Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education (Leadership)

2022 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2022 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]

Year	2022 course information
Award granted	Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education (Leadership)
Course Map	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2022. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2022. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Campus	Cloud (online)*
Cloud Campus	Yes
Duration	1 year full-time or part-time equivalent
Deakin course code	E606
Approval status	The course is approved by the University pursuant to the Higher Education Standards Framework.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8.
New course commencing Trimester 1, 2022. * On campus requirement in intensive mode for conferences

Course sub-headings

Course overview

The Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education (Leadership) provides professional development for early childhood teachers to upgrade their three-year teaching qualification. Upon completion of the course, graduates will be recognised as holding the equivalence of a four-year teaching qualification, which can meet employer and teacher registration requirements in Australia. This course may also be of interest to qualified early childhood teachers who are re-entering the teaching profession after having a lengthy absence.

Students will advance their existing teaching knowledge, skills and practices, graduating with a specialisation in a selected area of therapeutic play, education business leadership, or International Baccalaureate Early Years (Primary Years Programme (PYP)).

Graduates of the course will be able to seek employment as an early childhood teacher in a diverse range of early childhood settings. Furthermore, the expertise gained through specialisation and advanced curriculum studies positions graduates to be highly equipped for leadership roles in educational settings.

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

There is an increasing demand for qualified early childhood teachers, with the workforce set to double in the next 10 years. Graduates are qualified to work in early childhood settings as early childhood teachers. Graduates are also equipped with expertise gained through their specialisation and advanced curriculum studies, providing opportunities for employment in leadership roles such as educational leaders, coordinators or educational advisers.

Using their advanced knowledge gained from their selected specialisation, graduates may also find employment opportunities in policy, consultancy, NGOs, research or community-based organisations (e.g. museums, outdoor education, arts institutions, etc).

For more information go to DeakinTALENT

Participation requirements

Compulsory learning experiences

Professional Experience Placements are a compulsory component of the course and a requirement for registration as a graduate teacher. 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 may be made for students with a disability or further needs. Click here for more information.

Students are required to check the placement calendars published on the Professional Experience Office website each year. Placement takes priority over employment and placement periods are generally block placements of 5 full time days per week over 1-2 weeks.

Course delivery is blended and students are required to dedicate time to weekly engagement with located or cloud teaching and learning activities and resources. This is recommended at combined total 8-10 hours per week per unit including active learning/engagement either face to face or online, and independent study.

Students will be required to attend a one-day conference twice a trimester at a Deakin campus.

Mandatory student checks

Successful applicants are required to hold a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) prior to undertaking professional experience placements in education settings, as part of this course. For more information see: https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/

Interstate applicants must check the requirements and meet all conditions for undertaking professional experience in schools for their state or territory before undertaking professional experience placements as part of this course.

The Working with Children Check (Check) and a Police Check are different checks. Under the Working with Children Act 2005 (the Act) if you are doing child-related work and are not exempt, you must have a Check even if you already have a Police Check. The Police Check is not an assessment by a government agency.

https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/organisations/victorian-teacher-information

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year, the units you choose and your study load. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website or our handy Fee estimator to help estimate your tuition fees.

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 photocopying or travel.

Course Learning Outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline specific knowledge and capabilities	Critically analyse, consolidate, synthesise and apply advanced knowledge of curriculum, theory, policy and regulations in early childhood education with an advanced understanding of how to transfer specialised knowledge into practice.
Communication	Critically evaluate and use highly skilled communication strategies (oral, written, digital and nonverbal) to professionally transfer specialised knowledge, complex ideas and advanced theoretical concepts with diverse individuals and groups (such as children, families, parents and caregivers, colleagues and other professionals, community organisations).
Digital literacy	Critically evaluate and apply a range of technologies to collect, analyse, synthesise, evaluate, generate and transmit information for the purposes of advanced and specialised teaching and learning in a rapidly changing global environment.
Critical thinking	Apply advanced knowledge to critically analyse and evaluate contemporary issues, policies and research in educational and societal contexts to generate and transmit independent judgements to research and professional scholarship relating to complex problems in teaching and learning.
Problem solving	Apply highly developed analytical skills to complex professional situations and ideas to make independent judgements related to teaching and learning. Generate and transmit creative, innovative and authentic solutions to real-life and complex problems encountered when working with diverse individuals and groups (such as children, families, parents and caregivers, colleagues and other professionals, community organisations).
Self-management	Critically reflect on planning, problem-solving and decision making in teaching and learning contexts using research and scholarship. Use initiative and autonomy to apply advanced evaluative and analytic knowledge and skills to demonstrate responsibility for own learning and professional practice (and in collaboration with others).
Teamwork	Actively and collaboratively participate in, and/or lead learning communities, involving learners, families, community members, colleagues and the broader profession.
Global citizenship	Adapt and apply advanced knowledge and skills that support the diversity of Australian society in the professional context. This includes influences of Indigenous and intercultural issues, family contexts, gender and disability on development, learning and teaching.
Approved by Faculty Board May 2020

Course rules

To qualify for the award of the Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education (Leadership), students must complete 8 credit points comprising:

4 credit points of core units;
4 credit points of advanced study specialisation in either Therapeutic Play, Education Business Leadership or International Baccalaureate Early Years (Primary Years Programme (PYP))
AAI018 Academic Integrity (0-credit-point compulsory unit)

This course includes supervised professional experience. The hours and days required will vary depending on the specialisation pathway selected.

Specialisations

Refer to the details of each specialisation for availability.

To qualify for a specialisation within the Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education (Leadership), a student must successfully complete 4 credit points of study from within that specialisation.

Specialisations are available in the following areas:

Education Business Leadership

Therapeutic Play

International Baccalaureate Early Years (Primary Years Programme (PYP))

Course structure

Core units

AAI018

Academic Integrity (0 credit point)

ECE730

Leading STEM in Early Childhood Teaching

ECE731

Diverse Environments and Pedagogies

ECE732

Pedagogies of Physical Development and Wellbeing

ECE733

Teacher as Leader

Course electives

Plus 4 credit points of advanced study specialisation in Therapeutic Play, Education Business Leadership or International Baccalaureate Early Years (Primary Years Programme (PYP))

Work experience

Students will satisfactorily complete 35-hrs of professional experience placement as part of their completion of ECE703 Diverse Environments and Pedagogies. The School of Education Professional Experience Office makes all arrangements for students’ placements.

Students may be required to complete additional placement hours and days to meet the requirements of elective units in their specialisation pathway.

Details of specialisations

Education Business Leadership

Unit set code

SP-E606002

Overview

This specialisation is composed of four units from the Graduate Certificate of Education Business Leadership which is grounded in contemporary practices and current issues in education policy. Participants will learn how to lead diverse teams and gain a comprehensive, contemporary and theoretical knowledge that will enable business leaders to develop and enact strategic planning with intuitive financial and governance practices.

Career outcomes

Graduates will advance their capabilities through each unit that may lead to leadership and management roles in education and other industries.

For more information go to 'DeakinTALENT '

Units

ELT700

Education Business Planning and Capacity Building

ELT701

Governance in Education

ELT702

Leading Strategy and Change in Education

ELT703

Understanding Funding and Finance for Educational Outcomes

Therapeutic Play

Unit set code

SP-E606001

Overview

This specialisation is composed of four units from the Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play. Deakin’s therapeutic play and child play therapy courses are the first of their kind offered by an Australian university. You will gain knowledge about children's development of play skills and coping, and consider the role of the practitioner in providing age appropriate play based experiences to children and young people.

Career outcomes

Graduates of a Therapeutic Play postgraduate degree will be eligible to work in professional healthcare teams, in individual private practice, and in a range of health, education and community contexts.

For more information go to 'DeakinTALENT '

Units

HSO709

Therapeutic Use of Self

HSO710

Foundations of Play Therapy

HSO711

Child Attachment Environment and Trauma

HSO725

Therapeutic Medical Play

International Baccalaureate Early Years (Primary Years Programme (PYP))

Unit set code

SP-E606003

Overview

This specialisation is composed of four units from the Graduate Certificate of Education (International Baccalaureate PYP Early Years). Deakin’s IB PYP Early Years has been designed to enable students on completion to meet the specialisation standards and requirements to teach in an IB PYP programme either in Australia or internationally.

Career outcomes

Graduates will be provided with a qualification to teach and lead early childhood curriculum in IB schools across the World

For more information go to 'DeakinTALENT '

Units

EIB701

Inquiry Learning Through the International Baccalaureate (PYP)

EIB702

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

EIB703

Assessing and Documenting Learning in the Global Early Years Context

EIB704

Planning for Inquiry Learning: Professional Practice and Portfolio *

* professional placement (minimum of 3 weeks over the trimester). It will be each student’s responsibility to organise their professional practice placement. This is not a supervised professional experience placement organised through the 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.

Further information

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

Contact Student Central