Overview
Give your early childhood career an edge by developing your leadership skills with a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Leadership at Victoria University (VU).
Set yourself up for advanced career opportunities with this unique VU course, the only one of its kind that allows you to dedicate four years of study to early childhood education with a focus on leadership.
Your Bachelor of Early Childhood Education will prepare you for a rewarding career nurturing the development and wellbeing of children from birth to five years. As a degree-qualified early childhood teacher, you’ll:
- support young children with the important foundations to set them up for success in life
- develop techniques for involving families as important contributors to the learning process
- set children up for effective transitions to school.
At VU, you will learn to support children to feel capable and confident. You’ll build a strong sense of social justice, understand child development in the early years and develop ethical professional teaching practice that includes Indigenous perspectives.
By adding a fourth year to your bachelor degree, you will open the door to a higher-paid salary, senior roles in early childhood education and management positions in childcare centres.
Enhance your bachelor degree with leadership skills
The Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Leadership builds on our three-year Bachelor of Early Childhood Education with a fourth year dedicated to in-depth understanding of:
- leadership skills
- global perspectives in education
- politics and policy of education
- in-depth play-based education.
Plus, a key focus of your fourth year will be a research inquiry project on a topic of your choice relating to early childhood education.
If you have already completed a three-year degree in early childhood education, you can enter this course in fourth year to complete the one-year leadership component.
Fit study around your working life
If you study this course from first year, you’ll enjoy the supportive experience of our VU First Year College® in the heart of Melbourne in-person at our City Campus.
For years two and three, you can choose from three flexible study options:
- in-person at Footscray Nicholson campus
- online in real-time via Zoom, three nights per week
- online self-paced, with one weekly support session.
In fourth year, you can study either in-person at Footscray Nicholson campus or online in real-time via Zoom.
80 days of supervised teaching experience
Studying at VU means taking advantage of our strong connections with community centres, local councils, childcare settings and kindergartens.
Your 80 days of supervised teaching experience includes:
- 10 days in the unique VU playgroup program
- 15 days with infants and toddlers in a childcare centre
- 55 days with 3–5-year-olds in a childcare centre or funded kindergarten.
In our VU Play pop-up play spaces, you’ll create and maintain play spaces that encourage children to engage in self-directed play, using loose parts and various materials. You’ll adhere to the philosophy of ‘playwork’ to observe, reflect and analyse the children playing and intervene or make changes when needed. This program runs permanently at Footscray Nicholson campus and many other suitable locations.
Find out more about our practical programs in early childhood education.
Experience international & remote placement opportunities
Experience a range of cultures, histories and early childhood teaching styles to broaden your perspective. As a VU student, you’ll have access to our:
- Study tour to Malaysia: complete a three-week placement in a Malaysian early childhood centre, enjoying a rich cultural immersion experience to learn different approaches to early childhood education.
- Student exchange with Karlstad University in Sweden: spend six months in Sweden studying and completing practical placements that count towards your course, learning European approaches to early childhood education and broadening your cultural awareness.
- Placements in the Northern Territory: spend four weeks in a remote Indigenous community in the Northern Territory, experiencing a rich culture and perspectives to inform your approach to early childhood teaching.
Find out more about:
Step up your qualifications & graduate sooner
If you have already completed a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, enjoy guaranteed entry into this course and skip first year.
If you have already completed a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, you can gain credit for the first three years of this course and study only fourth year.
Victorian Government incentives
With subsidised three-year-old kinder programs being rolled out in Victoria, more scholarships and other financial incentives for becoming an early childhood teacher are available than ever before.
If you’re an eligible Australian citizen, New Zealand citizen, or permanent residency holder, you could apply for:
- $25,000 towards the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Leadership, or Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching
- $12,000 towards the Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education
If you’re Aboriginal, you could apply for:
- $2,500 towards the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
- $5,000 towards the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
- $34,000 towards the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Leadership, or Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching
- $16,000 towards the Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education
You can use your scholarship towards course fees or study related expenses.
In addition, receive a $9,000 incentive if you take up an early childhood teaching or educator role at any service delivering funded three-year-old kindergarten in 2024. At selected services, receive between $9,000 and $50,000 for taking up a teaching role. Plus, if you relocate more than 100km to take up a teaching or educator role, you can receive a relocation supplement of between $1,000 and $8,000.
Find out more about Victorian Government financial support to study and work in early childhood.
Need some advice?
Request a call back from one of our experienced VUHQ course advisers to get your questions answered.
Request a call backKickstart your career
Now’s the time to kickstart your career as an early childhood teacher, with Victorian Government scholarships and financial incentives available to all early childhood teachers.
Careers
Take advantage of the high demand for bachelor-qualified early childhood teachers with funded three-year-old kindergarten rolling out across Victoria and an expected 21.6% growth in childcare jobs by 2026.
Thanks to the essential experience you’ll get from working in childcare and teaching in kindergartens during your placements, you’ll be ready to register as a teacher as soon as you graduate. With this nationally accredited degree, you can work around Australia and take on leadership roles in:
- public or private kindergartens
- long day care centres
- early childhood centres in Australia
- policy development with government bodies.
With strong growth expected for both early childhood teachers and childcare centre managers, you can expect to earn above-average wages while enjoying the rewards that come with nurturing the next generation.
Register as a teacher on graduation
As soon as you graduate from this course, you’ll meet the requirements to register as a teacher with Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and Victorian Institute for Teaching (VIT), the Victorian body for Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL).
Course structure
To attain the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Leadership students will be required to complete:
- 384 credit points of Core studies
Course structure and units
Year 1
-
- Unit code
- AEK1106
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- EEC1101
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- EEC1112
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- EEC1113
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE1001
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE1002
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE1003
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE1004
- Credits
- 12
Year 2
-
- Unit code
- ECE2001
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE2002
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE2003
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE2004
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE2005
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE2006
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE2007
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE2008
- Credits
- 12
Year 3
-
- Unit code
- ECE3001
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE3002
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE3003
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE3004
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE3005
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE3006
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE3007
- Credits
- 24
Year 4
-
- Unit code
- ECE4001
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE4002
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE4003
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE4004
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE4005
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE4006
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE4007
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE4008
- Credits
- 12
Achieve more with the VU Block Model
We are the first Australian university to use a 'block' model of learning, where you study one unit at a time rather than juggling several at once.
Introduced in 2018, the VU Block Model has improved our student results and achievements, and has won awards for innovation and excellence. Initially for first-year students, it now applies to all students studying at our Melbourne campuses.
You'll study in short bursts, called blocks, of three 2-3 hour face-to-face teaching sessions per week.
Each block focuses on one unit (subject) and is only four weeks long, with up to four days between. Our two semesters have four blocks each, and there are optional blocks over winter and summer where you can catch up on a missed unit.
Some courses have labs and pracs too, and these are generally scheduled on the same days as teaching sessions. There are also workshops where you'll develop your study skills and prepare for your future career.
Find out more about the VU Block Model.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
| 1. | Initiate teaching and learning practices that foster learner engagement in complex contexts and foreground Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander standpoints in early childhood education. | ||
| 2. | Critically reflect on different ways of knowing, being, and doing, founded on the view of children and families as capable contributors to conceptual and pedagogical decision-making in learning and teaching; undertake an advanced study of play and the image of the child in different communities. | ||
| 3. | Design teaching practices that reflect an ability to contextualise, question, resist, rethink, and act towards equity and the public good and design learning opportunities that embrace a rich and varied curriculum, ensure that learning and teaching approaches are based on sound ethical principles and foster reciprocal relationships in early childhood settings. | ||
| 4. | Exhibit a broad and coherent body of knowledge of pedagogy, curriculum and assessment in relation to the changing nature of education in a rapidly-evolving global context; undertake deep inquiry into local and global contexts of Early Childhood Education. | ||
| 5. | Critically review and articulate a range of oral and written communication techniques, including in the use of Information and Communication Technologies, to engage and connect with students, their parents/carers and the wider community, | ||
| 6. | Analyse models of leadership and advocacy and apply principles of ethical leadership in Early Childhood. |
What's a unit?
A unit or 'subject' is the actual class you'll attend in the process of completing a course.
Most courses have a mixture of compulsory 'core' units that you need to take and optional elective units that you can choose to take based on your area of interest, expertise or experience.
Credits
Each unit is worth a set amount of study credits based on the amount of time you study. Generally, 1 credit is equal to 1 hour of study per week.
Fees & scholarships
Fee type for this course: Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
Fee type definitions
The amount you pay for your course depends on whether you’re offered a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) or a full fee-paying place.
Students who enrol in a:
- Commonwealth supported place pay tuition fees that are partly subsidised by the Australian government
- full fee-paying place need to pay the full amount for all enrolled units before census each study period.
In addition to your tuition fees, you may also be charged a Student Services & Amenities Fee (SSAF).
Scholarships & assistance
Apply for a scholarship to help with your study costs.
We can help with fee assistance and advice.
Admissions
Victoria University is committed to providing a transparent admissions process. Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency.
Applicants for this course will need to have met the academic requirements and prerequisites for this course outlined below.
Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee entry into this course. Past academic performance may be considered.
Admission criteria
The minimum criteria for admission varies depending on your education background. If you’re not sure which criteria applies to you, use the help tool on this page or make an enquiry and we can assist.
Applicants with recent secondary education (within the last 2 years)
- Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (e.g. VCE) or
- an Australian or overseas equivalent or
- an International Baccalaureate (IB).
Importance of ATAR for this course
We consider both ATAR and other criteria
ATAR is not a consideration. We use other criteria
Admission criteria
Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (VCE or equivalent) including Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or 25 in any other English.
Why is ATAR not applicable?
You will not need an ATAR score to meet the admission requirements for this course. Only the successful completion of your secondary school studies, and any additional prerequisites. Our courses and support programs are designed to prepare students from diverse cultures for success, regardless of their prior experience, ATAR, age, socioeconomic or educational background.
Applicants with vocational education and training (VET/TAFE) study
This information is for people who have completed an accredited award at an Australian Registered Training Organisation.
Admission criteria
Completion of an Australian Advanced Diploma or Diploma (or equivalent).
OR:
Completion of the Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation (or equivalent)
OR:
22451VIC Diploma of Teacher Education Preparation.
Applicants with higher education study
This information is for people whose highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a higher education course.
Admission criteria
Full or partial completion of an Australian Higher Education award (or equivalent).
OR:
Completion of two units of Higher Education studies.
OR:
Completion of a 3 year ACECQA accredited degree
OR:
Completion of a bridging or enabling course eg. Foundation course (or equivalent)
Applicants with work & life experience
This information is for applicants who left secondary school more than two years ago and who have not undertaken VET or higher education study since then.
Admission criteria
Five years (minimum) work/life experience in Training & Development, Education, Child Care or similar.
OR:
Applicants that completed an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate more than two years ago.
PLUS:
Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or 25 in any other English (or equivalent).
Additional information
Applicants with a 3 year ACECQA accredited degree not awarded in the previous 5 years must provide current VIT registration as an ECT and a CV prior to admission/credit being granted.
Students will require a Working with Children Check or equivalent in NSW and Queensland to be eligible to undertake and participate in workplace visits, placements or projects. Use the following site link to obtain additional information:
http://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/
First Year students will complete their study at City Tower campus or in Online Real Time (ORT) or at a Sydney or Brisbane venue. The Online Self-Paced option (OSP) and In-Person delivery at Footscray Nicholson campus will be available from Year 2.
Pathways & credits
There are many ways you can start your education journey at VU. Pathways offer an easy transition between courses at different levels, so that you can start with a certificate and progress right through to postgraduate study.
Pathways from VU courses
If you have completed any of the following course(s), you will be guaranteed a place in this course. In some cases you may receive credit for your previous study, reducing the time it takes to complete your course.
You will be credited for up to 96 credit points of study.
You will be credited for up to 96 credit points of study.
You will be credited for up to 24 credit points of study.
You will be guaranteed entry only.
Find out more about pathways and credits.
Pathways from other institutions
If you have completed any of the following course(s), you will be guaranteed a place in this course. In some cases you may receive credit for your previous study, reducing the time it takes to complete your course.
Bendigo Kangan Institute, Australia
You will be credited for up to 96 credit points of study.
Melbourne City Institute of Education, Australia
You will be credited for up to 96 credit points of study.
Bendigo Kangan Institute, Australia
You will be credited for up to 96 credit points of study.
Melbourne City Institute of Education, Australia
You will be credited for up to 96 credit points of study.
Find out more about pathways and credits.
Credit for skills and past study
Use our credit calculator to find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.
If you have completed study with another university or institution and believe you are eligible to receive credit for skills and past study, you can apply for advanced standing.
Applications for advanced standing can be made after a discussion with your course chair or academic adviser.
How to apply
Available start dates:
- 24 February 2025
- 28 April 2025
- 28 July 2025
- 29 September 2025
Before you apply
Before applying, you should consider whether you also want to apply for:
- Special admission programs: Depending on your life circumstances you may be eligible for special consideration of your application.
- Advanced standing: If you have significant experience or studies elsewhere you may be eligible for credit for some units of your course and not have to undertake them.
Find out more about applying for our courses.
Apply through VTAC
Apply through VTAC if any of the following apply to you:
- you are applying for more than one course
- you are completing Year 12 in 2023
- you have an existing VTAC application to study in 2024
VTAC very late applications are due 14 January 2025.
Apply via VTACSpecial Entry Access Scheme
You can apply for consideration of your life circumstances during the application process by submitting a VTAC Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) application.
Apply direct to VU
Apply directly to VU if any of the following apply to you:
- you are a current VU student
- you are only applying for this course and are not completing Year 12 in 2023
Direct applications are due on 16 February 2025 for our next intake which starts on 24 February 2025.
Already a VU student?
If you are already a VU student, apply direct to VU using our Admissions centre to transfer into this course. Remember it’s best to be accepted into your new course before withdrawing from your current one.
After you apply
- It’s important to check for emails from us (which may go to your spam/junk folder).
- Complete any requests for information by the given dates, otherwise your application may not be considered
Enquire now
Please fill out the form below, and we'll get back to you shortly.
Get help
- Visit a student service centre
- 1300 VIC UNI (1300 842 864)
- Request a call back
- Visit the glossary
At Victoria University, we aim to display accurate and complete course information online. However, we are unable to guarantee that every course change is currently displayed. You may contact the University directly on +61 3 9919 6100 to confirm the most up-to-date course fees, pathways and credit transfer, recognition of prior learning, admission and enrolment procedures, examinations and services available to our students.
