary school setting.
Course learning outcomes
| Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|
| Acquire broad and coherent theoretical knowledge and understanding of education and the application of this knowledge and skills in teaching and learning, particularly for primary school contexts |
| Engage in appropriately diverse effective interpersonal, oral, written, digital and non-verbal communication with students, their parents or caregivers, colleagues and other stakeholders to demonstrate empathy, develop rapport and build professional teacher/ student/ parent/ caregiver relationships with trust for quality learning and teaching. |
| Select, collect, use and create a range of digital teaching and learning resources and technologies to support student engagement and learning. |
| Critically evaluate and synthesise contemporary research and theoretical perspectives relating to teaching, student learning, and using diverse assessment data to make judgements about the use of appropriate teaching, learning and assessment strategies. |
| Critically reflect on professional practice to generate creative, innovative and authentic solutions to a range of real-world problems encountered in the learning and teaching contexts and professional learning communities. |
| Actively work and learn independently with responsibility taken for professional actions and judgements |
| Work and learn collaboratively with colleagues, other professionals, families and members of the wider community who share responsibility for student learning and their wellbeing. |
| Engage in professional, intercultural and ethical approaches that addresses social justice, equity, diversity, and sustainability issues. |
Approved by Faculty Board
Note – From 2026, Deakin commenced introducing Graduate Attributes (GAs), which define the distinctive characteristics of a Deakin graduate. You may notice some courses still refer to Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) during this transition period.
Course rules
To complete the Bachelor of Education (Primary) you must pass 32 credit points. This includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- ELN010 Australian Literacy Test (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first year of study
- ELN011 Australian Numeracy Test (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first year of study
- 26 credit points of core units
- 4 credit points of primary subject specialisation
- 2 credit points of course electives
- a maximum of 10 credit points at level 1
- a minimum of 10 credit points at level 3 or above
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Course structure
Core units
Year 1
| ELN010 | Australian Literacy Test (zero (0) credit points) |
| ELN011 | Australian Numeracy Test (zero (0) credit points) |
| ECL101 | Science of Reading |
| EES102 | Scientific Knowledge for Primary Teachers |
| ESM102 | Mathematical Knowledge for Primary Teachers |
| ETP103 | Foundations of Teaching: Becoming a Professional |
| ETP104 | Foundations of Teaching: Planning for Teaching and Learning |
| EEO101 | Teaching Primary Humanities 1 |
| EEH116 | Teaching Primary Health and Physical Education |
| ECA215 | Teaching Primary Creative and Performing Arts 1 |
ETP101 Foundations of Teaching: Becoming a Professional [No longer available for enrolment, ETP103 is the new version of this unit]
ETP102 Social Contexts of Education [No longer available for enrolment, ETP104 replaces this unit]
SIT106 Fundamental Concepts of Mathematics [No longer available for enrolment, ESM102 replaces this unit]
ECA100 Engaging and Exploring Arts Education [No longer available for enrolment, ECA215 replaces this unit]
Year 2
| ECL210 | Teaching Primary English and Literacy: F-2 |
| ESM201 | Teaching Primary Mathematics and Numeracy: F-2 [replaces ESM211] |
| ETP200 | Classroom Management |
| IND202 | Decolonising Teaching and Learning: Recognition, Relationships and Reconciliation on Unceded Lands |
| EES245 | Teaching Primary Science 1 |
EEH217 Student Health and Wellbeing [No longer available for enrolment]
ESM211 Children and Mathematics: Developing Mathematical Concepts [No longer available for enrolment, ESM201 replaces this unit]
Plus:
- 2 credit points of specialisation units from the table below;
Year 3
| ESM304 | Teaching Primary Mathematics and Numeracy: Years 3-6 [replaces ESM310] |
| ETP300 | Educating Students with Additional Needs [2027 is the final year of offer for this unit] |
| ETP305 | Curriculum, Pedagogy, Assessment and Feedback Application [replaces ETP303] |
| ECL310 | Teaching Primary English and Literacy: 3-6 |
| EEA311 | Primary Arts Education: Focussed Study [2027 is the final year of offer for this unit] |
ESM310 Teachers and Mathematics: Creating an Effective Classroom [No longer available for enrolment, ESM304 replaces this unit]
ETP303 Curriculum and Pedagogy [No longer available for enrolment, ETP305 replaces this unit]
Plus:
- 2 x 1 credit point elective units (Inclusive Education pathway students take specific elective units)
- 1 credit point specialisation unit from the table below;
Year 4
EEO410 Humanities Inquiry Pedagogy [No longer available for enrolment, EEO312 replaces this unit]
| ECL410 | Teaching Primary English and Decision Making |
| EES344 | Teaching Primary Science 2 [replaces EES440] |
| ESM410 | Professional Practice and Mathematics: Designing An Inclusive Program [2028 will be the final year of offer for this unit] |
| EST400 | Primary Technology Education: Creativity and Design [2028 will be the final year of offer for this unit] |
| EPR786 | Transition to the Profession 1 |
| EPR787 | Transition to the Profession 2 |
EES440 Primary Science Education 2 [No longer available for enrolment, EES344 replaces this unit]
Plus:
- 1 credit point specialisation unit:
| ECP400 | Building Leadership Capacity in the School and Wider Community |
ETP400 Assessment: Ways of Knowing Learners [No longer available for enrolment, EPR786 replaces this unit]
ETP403 University-To-Work Transition [No longer available for enrolment, EPR787 replaces this unit]
Electives
In your course you have two electives. These can be made up by completing the Inclusive Education option OR a combination of any two undergraduate units offered across the university.
Inclusive Education Elective Sequence
If you would like to complete the Inclusive Education sequence, you will need to successfully complete
- two elective units:
| EIE702 | Teaching and Learning in the Inclusive Classroom |
| ECE344 | Inclusive Education for Young Children (previously ECE404) |
- You will be supported to focus on inclusive education practices during your Year 3 Professional Experience placements
Specialisations
Primary Specialisation - Health and Physical Education (SP-E359007)
Specialisation Unit 1
| EEH203 | Sport and Exercise Practice |
OR
| EEH315 | Teaching Sexuality and Relationship Education |
OR
| HBS109 | Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology |
Specialisation Unit 2
| HBS110 | Health Psychology (Behaviour Change) |
Specialisation Unit 3
| ETP405 | Primary Specialisation Pathway: Pedagogical Content Knowledge |
Specialisation Unit 4
| ECP400 | Building Leadership Capacity in the School and Wider Community |
Primary Specialisation - Languages (SP-E359008) (Unavailable in Accelerated E359 course offering)
Specialisation Unit 1
Diploma of Languages units^
Specialisation Unit 2
Diploma of Languages units^
Specialisation Unit 3
| ETP405 | Primary Specialisation Pathway: Pedagogical Content Knowledge |
Specialisation Unit 4
| ECP400 | Building Leadership Capacity in the School and Wider Community |
Primary Specialisation - Language and Literacy (SP-E359002)
Specialisation Unit 1
| ALL153 | Literature for Children and Young Adults |
Specialisation Unit 2
| ALL230 | Adapting Children's Texts Across Media |
OR
| ALL260 | Australian Literature |
Specialisation Unit 3
| ETP405 | Primary Specialisation Pathway: Pedagogical Content Knowledge |
Specialisation Unit 4
| ECP400 | Building Leadership Capacity in the School and Wider Community |
Primary Specialisation - Mathematics and Numeracy (SP-E359001)
Specialisation Unit 1 and 2
Choose two Specialisation units from:
| SIT190 | Introduction to Functions, Relations and Graphs |
| SIT103 | Database Fundamentals |
| MAF101 | Fundamentals of Finance |
ESM215 Problem Solving, Modelling and Mathematical Applications [No longer available for enrolment]
Specialisation Unit 3
| ETP405 | Primary Specialisation Pathway: Pedagogical Content Knowledge |
Specialisation Unit 4
| ECP400 | Building Leadership Capacity in the School and Wider Community |
Primary Specialisations - Science (SP-E359003)
Specialisation Unit 1
| SLE111 | Cells and Genes |
OR
| SLE133 | Chemistry in Our World |
OR
| SLE103 | Ecology and the Environment |
Specialisation Unit 2
| SLE123 | Physics for the Life Sciences |
Specialisation Unit 3
| ETP405 | Primary Specialisation Pathway: Pedagogical Content Knowledge |
Specialisation Unit 4
| ECP400 | Building Leadership Capacity in the School and Wider Community |
^ Deakin has four options for languages study: Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian, Spanish:
Concurrent enrolments in A221 Diploma of Arabic or A222 Diploma of Chinese, or A223 Diploma of Indonesian, or A224 Diploma of Spanish or equivalent with up to 4 credit points of RPL are given upon the completion. The Diploma can be undertaken concurrently with another course and is of 3 years part-time duration with eight credit points. There are two options for each Diploma: i) for students with no background in the language; or ii) an advanced study for those with Year 12 level (or equivalent) in the language.
Diploma of Languages is only available able to domestic students.