Why Study Teaching in Australia?

A Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education is an excellent entry point for individuals driven by the innate desire to teach, impart knowledge, and help shape the lives and learning experiences of children. Insights from the Australian Teacher Workforce Data (ATWD) forum clearly indicate the increasing demand for educators of young children in Australia. As the Australian population expands in the coming years, this demand for early childhood educators is expected to rise exponentially. According to the OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018, early childhood educators, particularly in Australia, report very high job satisfaction derived from their work, making a career in this domain both lucrative and rewarding.

Why Study a Diploma in Early Childhood Education?

Diplomas in Early Childhood Education at either undergraduate or postgraduate levels are perfect for individuals already working in early childhood education and care who want to advance their careers as educators or center directors.

The demand for diploma-trained early childhood staff has significantly increased over the past decade, and the number of higher-level vacancies is expected to continue rising. According to the Australian Government’s Job Outlook service, around 10,000 child care center managers will be needed in Australia over the next five years. Thus, a Diploma in Early Childhood Education will equip you with the skills and practical knowledge necessary to teach children aged from birth to five years and to design and implement early childhood programs that address the emotional, physical, cognitive, and social needs of young children.

The diploma will also provide opportunities to explore early childhood education curriculum theories and pedagogies, child development, health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, and teaching and learning in areas such as literacy, mathematics, science, and the arts. By experiencing learning across a variety of early childhood settings, you will graduate equipped with the confidence and skills necessary to meet the growing demand in the Australian early childhood education sector.

Bachelor’s Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care: Why Go for It?

This program is ideally suited for candidates at the crossroads of entering the professional field of early childhood education or for individuals who are practicing teachers but want to formalize and enhance their qualifications to explore deeper career opportunities in early education.

A Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education prepares you to become an in-demand early childhood teacher, equipped with effective skills and practical experience. The course focuses on the education and care of children from birth to five years, empowering you to understand how early childhood and kindergarten teaching can involve children and families as contributors to the learning process. You will graduate with expertise grounded in a strong sense of social justice, gained through practical childcare and kindergarten teaching experience, along with critical perspectives on early childhood theory.

When you study early childhood education, you will gain insights into the early years by exploring these fascinating areas:

Child development

Teaching practices that include Aboriginal perspectives

Education and curriculum studies focused on relationships and meaning

Advocacy and activism in early childhood settings

History and philosophy of early childhood

Ethical early childhood professional practice

Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education and Care: Career Opportunities

Childcare job openings are expected to grow significantly (ACECQA) in Australia. The structure of all diplomas and bachelor’s degrees in early education inherently provides candidates with essential experience working in childcare and teaching in kindergartens as part of their coursework, thus preparing them for real-world environments.

Typically, graduates of the Bachelor’s diploma in this field find employment in kindergartens and childcare centers in roles such as:

Kindergarten teacher

Early childhood teacher

Kindergarten curriculum designer

Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education and Care: Course Overview

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, students must complete a specific number of credit points as prescribed by their facilitating university over the course of three years. In these three years, you will study subjects including:

Year I Onwards:

Reconciling Australian Humanities Education

Year II Onwards:

Practice in Partnership 1

Personal and Professional Learning

Practice in Partnership 2

Advocacy in Leadership and Management in Early Childhood Education

Human Development, Sustainability, and Wellbeing

Year III Onwards:

History, Philosophy, and Early Childhood Education

Practice in Partnership 3

Creativity and the Arts in Education

Engaging with Place through Play

Critical and Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Education

Equity, Social Justice, and Diversity in Early Childhood Education

Professional Understandings of Quality Frameworks in Early Childhood

Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care: Why Go for It?

The Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care is an industry-relevant postgraduate qualification for students who have completed a three-year bachelor degree and wish to enhance their employment prospects with an early childhood qualification. The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) is designed for those looking to become teachers in early childhood settings. It also provides excellent training for careers in children’s services coordination, early childhood research, policy formation, quality regulation and assessment, or positions involving early intervention for children with special needs.

The Master of Teaching in Early Childhood Education is designed for applicants with an undergraduate degree in any discipline who seek a rewarding career as a global educator and teacher. This program will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and professional values necessary to become an effective educator. Through engagement with contemporary ideas and practices, you will develop the professional knowledge and skills needed to foster learning in students of various ages and diverse needs. As a result, you will become an effective educator capable of designing learning experiences that ensure your future students achieve a balance of challenge and support in areas such as the arts, music, English, mathematics, physical education, health and wellbeing, science, and humanities. You will engage with current educational priorities and policies and learn to apply these in practice, developing professional values and commitments that will position you as a research-informed future education leader.

A Master of Teaching in Early Childhood Education will enable you to provide children with a quality early childhood education experience that contributes to their educational success in later years. If you are passionate about equipping young children with the skills to be engaged lifelong learners, then a career in early childhood education is for you. You will work closely with infants and young children to inspire and stimulate their learning and skill development. This specialization prepares you to teach infants and children from birth to five years in childcare centers, kindergartens, and preschools. You will gain an understanding of the learning process and the aspects that influence it, while building a repertoire of strategies to manage young children’s learning. Drawing on contemporary theories and practices in early childhood education, you will appreciate the positive impact and power teaching can have on influencing young children’s learning and development. You will engage with current education policies and priorities, both locally and internationally, and learn to apply these in practice. You will develop the skills necessary to create sustainable partnerships across networks and examine the importance of literacy and numeracy in early childhood education, as well as the significance of play in young children’s development. By understanding how young children learn scientific and technological concepts in everyday contexts, you will be equipped to explore ways in which digital technologies can enhance learning.

Pursuing a master’s degree focused exclusively on early childhood education can serve as a pathway to further learning, including doctoral studies. The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) is for those seeking registration with the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) to teach specialized early years learning and development, as well as for those pursuing careers in children’s services coordination, early childhood research, policy formation, quality regulation, and assessment, or positions involving early intervention for children with special needs.

Additionally, a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education enables you to gain practical experience. This master’s degree is generally approved by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), further enhancing your chances of obtaining gainful employment upon completion.

Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care: Career Opportunities

If you want to make a difference in the lives and educational journeys of young children and have an interest in childhood development, along with the patience, warmth, integrity, and communication skills necessary for working with young children, a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education is perfect for you. It will prepare you for roles such as:

Childcare educator: Encouraging the healthy intellectual and psychological growth of children aged from birth to four years.

Kindergarten teacher: Responsible for a child’s first educational experience, introducing basic skills, including letters, numbers, social science, and behavioral skills.

Preschool teacher: Educating and caring for children aged three to five years.

Junior primary teacher: Developing lesson plans in line with curriculum objectives and facilitating classroom learning for children aged five to eight.

The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) is accredited by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), allowing graduates to apply for registration to work in Australian early childhood education and care settings. This program also benefits other career paths in government (policy reform), research, and community roles, including:

Children’s services coordination

Youth health and wellbeing assessment and evaluation

Graduates interested in pursuing a research pathway can apply for the Master of Education (Research), which provides research training experience for potential entry into the PhD-Education program.

Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care: Course Overview

The Master’s in Early Childhood Education or Master in Teaching with a specialization in early childhood education is a two-year graduate degree program requiring an average of about 200 credit points for successful completion. During these two years of your master’s diploma, you will study various subjects.