Graduate Certificate of Education (International Baccalaureate PYP Early Years)

2025 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2025 course information
Award granted	Graduate Certificate of Education (International Baccalaureate PYP Early Years)
Deakin course code	E511
Faculty	Faculty of Arts and Education
Campus	This course is only offered Online For students who commenced prior to 2025 only
Online	Yes
Duration	1 year part-time
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8
This course is for pipelining students only. The final intake to this course version was in 2024. Students should contact a Student Adviser in Student Central for course and enrolment information. Further course structure information can be found in the handbook archive.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

The Graduate Certificate of Education (International Baccalaureate PYP Early Years) is aimed at providing current early childhood and/or Primary teachers with the specialist skills, knowledge and theoretical understanding of the IB PYP, with a specific focus on the early years (children 3-8 years). Graduates of this course will be able to apply for recognition by the IBO as having met the expected professional learning requirements to teach in an IB PYP school.

The Course consists of units which covers Inquiry Learning Through the International Baccalaureate (PYP), which introduces students to the IB PYP from a theoretical and practice-based understanding:

The Inquiring Child: The Role of Play in Children's Learning, explores the connections between contemporary, research-based thinking on theories of play and inquiry practice in the early years and the IB PYP, and teachers’ own pedagogical approaches and experiences;
Assessing and Documenting Learning in the Global Early Years Context, analyses the role of assessment in contexts of play, relationships, environment and symbolic learning in early years education drawing in global perspectives and contemporary perspectives; and
Planning for Inquiry Learning: Professional Practice and Portfolio is a praxis unit which provides students with the opportunity to connect the theoretical understanding of the IB PYP pedagogy and approaches with practical opportunities to enact planning, teaching and assessment in an IN PYP (Early Years) setting.

Through undertaking 15-days fieldwork in an IB PYP (Early Years) students will work in collaboration with experienced IB PYP (Early Years) teachers to plan, teach and assess a unit of inquiry.

Indicative student workload

Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period for each credit point undertaking required teaching, learning and assessment activities.

Career opportunities

The Graduate Certificate of Education (International Baccalaureate PYP Early Years) will provide graduates with the required skills, knowledge and underpinning theory of the IB PYP Program and the IBO will recognise graduates as meeting the professional requirements to teach in an IB YP school.

The IB PYP is a globally recognised curriculum and accredited IB PYP schools can be found both in Australia and across many countries in North America, Europe and Asia. Additionally, there is an increasing number of schools across Asia applying to become IBO accredited schools, resulting in the need for increasing opportunities for suitably qualified teachers to address the employment needs.

As a professional post graduate qualification, the Graduate Certificate of Education (International Baccalaureate PYP Early Years) provides an opportunity for current early childhood and primary school teachers to build on their existing qualifications to gain this additional specialisation which will result in further employment opportunities for graduates both in Australia and internationally, as well as attract students internationally who need to undertake the professional learning necessary to be employed in an IB PYP school.

Furthermore, the course design as a Graduate Certificate can also lead to a Master of Education, providing additional opportunities for current teachers seeking to build their professional skills and understanding.

For more information go to DeakinTALENT.

Participation requirements

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.

Mandatory student checks

Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.

Course Learning Outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Contribute to critical, professional debates about education theory in a global context as it applies to early years curriculum and pedagogy and ethical codes and standards, and these understandings to inform their own practice as a global early educator.
Communication	Apply critical thinking, pedagogical and effective interpersonal, oral, written and multimodal communication skills to demonstrate empathy, foster learner agency, establish positive and inclusive internationally minded learning environments, and build effective professional collaborative partnerships and trust with teaching colleagues, families and other stakeholders
Digital literacy	Act in accordance with the ethical and legal frameworks and policy that inform responsible and ethical practice in digital environments, and critically discuss, evaluate and employ a range of appropriate digital literacies, resources and technologies for professional/community/learner engagement and agency.
Critical thinking	Engage with contemporary critical and professional debates regarding global education trends, theory, policy and research and use these understandings to critically reflect on and evaluate own teaching practices and diverse learning data sets to make informed evidence-based judgements for enhancements and innovations to improve learner agency and outcomes.
Problem solving	Collaboratively and independently use evidence and research to identify, prioritise and creatively respond to problems that arise in professional learning and practice.
Teamwork	Actively and collaboratively participate in, and/or lead learning communities, involving learners, families, community members, colleagues and the broader profession to deepen understandings of global education and international mindedness to optimise learning and learner outcomes
Global citizenship	Engage in research and professional collaborations to develop informed positions on and approaches to internationally minded educational transformation as applied to learner agency and global citizenship; Indigenous and intercultural issues; global education trends and issues; and, social justice and sustainability.

Approved at Faculty Board October 2021

Course rules

To complete the Graduate Certificate of Education (International Baccalaureate PYP Early Years) students must pass 4 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:

DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
4 credit points of core units

Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.

Note:

This course is part-time only.

Course structure

Core Units

DAI001

Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit)

EIB702

The Inquiring Child: the Role of Play in Children's Learning

EIB703

Assessing and Documenting Learning in the Global Early Years Context

EIB701 Inquiry Learning Through the International Baccalaureate (PYP) [No longer available for enrolment]

EIB704 Planning for Inquiry Learning: Professional Practice and Portfolio [No longer available for enrolment]

Course duration

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

Contact Student Central

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

Estimate your fees

For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.