Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
Study Mode: On-Campus, Distance Learning
Campus Locations: Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney
Delivery: Full-time, Part-time
CRICOS Code: 102713G
AQF Level 7
This degree is for anyone who has a genuine interest in understanding and enhancing children’s learning in a comprehensive and holistic manner. It is also suitable for those who have completed a related qualification and want to further their education to become an early childhood teacher.
Key Information
Trimester 2 2022 Application Close Date: Thursday 19 May 2022
AWARD
Early Childhood Education
DURATION
INTAKES
February
May
September
CAMPUSES
Brisbane
Melbourne
Sydney
STUDY MODE
On-Campus
Distance Learning
COURSE FEES
Overview
The importance of access to early childhood education and its long-term benefits is well recognised. In the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education you will study the significance of the learning and development that occurs between birth and starting school for every child. As graduate early childhood teachers, you will have an understanding of educational theory and contemporary approaches to empower you to design and deliver curriculum that enhances each child’s learning dispositions and cognitive, social, emotional and physical development skills.
During your four-year degree, you will develop skills in play pedagogy to teach literacy, maths, science, technology, engineering, arts, music, dance, drama, multimodal media, and STEM to young children. This will be balanced with safety, health and wellbeing; documentation, planning and assessment; sustainable practices; working with families and communities; diversity and inclusion practices; advocacy and research; pedagogical and educational leadership; and service provision and management.
As part of the degree, you will actively engage in 80 days of professional experience across four discrete placements to develop your teaching practice with young children. The final 30-day placement will give you the opportunity to consolidate your pedagogical and leadership practice, and the confidence and practical experience to enter the sector as a graduate early childhood teacher.
This course meets the required guidelines as specified by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), and the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).
#FindYourWhy with Ikon
Face to face delivery is an essential part of quality learning. Ikon’s experienced teaching staff will support you during your studies and share a variety of real-life approaches and experiences to help you develop your professional skills, and feel confident and career-ready, upon completion of your course.
Smaller class sizes creating a dynamic and supportive learning environment for students
Student group who are innovative thinkers and passionate about shaping Early Childhood Education across Australia
Passionate teaching staff who work in the industry and bring real-life experience
What will I learn?
- Teaching theory, skills and practice directed specifically for the learning and development of children aged birth to five years through meaningful learning experiences and curriculum based on sound pedagogical principles.
- The importance of play-based learning where children are actively engaged with activities that, while incorporating elements of play, also supports their learning and development
- How to encourage children’s participation and support diversity, equity and inclusion in the early years with emphasis on the construction and dynamics of families and communities in diverse contexts.
- The correlation between social and emotional development and behaviour, the importance of promoting and encouraging children’s agency and positive behaviour, and how to support children to self-regulate, develop their social-emotional skills and connect through positive social interactions.
- Preparation for educational leadership and service management including how to critically analyse issues and policy developments in the sector and to reflect on their own practice as professional early childhood educators
- Professional experience through a series of placement under the supervision of experienced educational leaders, giving you a real sense of early childhood education practices.
Study Sequence
The course consists of 32 subjects including four placement subjects. You must successfully complete all subjects to graduate with the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (192 credit points).
Each academic year consists of three study periods called trimesters. Each trimester consists of eleven weeks of teaching plus one exam week.
A full-time study load is eight subjects per year across three trimesters.
A part-time study load is typically five subjects per year.
Click here to see a typical full-time study plan
Delivery & Workload
Course delivery for the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education is a combination of on-campus lectures, tutorials, out of class self-directed study and workplace learning.
Each year includes the completion of one placement to accumulate 80 days professional experience by the end of the degree.
You should allow for 3 hours per subject for on-campus lectures and tutorials. For each subject, you should then spend approximately 10 hours per week for self-directed study to complete prescribed readings, practice skills, research, study and complete assessments.
Subjects
Year 1
- Professional Practice
- Exploring Play & Documentation
- Holistic Child Development
- Diversity & Equity
- Safety, Health & Wellbeing
- Development, Assessment & Planning
- Exploring Creativity
- Professional Experience 1
This subject explores the role of the early childhood professional; the operations of early childhood settings; relevant conventions, legislation, regulations, codes of conduct; policy; and quality assurance processes that inform the day to day practices of an early childhood teacher.
Assessments: Report (30%), Presentation and Leaflet (30%), Essay (40%)
This subject explores early childhood play theory and pedagogy; the role of the early childhood teacher in play; how to reflect on and utilise play to document, assess, plan and reflect on children’s learning and development; as well as the variety of documentation techniques utilised in early childhood settings to document and create play environments for children.
Assessments: Essay (30%), Leaflet (30%), Documentation, Planning and Assessment Records (40%)
EDEV103 Holistic Child Development
This subject explores child development; developmental theories and influences; genetics and growth; the brain and neuroscience; developmental domains and milestones; learning dispositions; and the importance of using child development to inform the pedagogical practices of an early childhood teacher.
Assessments: Research Task (30%), Booklet (40%), Exam (30%)
This subject explores diversity and equity in the early years context; personal and professional cultural identity and competence; dominant discourse and bias in practices; the diversity and richness of inclusion in an early childhood curriculum of First Nations Peoples and culture, abilities, race, ethnicity, linguistics, gender, sexuality, and spirituality by an early childhood teacher.
Assessments: Report (30%), Essay (30%), Presentation and Leaflet (40%)
This subject explores the significance of a holistic approach to the health, wellbeing, wellness, nutrition and safety of infants and children in early childhood education and care settings.
Assessments: Presentation and Report (30%), Essay (40%), Exam (30%)
This subject explores child development, teaching practices and pedagogy, assessment and planning for nurturing and educating children three to five years.
Assessments: Annotated Bibliography (30%), Essay (30%), Booklet (40%)
This subject explores creativity in the early years across all curriculum areas, as well as the early childhood teacher’s role in documenting, assessing, and planning meaningful learning experiences to foster creativity and support children’s holistic development.
Assessments: Essay (30%), Presentation and Leaflet (40%), Reflective Practice Journal (30%)
This subject applies learned theory, knowledge, skills, and practices of an early childhood teacher in an approved early childhood education setting with children aged three to five years.
Assessments: Portfolio (40%), Service Report (15%), Supervising Academic Report (15%), Student Report (15%), Essay (15%)
Year 2
- Theoretical Perspectives & Pedagogy
- Understanding & Supporting Exceptionality
- Understanding & Guiding Behaviour
- Working with Families & Communities
- Sustainability Perspectives
- Development, Assessment & Planning
- Curriculum Approaches & Teaching Strategies
- Professional Experience 2
This subject investigates early childhood theories, perspectives and understandings that influence early childhood teachers’ pedagogical approaches to curriculum design, implementation, analysis, and reflection.
Assessments: Essay (30%), Presentation and Leaflet (40%), Report (30%)
This subject investigates contemporary inclusive education approaches in facilitating learning outcomes for all children, as well as in-depth studies of areas of exceptionality for inclusion in curriculum and teaching practices in early childhood settings.
Assessments: Essay (30%), Report (40%), Presentation (30%)
This subject investigates teachers understanding of the links between children’s contexts, development, and behaviour, as well as early childhood teaching strategies and approaches to support children’s behaviour and nurture positive self-esteem, wellbeing, self-regulation, and emotional intelligence.
Assessments: Essay (30%), Leaflet (30%), Presentation (40%)
This subject investigates the diversity, complexity and changing nature of contemporary families and childhoods in differing contexts; theories and intervention strategies in working with individuals, families and communities; as well as the significance of engaging with relevant community organisations, external professionals, events and services.
Assessments: Presentation (30%), Essay (30%), Report (40%)
This subject investigates the key concepts, theories, priorities, and practices of education for sustainability, as well as teaching strategies and curriculum provision to nurture children’s active citizenship in sustainable practice.
Assessments: Essay (30%), Project (40%), Exam (30%)
This subject investigates child development, teaching practices and pedagogy, assessment and planning for nurturing and educating children birth to three years.
Assessments: Exam (30%), Booklet (40%), Documentation, Planning and Assessment Records (30%)
This subject investigates the historical, contemporary, and critical approaches to curriculum provision; the teaching strategies and national teaching standards required of an early childhood teacher; and the creation and facilitation of effective early childhood curriculums through the provision and management of learning environments across diverse contexts.
Assessments: Essay (30%), Presentation (30%), Report (40%)
This subject applies learned theory, knowledge, skills, and practices of an early childhood teacher in an approved early childhood education setting with babies and toddlers.
Assessments: Portfolio (40%), Service Report (15%), Supervising Academic Report (15%), Student Report (15%), Essay (15%)
Year 3
- Language & Literacy in the Early Years
- Mathematics in the Early Years
- Digital Technology & Media in the Early Years
- Teaching Curriculum: Literacy & Numeracy
- Teaching Curriculum: STEM
- Teaching Curriculum: Music, Dance & Drama
- Teaching Curriculum: Art
- Professional Experience 3
This subject examines children’s acquisition of language; learning opportunities to support language and literacy in early childhood environments; and the role of the early childhood teacher in facilitating each child’s language through teaching strategies such as singing, rhyming, storytelling, and digital technology.
Assessments: Research Task (30%), Essay (40%), Test (30%)
This subject examines various theoretical underpinnings and key concepts of mathematics education; the role of the early childhood teacher; teaching strategies and the content areas for teaching mathematics in early childhood education settings.
Assessments: Essay (30%), Report (40%), Test (30%)
This subject examines digital technologies and media in contemporary early childhood pedagogy; service provision; continued professional learning; and the use of multimodal media, digital technologies, coding, and robotics with children.
Assessments: Literature Review (30%), Learning Experience Plans and Resources (40%), Presentation (30%)
This subject examines the contemporary literacy and numeracy approaches to educating young children; and the role of the teacher and teaching strategies required to design curricula and embed literacy and numeracy into play-based learning opportunities.
Assessments: Research Task (30%), Teaching Portfolio (40%), Report (30%)
This subject examines contemporary STEM approaches to educating young children; and the role of the teacher and teaching strategies required to design curricula and embed science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into play-based learning opportunities.
Assessments: Annotated Bibliography (30%), Teaching Portfolio (40%), STEM Fair (30%)
This subject examines contemporary creative arts approaches to educating young children; and the role of the teacher and teaching strategies required to design curricula and embed music, movement, dance, and drama into play-based learning opportunities.
Assessments: Report (30%), Teaching Portfolio (40%), Performance (30%)
This subject examines contemporary creative arts approaches to educating young children; and the role of the teacher and teaching strategies required to design curricula and embed visual, media and sensory art into play-based learning opportunities.
Assessments: Presentation (30%), Teaching Portfolio (40%), Art Show (30%)
This subject applies learned theory, knowledge, skills, and practices of an early childhood teacher in an approved early childhood education setting with children aged three to five years.
Assessments: Portfolio (40%), Service Report (15%), Supervising Academic Report (15%), Student Report (15%), Essay (15%)
Year 4
- Inclusive Perspectives in Early Childhood Education
- Contemporary Curriculum in Early Childhood Education
- Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education
- Advocacy & Social Justice in Early Childhood Education
- Educational Leadership
- Leadership & Service Management
- Researching in Early Childhood Education
- Professional Experience 4 (Capstone Subject)
This subject synthesises the key principles, theories, legislation and government programs informing inclusive education in early childhood settings; as well as educational scholarship in applying approaches, perspectives and pedagogical practices to design contemporary inclusive learning environments, curriculum, and assessment for all children.
Assessments: Essay (30%), Report (40%), Presentation (30%)
This subject synthesises international and national early childhood curriculum models; current issues, debates, and ongoing professional learning in contemporary early childhood curriculum provision; as well as the impacts of educational policy decisions on families, children, the community, and society.
Assessments: Annotated Bibliography (30%), Report (30%), Project and Presentation (40%)
Assessments: Research Task (30%), Report (30%), Project and Presentation (40%)
This subject synthesises contemporary issues in social justice in early childhood education; the role of the curriculum in addressing social justice issues to ensure children are participating as democratic citizens within the learning environment; as well as the personal, participatory and political advocacy requirements of the early childhood teacher.
Assessments: Literature Review (30%), Project and Presentation (40%), Journal (30%)
This subject synthesises the theories and functions of early childhood educational leadership; the contemporary context of educational leadership in the National Quality Framework and Australian Professional Standards for Teachers; and the professional identity of pedagogical and educational leader in early childhood service provision.
Assessments: Essay (30%), Research Report (40%), Professional Learning Presentation (30%)
This subject synthesises legislation, business operations, management skills and leadership practices to create a positive service culture with emphasises on informed decision-making and delivering quality early childhood settings to the community.
Assessments: Report (30%), Management Plan (30%), Literature Review (40%)
This subject synthesises historical and contemporary research projects in early childhood education, as well as designing and implementing small-scale research projects in early childhood settings.
Assessments: Research Proposal (30%), Research Project (50%), Conference Presentation (20%)
This subject consolidates learned theory, knowledge, skills, and practices of an early childhood teacher in an approved early childhood education setting with children.
Assessments: Portfolio (30%), Service Report (30%), Supervising Academic Report (20%), Student Report (20%).
Career Opportunities
Professional Accreditation
The course is recognised by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) as an approved early childhood qualification for Early Childhood Teachers under the National Quality Framework. Graduates may be eligible for teacher accreditation recognition via their relevant state regulatory authority.
Admission Criteria
Ikon has a range of admission pathways available to students of all circumstances and academic backgrounds:
- Australian Year 12 Secondary School Certificate with a minimum ATAR 60
- Completion of a VET qualification at Diploma level or higher
- Completion (or partial completion) of a higher education qualification
Applicants may also gain entry in recognition of their work and life experience. You must be at least 21 years of age at course commencement and provide a written admission statement of 300-500 words explaining how the knowledge, skills and personal qualities you’ve gained through your experiences will help you succeed in your studies at Ikon. For more information about writing your admissions statement click here.
All applicants must submit a personal teaching statement of 500 words outlining their reasons for wanting to become an early childhood teacher, and participate in an informal interview.
International applicants, and any applicants who did not complete their previous study in English, must evidence a minimum IELTS Overall Score of 6.5 with no band less than 6.5.
You should choose the admission pathway most relevant to your academic background. To discuss the best pathway for your circumstances, please contact Admissions at 1300 000 933 or via email at admissions@ikon.edu.au.
For more information see:
Application Process
Domestic Student Admission Policy
International Student Admissions Policy
Student Profile Table
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Recognition of Prior Learning is an assessment process used to determine the extent to which a student has achieved the learning outcomes of a subject from earlier learning, experience or achievements. Where equivalence of prior learning can be established, the student is exempt from attending that particular subject in order to complete their course.
You may apply for course credit towards the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education in recognition of prior learning which may result in course credit and exemption from that subject. For more information on the application process, see the Recognition of Prior Learning & Credit Policy or contact Admissions at 1300 000 933 or admissions@ikon.edu.au.
Pathways
Credit Transfer
Graduates of a vocational CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care qualification may be eligible for entry into the second year of the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education. Eligible applicants may receive course credit via the grade of Advanced Standing for up to 11 subjects.
Graduates of the nested Diploma of Early Childhood Education through Ikon Institute of Australia may gain entry into the third year of the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education. Eligible applicants will receive course credit via the grade of Advanced Standing.
Exit Pathway
Students who successfully complete the first two years of the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and decide they do not wish to continue their degree studies may exit with the nested award of Diploma of Early Childhood Education.