General Information

Overview

Inspire and teach children up to five years old in kindergartens, preschools and early learning centres. 

Learn how to support and grow a child’s social, emotional, intellectual and physical development through innovative teaching methods. Engage in unique units of study of nature play, social justice, sustainability and Indigenous knowledges.

Study structure

Successful completion of the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching) requires students to complete units of study to the value of 400 credit points. All units of study are valued at 12.5 credit points unless otherwise stated. 

  • Full-time study: 100 credit points/eight standard units of study per year 
  • Part-time study: 50 credit points/four standard units of study per year 
  • One credit point is equivalent to one hour of study per week per semester (including contact hours and private study) 
  • See the course planner for an example degree structure


*Outcome unit – completion demonstrates the attainment of course learning outcomes

Choose from a combination of the following course components to complete 50 credit points of other study. Students may also select elective units (12.5 credit points each).

Minors are a structured set of 4 units or 50 credit points and may be chosen from any field of study. 

  • Accounting 
  • Creative Writing 
  • Design Principles and Processes 
  • Digital Advertising Technology 
  • Indigenous Studies 
  • International Relations and Security 
  • Literature 
  • Media Industries 
  • Politics 
  • Social Media 
View minor units

Any of the following recommended units may be undertaken as an elective unit. A full list of available elective units can be found upon enrolment.

  • EDU30001 Imagining the World Through Language and Literature
  • EDU30002 Science and Technology
  • EDU30004 Wellbeing and Resilience
  • EDU30005 Understanding and Supporting Inclusion
  • EDU30006 Families, Community and Citizenship
  • EDU30007 Imagining the World Through the Arts
  • EDU30062 Educational Leadership, Management and Program Assessment
  • EDU40001 The Healthy and Active Child
  • EDU40002 Play and Environment
  • EDU40003 Identity: the Early Childhood Profession(al)
  • EDU40004 Advocacy and Social Justice
  • PSY10007 Brain and Behaviour
  • PSY10008 Fundamentals of Psychology
  • PSY20006 Cognition and Human Performance
  • PSY20007 Developmental Psychology
  • PSY20016 Social Psychology
  • PSY30003 Psychology Project
  • PSY30008 Psychology of Personality
  • PSY30016 Mental Health Diversity, Diagnosis and Treatment

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to: 

  • show broad and coherent knowledge of children aged 0-5 years, notably in relation to how they learn, with comprehensive knowledge of early childhood curriculum and quality frameworks within the Australian context 
  • plan for and implement effective teaching and learning in diverse early childhood contexts, showing appropriate initiative and judgment 
  • apply knowledge and skills to create and maintain supportive, safe and engaging learning environments, with an ability to critically analyse information in diverse early childhood contexts 
  • critically review and apply theory to practice, showing initiative and informed judgment in decision making and problem solving 
  • assess children’s learning and use clear communication to report outcomes to parents and communities through critically analysing, consolidating and synthesising assessment information 
  • articulate a deep knowledge of the early childhood profession that is informed by critical thinking and synthesis of theoretical and practical knowledge and ongoing professional learning 
  • collaborate respectfully with colleagues, families and children, with communication skills that present clear, coherent and current knowledge 
  • demonstrate conceptual knowledge of the principles of diversity and difference and the implications to children’s rights and inclusive practice, and have the ability to adapt such knowledge in diverse contexts

Career opportunities

Graduates will have the skills, knowledge and dispositions to be pedagogical leaders, effective advocates for social justice and equity, capable teachers of children from birth to five years in a variety of settings, and professionals whose practice is informed by critical reflection and ongoing learning.

Professional recognition

This course meets the teaching registration requirements of both the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) and the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)

Course rules

To qualify for the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching), students are required to complete 400 credit points comprising of 32 units of study (12.5 credit points each). The 400 credit points must comprise of: 

  • 24 units of core units of study (300 credit points)
  • 4 placement units (50 credit points)
  • 4 units comprising a minor or electives (50 credit points) 


Students may not complete more than 150 credit points (normally 12 units) at Introductory Level. A unit of study can only be counted once, where units are shared between minors, students must choose an approved alternative.

Maximum Academic Credit

The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching) is 200 credit points (normally 16 units).

Admission criteria

Information about Swinburne's general admission criteria can be found at Admissions at Swinburne - Higher Education webpage.

English language requirement

Applicants who did not complete their studies in English at an approved Institution in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States of America must sit an approved English language test and meet the minimum requirements.  

Minimum scores required:  

  • PTE: Minimum score 58 (no communication skill less than 50) 
  • IELTS academic module: Overall band 6.5 (no band below 6.0)  
  • TOEFL IBT: Minimum score 79 (reading no less than 18, writing no less than 20)

Working with Children (WWC) Check

All enrolled students must maintain a current Working with Children Check (from the appropriate State Authority).

Police Record Check

A police record check may be required by a school prior to a professional placement. Find out more about national police record checks and fingerprinting.

Entry requirements

A. Applicants with recent secondary education (within past three years)

ATAR 

This course uses the ATAR as part of its selection considerations.

Guaranteed ATAR: if you receive an ATAR of 65 or higher and meet all the essential requirements for this course, you will be guaranteed an offer.

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history, including ATAR results, will be considered for entry into this course. 

Selection rank adjustments

Selection ranks for this course will be calculated based on your ATAR with adjustments to overall study scores based on subjects studied, location of your home address, SEAS application, and participation In Swinburne's Early Leaders program. For further details about selection rank adjustments, see Admissions at Swinburne. 

Subject adjustments 

A study score of 25 in any English, Health and Human Development, any LOTE, any Mathematics, any Science or Sociology equals 2 aggregate points per study. Overall maximum of 15 points.  

Meeting course prerequisites 

VCE units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in any English (except EAL) or at least 30 in English as Alternate Language (EAL) or equivalent.

ATAR profile for those offered places wholly or partly on the basis of ATAR in Semester 1 2022

ATAR-Based offers only, across all offer rounds ATAR
Excluding adjustment factors		 Selection Rank
ATAR + any adjustment factors
Highest rank to receive an offer 75.3 81
Median rank to receive an offer 59.12 66.72
Lowest rank to receive an offer 53.65 58.4

B. Applicants with higher education study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history, including results from previous higher education study will be considered for entry into this course. If previous higher education qualifications are incomplete, results must have been obtained in the last seven years. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent.

C. Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history from the past seven years, including complete and/or incomplete post-secondary VET studies, will be considered for entry into this course. Only graded results will be considered.

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent.

D. Applicants with work and life experience

Educational history 

This course uses an applicant's entire academic record as part of its selection considerations, including an applicant's ATAR results from the last seven years can be considered for entry into this course.

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent.

Student profile

The table below gives an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students in this course. It provides data on students who commenced in this course in the most relevant recent intake period, including those admitted through all offer rounds and international students studying in Australia.

  Semester 1, 2022
Applicant background Number of students Percentage of all students
(A) Higher education study (includes a bridging or enabling course) 65 32%
(B) Vocational education and training (VET) study 100 49%
(C) Work and life experience (admitted on the basis of previous achievement not in the other three categories) 28 14%
(D) Recent secondary education:    
Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR (regardless of whether this includes the consideration of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points) N/P N/P
Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were N/A considered (e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR) N/A N/A
Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was N/A not a factor (e.g. special consideration, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement) N/A N/A
International students <5 <5
All students 205 100%

Notes:

"<5” – the number of students is less than 5.
N/A – Students not accepted in this category.
N/P – Not published: the number is hidden to prevent calculation of numbers in cells with less than 5 students.

Interested in the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching)?

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