3708 - Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies

This course is intended for students who have completed a Diploma of Community Services (Children's Services) or an equivalent and who wish to develop advanced skills and experience in teaching in early childhood education. It is especially suitable for those wishing to upgrade their qualifications to a teaching degree suitable for prior-to-school settings.

Students must complete teaching practice which consists of a minimum of 80 days of satisfactory supervised early childhood education experience. Those who are employed in early childhood settings must complete a minimum of 40 days of supervised fieldwork in a setting other than the one in which they are employed. Students must be available to undertake fieldwork placements full time.

The broad objective of this course is to provide early childhood educators with the additional skills and understandings necessary to teach across a range of early childhood education settings, including kindergarten. Specific course objectives are that students will develop:

• a deeper understanding of child development, learning theories and early childhood pedagogy
• further understandings about early childhood curriculum development in literacy, numeracy, science, technology, music, visual arts and expressive arts
• the ability to critically reflect upon contemporary issues in early childhood education, family studies, and research
• an appreciation of the cultural contexts of early childhood settings and the diversity of children and families who experience these contexts
• a broad foundation of professional practice, to undertake effectively the role of early childhood educator.

The course consists of 16 units, which are linked with four professional experience rounds arranged throughout the course. Students will be in early childhood settings for a total of up to 80 days. Candidates must satisfactorily complete each of the 16 units of study and receive a satisfactory teaching assessment to be eligible for the award.

First year

• Credit for prior studies equivalent to 48 points

Second and third year

• EDF1503 Foundations in early childhood education* (10 days fieldwork)
• EDF1513 Music in early childhood
• EDF1514 Visual arts in early childhood
• EDF2202 Child development 2
• EDF2507 Early childhood teaching studies 1* (three to five days fieldwork)
• EDF3501 Early childhood literacy
• EDF3502 Contexts and issues in family studies
• EDF3504 Early childhood expressive arts
• EDF3508 Early childhood teaching studies 4* (20 days fieldwork)
• EDF4201 Child development 4: children with additional educational needs
• EDF4303 Teacher as a researcher
• EDF4501 Early childhood maths, science and technology
• EDF4502 The early childhood professional
• EDF4504 Contemporary issues in early childhood
• EDF4507 Early childhood teaching studies 5* (33 days fieldwork)
• EDF4508 Early childhood teaching studies 6* (15 days fieldwork)

* Applicants with significant work history in the field would be eligible to apply for up to a further six months of advanced standing based on recognition of prior learning (RPL) for this experience and would not be required to complete these units.

On completion of the Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies, graduates will be eligible for appointment as kindergarten teachers in pre-schools or childcare centres in Victoria. For interstate and overseas positions, applicants are advised to check with local authorities.

Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies

* Where more than one award is listed, or in the case of double degrees, where more than one award is listed for one or both components of the double degree, the actual award/s conferred may depend on units/majors/streams/specialisations studied, the level of academic merit achieved (eg in the case of 'with honours' programs), or other factors relevant to the individual student's program of study.