Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood), Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)/Bachelor of Arts may be taken as a double degree program in four years full-time (or the equivalent part-time). Students who study part-time would normally be expected to complete the double degree program within eight years.

The course is offered by the Faculty of Education, Humanities and Law.

The double degree program of Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)/Bachelor of Arts requires completion of a total of 144 units.

A Lutheran pathway is available for students wishing to teach in that system (see BEd (ECh)BA Handbook for details). Specialist language education topics are available for those students who wish to teach a language(s).

• Admission requirements
• Course aims
• Learning outcomes
• Credit
• Program of study
• Honours

Admission requirements

The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.

Limited credit may be granted for relevant topics taken at the University or other institutions.

Students who commence, but subsequently do not wish to complete, the double degree program may be eligible to exit with a Bachelor of Arts, but only on completion of 108 units of approved Bachelor of Arts topics.

Course aims

The course aims to produce graduates who:

• use understandings of how children learn and develop to co-construct inclusive and intellectually challenging curriculum for children from birth to age 8
• demonstrate the capacity to form and sustain effective relationships with children, colleagues, parents and community members.
• use critical reflection and understandings of  theoretical knowledge to inform their future practice
• actively promote and support policies and practices that take account of social and individual differences and ensure that all children learn and develop
• demonstrate a commitment to social justice in our democratic society, acting powerfully in their centres, classrooms, schools and communities
• use an effective repertoire of information and communication technologies.
  

Learning outcomes

It is anticipated that on completion of the double degree program graduate students will:

• foreground equity considerations in all facets of their professional work
• relate to children as competent and active social participants within the contexts of their diverse families, local and global environments
• use understandings of how children develop and processes of learning to co-construct inclusive and intellectually challenging curriculum for children from birth to age 8
• utilise a range of technologies, pedagogical approaches and techniques that enhance, sustain and extend children&##39;s learning and development from birth to age 8
• enhance the connections between early childhood programs and other services that support the learning and wellbeing of children and communities
• sustain relationships based on trust, respect, integrity, and reciprocity in order to achieve high quality, equitable outcomes for young children, families, colleagues and the wider community
• work collaboratively and collectively as members of inter-disciplinary teams to ensure that all children have opportunities to access and participate in high quality and inclusive early childhood services
• communicate effectively with a variety of audiences for a range of purposes
• critically analyse the relationship between research, practice and theory as an impetus for transformational, innovative and creative work in early childhood education
• recognise the effects of history, culture and politics on their identities and work as professional early childhood educators in a multi-service environment
• demonstrate a commitment to the scholarship of teaching and learning through a continuous process of reflexive inquiry
• draw on a multi-disciplinary knowledge base to make ethically informed decisions that are in the best interests of children, families and colleagues
• in partnership with families, lead, negotiate and advocate for change through policy activism which contributes to a democratic society.
  

Credit

Limited credit may be granted for recognition of prior studies undertaken at the University or other approved tertiary institutions. Further information is available on this page.

Program of study

To qualify for the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)/Bachelor of Arts, a student must complete 144 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study:

• a Bachelor of Education component of 72 units;
• a Bachelor of Arts component of 72 units.

The Bachelor of Education component must include:

• 9 units of Education topics at First Year level
• 9 units of Education topics at Second Year level including professional experience
• 27 units of Education topics at Third Year level including professional experience
• 27 units of Education topics at Fourth Year level including professional experience.

The Bachelor of Arts component must include:

• 36 units of one Arts major sequence
• 22.5 units of *Liberal Arts Minor sequence that includes EDUC2420
• 13.5 units of prescribed BA electives which can be selected from any of the BA majors/minors at any level provided the entry requirements are met.

* The Liberal Arts minor is a set of content topics chosen to ensure that the students have a breadth of content knowledge relevant to teaching in Early Childhood Education.

Except with the permission of the Board:

• no compulsory topic may be taken more than twice
• professional experience topics may not be attempted more than once.

Students should note that professional experience topics require full-time commitment for their duration.

More specific rules related to majors and minors in the Bachelor of Arts can be referred to in the BA course rule.

LIST OF TOPICS

The BA major and electives may be chosen from topics and topic sequences listed in the BA handbook. 

Year 1 topics

36 units comprising

 EDUC1120  Teaching and Educational Contexts  (4.5 units)
 EDUC1221  Play, Learning and Development  (4.5 units)

plus 9 units of BA Major topics

plus 9 units of Liberal Arts Minor topics 

plus 9 units of BA Elective topics

Year 2 topics
 

36 units comprising

 EDUC2321  The Expressive Arts in Early Childhood  (4.5 units)
 EDUC2420  Teaching Indigenous Australian Students (Liberal Arts Minor topic)  (4.5 units)
 EDUC2421  Literacy and Numeracy: Birth-4  (4.5 units)

plus 18 units of BA Major topics  

plus 4.5 units of Liberal Arts Minor topics

Year 3 topics

36 units comprising

 EDUC3521  Language, Literature and Literacies 4-8  (4.5 units)
 EDUC3522  Social Learning and Development  (4.5 units)
 EDUC3621  Engaged Learners  (4.5 units)
 EDUC3622  Thinking and Working Mathematically  (4.5 units)
 EDUC3623  Health and Physical Education in Early Childhood  (4.5 units)
 EDUC3640  Professional Experience 1: Early Childhood (45 days)  (4.5 units)

plus 4.5 units of BA Major topics

plus 4.5 units of Liberal Arts Minor topic (4.5 units)

Year 4 topics

36 units comprising

 EDUC4722  Social and Environmental Education in Early Childhood  (4.5 units)
 EDUC4723  Investigating Early Years Curriculum and Pedagogy  (4.5 units)
 EDUC4724  Science and Design Technology in the Early Years  (4.5 units)
 EDUC4740  Professional Experience 2: Early Childhood (35 days)  (4.5 units)
 EDUC4820  The Professional Educator  (4.5 units)

plus 4.5 units of BA Major topics 

plus 4.5 units of  BA Elective topics

plus 4.5 units of Education Elelctives