Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
Course summary for local students
Student Information Centre
Tel 1300 334 733
enquire@deakin.edu.au
G = Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus
S = Geelong Waterfront Campus
W =Warrnambool Campus
X = Off campus
| Award granted | Bachelor of Early Childhood Education |
|---|---|
| Campus | Offered at Melbourne Burwood Campus and by community based delivery through Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and Warrnambool Campus |
| Length | 2 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Faculty contacts | Faculty of Arts and Education Burwood 03 9246 8100 Geelong 03 5227 1359 Warrnambool 03 5563 3489 Email artsedstudentsupport@deakin.edu.au
Course Director Bonnie Yim, +61 3 522 72659, b.yim@deakin.edu.au
Contact the Course Director for matters relating specifically to the academic content of this course - all enrolment related queries must go to the Student Support Office. |
| CRICOS course code | 059768J |
| Deakin course code | E420 |
Course sub-headings
Course overview
The Bachelor of Early Childhood Education covers the education requirements of young children from birth to five year-olds and will qualify you as a teacher in childcare centres, kindergartens and early learning centres.
As Australia is on the cusp of significant growth in the early childhood education sector, this course has been developed as a new teacher education program to address the potential shortage of four year trained kindergarten and childcare centre teachers.
Deakin's focus on experiential learning in workplace settings and communities is very different from most early childhood teacher education courses. Up to half of all the teaching and learning activities of this course are undertaken in the real context, giving you the opportunity to meld theory and practice and to become a fully prepared early childhood educator. The course was prepared in consultation with practitioners, parents and early childhood professionals, and course content and delivery draws on the expertise and experience of these groups.
The Australia-wide standard for early childhood education teachers is now four years of tertiary study. As a graduate of this course you will be eligible for employment as an early childhood teacher working with young children as required by the registering body.
This two year course follows on from studies undertaken at TAFE, such as a two year Diploma of Children's Services. It is available to qualified early childhood staff and kindergarten teachers seeking to extend their studies and upgrade their qualifications to the four-year degree level.
The Bachelor of Early Childhood Education enables you to complete the course requirements of 20 credit points of study in a minimum of two years of full-time study (or part-time equivalent), inclusive of professional experience.
The course content covers all areas of program preparation, professional understandings and the experience and skills required of early childhood educators. As a course requirement, level 3 students will complete a minimum of 45 days of supervised professional experience in a range of early childhood settings.
The program is offered in two experience-based pathways: a rural, community-based
program offered through the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and the Warrnambool Campus, and an on-campus, city-based program offered through the Melbourne Burwood Campus. In some instances, you will be able to combine employment with your studies.
Students enrolled in the rural program are required to attend intensives throughout the course. There will be approximately one intensive held every six weeks. In addition, in level 3 you will be placed in early childhood settings (including kindergartens, long day care centres) for supervised professional experience for a minimum of two days per week.
The city program will have the same features as the rural program, including supervised professional experience in city kindergartens and childcare centres. The city program will be suitable for domestic and international students living in the Melbourne area.
Professional recognition
Graduates of the course will be eligible for employment as kindergarten and childcare centre teachers. The course has been accredited by the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development upon recommendation from the Victorian branch of Early Childhood Australia.
International students:
Applicants who are intending to apply for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) will be required to demonstrate an IELTS of an average band score of 7.5 across all four skill areas where there is no score below 7 in any of the four skills areas and a score of no less than 8 in speaking and listening. Further information
Course rules
The degree requires students to complete 20 credit points over the equivalent of two years of full-time study, inclusive of the minimum 45 days of supervised professional experience.
The course comprises 10 credit points of study at 3rd level and 10 credit points of study at 4th level. Studies include units in language and literacy and mathematics, children’s social, physical and behavioural development, management, program issues in early childhood settings and professional leadership and advocacy.
Course structure
Level 3
Trimester 1
| ECE300 | Language and Literacy Development |
| ECE301 | Understanding Early Childhood Education and Learning Environments |
| ECE302 | Children's Mathematical Development |
| ECE303 | Children as Individuals |
| ECP331 | Professional Experience 3A |
| ECP332 | Professional Experience 3B |
Trimester 2
| ECE306 | Young Children's Art and Drama |
| ECE307 | Program Planning and Evaluation |
| ECE308 | Young Children's Movement and Music |
| ECE309 | Critical Issues in Safety and Child Protection |
| ECP333 | Professional Experience 3C |
| ECP334 | Professional Experience 3D |
Trimester 3
| ECE310 | Transition Case Study |
| ECE410 | Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership |
Or
| ECE411 | Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy |
Notes:
(i) Students need to enrol in and complete ECE310 Transition Case Study in Trimester 3 only, to graduate. Full-time students complete ECE310 at the end of level 3. Part-time students can choose to complete ECE310 in the middle of level 3 or at the end of level 3.
(ii) ECE410 Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership and ECE411 Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy are work experience in industry units. They are available for enrolment in Trimesters 1, 2, and 3 after completion of ALL level 3 units. ECE410 and ECE411 are not to be enrolled in concurrently.
Level 4
Trimester 1
| ECE400 | Cultural Perspectives Through Dance |
| ECE401 | Advanced Management of Young Children's Behaviour |
| ECE402 | Promoting Science and Environmental Awareness |
| ECE403 | Developing Partnerships |
| ECE410 | Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership |
Or
| ECE411 | Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy |
Trimester 2
| ECE405 | Inquiry Into Social and Cultural Development |
| ECE406 | Research On Organisation of Early Childhood Settings |
| ECE407 | Child, Family and Community Health and Physical Development |
| ESE499 | Independent Project |
| ECE410 | Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership |
Or
| ECE411 | Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy |
Notes:
(i) ECE406 and ESE499 are Wholly Online units for this course (E420).
(ii) All units are 1 credit point value unless noted otherwise:
ECP331, ECP332, ECP333, ECP334 are 0.25 credit point units.
ECE301, ECE303, ECE307, ECE309 are 0.75 credit point units.
ECE310 is a 2 credit point unit.
(iii) ECE410 Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership and ECE411 Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy are work experience in industry units. They are available for enrolment in Trimesters 1, 2, and Trimester 3, ECE410 and ECE411 are not to be enrolled in concurrently.
Bachelor of Early Education (Honours) Units – Refer to E421 Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Honours) course. Students complete an alternative Level 4 course structure that includes the following research units.
| EXR481 | Education Research Methodology |
| EXR491 | Designing and Developing a Research Project |
| EXR498 | Minor Thesis Part A |
| EXR499 | Minor Thesis Part B |
Early Childhood professional experience requirements
The course includes a minimum of 45 days of supervised professional experience. Forty-five days to be completed over two trimesters in Level three. 20 days to be undertaken in a long day care setting, working with 0-2 year old children. The remaining 25 days to be spent in a 3-5 year old kindergarten setting. Refer to the Faculty Professional Experience website for further details:
http://www.deakin.edu.au/arts-ed/education/schoolexp/documentation.php
Professional experience comprises two blocks of 5 days. One scheduled at the beginning of the placement to allow students to familiarise themselves with the children and the environment in which their placement takes place, and the other near the end of the placement when students take full responsibility for the remaining of the program. Between the two blocks, students undertake two days a week placement to build up their experience.
Successful completion of this professional experience is required for progression to a 4th year of study.
Some of this experience may take place in special settings where pre-school children undertake educational programs (e.g. museums, hospitals, special development centres). A strength of the course for graduates is this wider conception of community and family learning contexts.
In level four, students undertake two valuing experience units where they have the opportunity to choose to work in settings that will further their knowledge in management, leadership and advocacy. These experiences are tailored to the students' needs and interests.
Working With Children Check
The Working with Children Act 2005 (Vic.) requires a person who engages in child-related work, as defined in the Act, to obtain an assessment notice under the Act, known as a Working with Children Check (WWCC). The Act is administered by the Department of Justice: justice.vic.gov.au
Professional experience placements in early childhood settings in the course of a university degree are “child-related work”. Under the Working with Children Act 2005 (Vic.), administered by the Department of Justice, a student teacher must obtain a Working with Children Check (WWCC) before commencing professional experience placements. The WWCC must remain current throughout the course. It is an offence under the Act to engage in professional experience without holding a WWCC.
While the University will hold on file documentation relating to the WWCCs obtained by students engaged in professional experience, it is each student’s responsibility to ensure that he or she can produce the WWCC card to the early childhood setting upon request and to keep the WWCC current under the Act.
Students are required to apply for a WWCC through a participating Australia Post outlet (which can be found on the Australia Post website or the Department of Justice website) and provide proof to the faculty that the WWCC has been undertaken.
Should a student fail to obtain a WWCC, practical training in an early childhood organisation will not be provided, and as practical training is a requirement for completion of a teaching degree, the student may be unable to complete the degree. Should such a situation arise, the University will provide advice on options for tertiary study.
It is the responsibility of students undertaking placements outside Victoria to enquire about and, where necessary, to meet any similar legislative or other requirements concerning working with children.
Professional Experience requirements
Students are required for registration purposes (and for the award of the degree) to have completed a minimum of 45 days of professional experience over the duration of their course. Professional experience placements are organised by the Professional Experience Office. Students should note that normally any paid or unpaid work undertaken in an early childhood organisation as an unqualified teacher/teacher’s aide will not be considered for credit by recognition of prior learning (RPL) in supervised professional experience for this course. Students may be required to complete the professional experience component of the course outside the academic year. A satisfactory level of competence during supervised professional experience is required for award of the degree. An “unsatisfactory” result on any professional experience placement will be referred to the Faculty Academic Progress and Discipline Committee.
Professional Experience enrolment
Students must follow Faculty rules in relation to the number of days of professional experience to be completed for each placement as per the Professional Experience Handbook (available from the campus of enrolment) which includes the published professional experience timetable. Students should note that a ‘day’ constitutes a whole day (not part thereof).Schedule of Professional Experience and Work Experience in Industry units
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
The course includes a minimum of 45 days of professional experience, and some credit for prior learning may be given for prior supervised professional experience days. Credit for prior learning must be applied for and granted via formal Faculty processes, in the absence of which, students will be placed for professional experience as per the timetable and course requirements.
Level 3
Trimester 1
| ECP331 | Professional Experience 3A |
| ECP332 | Professional Experience 3B |
Trimester 2
| ECP333 | Professional Experience 3C |
| ECP334 | Professional Experience 3D |
Level 4
Trimester 3, Trimester 1 or Trimester 2
| ECE410 | Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership |
Or
| ECE411 | Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy |
Note: ECE410 Valuing Experience: Early Childhood Management and Leadership and ECE411 Valuing Experience: Professional Advocacy are work experience in industry units. They are available for enrolment in Trimesters 1, 2, and Trimester 3 (year round). ECE410 and ECE411 are not to be enrolled in concurrently.
Students are assessed on an Ungraded Pass(UP)/Fail(N) basis. Students will receive a fail grade for unsatisfactory performance, professional experience days commenced but not completed or if no contact is made with Professional Experience Office for placement.
