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Diploma Of Early Childhood Education

Be the inspiration every child needs…

This higher education diploma is your pathway to an exciting career as an early childhood educator where you will gain a contemporary body of knowledge and skills to educate children from birth to five years across a variety of settings and professional roles. Central to the course design is the significance of the learning and development that occurs between birth and starting school for every child.

The Diploma of Early Childhood Education is for anyone who has a genuine interest in understanding and supporting children’s learning and development in early childhood settings.

This course is recognised in the Australian Qualification Framework.

CRICOS Code: 102714F
Australian Qualification Framework: Level 5

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Diploma Of Early Childhood Education

Be the inspiration every child needs

This higher education diploma is your pathway to an exciting career as an early childhood educator where you will gain a contemporary body of knowledge and skills to educate children from birth to five years across a variety of settings and professional roles. Central to the course design is the significance of the learning and development that occurs between birth and starting school for every child.

The Diploma of Early Childhood Education is for anyone who has a genuine interest in understanding and supporting children’s learning and development in early childhood settings.

This course is recognised in the Australian Qualification Framework.

CRICOS Code: 102714F
Australian Qualification Framework: Level 5

Download Course Brochure

Attend Open Day

Ready To Apply?

Key Information

Award

Diploma of Early Childhood Education

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Duration

2 Years Full Time (or Part Time Equivalent)

Intakes

February, May, September

Study Modes

On Campus, Distance Learning

Locations

Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney

Course Fees

Domestic (FEE-HELP available)
International

Professional Recognition

The course is recognised by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) as an approved early childhood qualification for Diploma Educators under the National Quality Framework.

Trimester 3 Applications Close

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Course Overview

The Diploma of Early Childhood Education is your pathway to an exciting career as an early childhood educator. In this higher education diploma, you will study the significance of the learning and development that occurs between birth and starting school for every child.

Throughout the two years, you will be provided with the opportunity to develop skills in play pedagogy; safety, health and wellbeing; documentation, planning and assessment; sustainability education; working with families and communities; understanding and guiding children’s behaviour; diversity and inclusion; and curriculum approaches and teaching strategies.

As part of the course, you will also actively engage in two professional experience placements with babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers in a variety of early childhood education settings.

The Diploma of Early Childhood Education will prepare you to be a highly competent, skilled, and transformative early childhood educator.

This course meets the required guidelines as specified by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), and the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).

This qualification is FEE-HELP approved for eligible applicants.

Nurture our youngest global citizens.

Studying Early Childhood Education at Ikon…

Start your journey in early childhood education

Our higher education diploma is for progressive and motivated students ready to embark on a meaningful career as early childhood educators. You’ll learn how to inspire young children’s wonder and creativity through innovative content and approaches to early years education. We collaborate with international and local communities to ensure our future teachers are perfectly primed for the world they’ll inspire.

Belong to a like-minded, connected community

When you join our Early Childhood Education program at Ikon, you’ll become part of a diverse and collaborative community united by the drive to positively influence young lives. You’ll walk out our doors with not only an unsurpassed higher education, but also the knowledge you’re part of a bigger collective cause.

Educate yourself for a world of opportunities

Qualified and inspiring teachers are in demand the world over. As you learn how to educate young children, you’re also opening up a world of possibilities for your own future. Our degrees are internationally respected and our unique approach merges grounded academic theory and contemporary concepts with practical learning and real-life workplace experiences.

Be the inspiration every young child needs

Through our degree you will become an inspiring teacher, leader, and advocate, for every child you educate. You’ll be armed with the absolute latest knowledge and contemporary perspectives on learning in the early years so you can be the champion of children’s voices across the globe.

Career Opportunities

The Diploma of Early Childhood Education prepares graduates for an exciting career as an early childhood educator with the skills to educate children from birth to five years in early childhood settings. Graduates will also be eligible for further education to become an early childhood teacher.

Professional Recognition

The course is recognised by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) as an approved early childhood qualification for Diploma Educators under the National Quality Framework.

Course Structure

What Will I Learn?

  • The importance of play-based learning and how it facilitates children’s learning and development.
  • How to nurture children’s identity through respecting and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in early childhood settings.
  • The significance of the contexts, culture and dynamics of families, communities, and society on young children’s development and learning.
  • The links between child development and behaviour, and how to guide behaviour in ways that support children to develop resilience through self-regulation and connecting with others.
  • Personal and professional development through two placements in early childhood settings under the supervision of professional educational leaders, giving you a real sense of early childhood educator practices.

 

Study Sequence

The course consists of 16 subjects including two placement subjects. You must successfully complete all subjects to graduate with the Diploma of Early Childhood Education (96 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.

Delivery & Workload

Course delivery for the Diploma 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 30 days (240 hours) professional experience by the end of the course.

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.

Interested in studying this course online? Click here to learn more about our distance learning options.

Subjects

Year 1
Year 2

Year 1

EPRO101 Professional Practice

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%)

ECUR102 Exploring Play and Documentation

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%)

EPRO104 Diversity and Equity

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%)

EPRO105 Safety, Health and Wellbeing

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%)

ETCH106 Development, Assessment and Planning (3 to 5 years)

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%)

ETCH107 Exploring Creativity

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%)

PLAC907 Professional Experience (3 to 5 years)

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

EPRO201 Theoretical Perspectives and Pedagogy

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%)

EDEV202 Understanding and Supporting Exceptionality

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%)

ETCH203 Understanding and Guiding Behaviour

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%)

EPRO204 Working with Families and Communities

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%)

ETCH205 Sustainability Perspectives in the Early Years

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%)

ETCH206 Development, Assessment and Planning (0 to 3 years)

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%)

ECUR207 Curriculum Approaches and Teaching Strategies

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%)

PLAC908 Professional Experience 2 (0 to 3 years)

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%)

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, course credit will be granted and the student is exempt from attending that particular subject in order to complete their course.

You may apply for course credit towards the Diploma 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 and Credit Policy.

Exit Pathways

Graduates of the higher education 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.

Admission Criteria

Ikon has a range of admission pathways available to students of all circumstances and academic backgrounds. You should choose the admission pathway most relevant to your academic background.

Domestic Students

Our admission pathway options include:

  1. Applicants with Recent Senior Secondary Education (within the past two years) must have completed an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (Year 12) or equivalent.
  2. Applicants with Higher Education (HE) study must have undertaken a higher education qualification (or at least a semester of study).
  3. Applicants with Vocational Education and Training (VET) study must have completed a vocational qualification at Certificate III level or higher.
  4. Applicants with Work/Life experience who left senior secondary education more than two years prior to their application, and have not undertaken VET or HE study since, may gain entry based on professional or work experience and/or any non- formal courses undertaken in preparation for tertiary study or that are relevant to the subject area. Work/Life experience applicants must submit a written admission statement outlining their reasons for undertaking the intended course of study. For more information about writing your admissions statement click here.

All applicants must submit a 600-word statement outlining reasons for wanting to become an early childhood teacher, and may be required to participate in an informal interview with an Ikon representative.  

To discuss the best pathway for your circumstances, please contact us at 1300 000 933 or admissions@ikon.edu.au

For more information see:

Application Process
Domestic Student Admission Policy
Inherent Requirements
Student Profile Table
Preparing Your Personal Teaching Statement

International Students

International applicants must have an English Language Proficiency Score of IELTS 6.5 (Academic) with no skills band less than 6.0, or equivalent.

Our admission pathway options include:

  1. Applicants with Recent Senior Secondary Education (within the past two years) must have completed an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (Year 12) or equivalent.
  2. Applicants with Higher Education (HE) study must have undertaken a higher education qualification (or at least a semester of study).
  3. Applicants with Vocational Education and Training (VET) study must have completed a vocational qualification at Diploma level or higher.
  4. Applicants with Work/Life experience who left senior secondary education more than two years prior to their application, and have not undertaken VET or HE study since, may gain entry based on professional or work experience and/or any non- formal courses undertaken in preparation for tertiary study or that are relevant to the subject area. Work/Life experience applicants must submit a written admission statement outlining their reasons for undertaking the intended course of study. For more information about writing your admissions statement click here.

All applicants must submit a 600-word statement outlining reasons for wanting to become an early childhood teacher, and may be required to participate in an informal interview with an Ikon representative.  

To discuss the best pathway for your circumstances, please contact us at international@eduholdings.com.au

For more information see:

Application Process
International Student Admissions Policy
Inherent Requirements
Student Profile Table
Preparing Your Personal Teaching Statement

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.

International applicants must have an English Language Proficiency Score of IELTS 6.5 (Academic) with no skills band less than 6.0, or equivalent.

You should choose the admission pathway most relevant to your academic background.

All applicants must submit a 500-word statement outlining reasons for wanting to become an early childhood teacher, and may be required to participate in an informal interview with an Ikon representative.  

To discuss the best pathway for your circumstances, please contact Admissions at 1300 000 933 or via email at admissions@ikon.edu.au (for domestic students) or international@eduholdings.com.au (for international students).

For more information see:

Application Process
Domestic Student Admission Policy
International Student Admissions Policy
Student Profile Table

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