Overview
Launch a rewarding and in-demand pre-school teaching career, with VU's one-year Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education.
Our graduate diploma allows graduates of degree programs to become early-childhood teachers. With the current 3-year-old kindergarten expansion in Victoria, this course places you in an excellent position to apply for work as a kinder teacher.
If you're a domestic student or you won’t be studying at VU on a student visa, you can study this course online.
This course is tailored to applicants with an undergraduate qualification in a discipline other than early childhood. If you hold an early childhood teaching degree and you're looking to advance your career, we recommend upskilling to a four year degree by applying for the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Leadership.
You'll study units focused on children from birth to five years, learning how teaching practice can include children and families as capable participants in education.
You'll also gain hands-on work experience in a range of settings, including childcare and kindergartens, graduating with expertise in early-childhood learning built on a strong sense of social justice.
Gain insight into the early years by studying these fascinating areas:
- child development
- teaching practice that includes Aboriginal perspectives
- education and curriculum studies focused on childhood and relationships
- family and community contexts
- advocacy and activism in early-childhood settings
- history and philosophy of early childhood
- ethical early-childhood professional practice.
The Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education is recognised as the equivalent of a four-year degree.
Commonwealth Supported Places in 2023
Fees are heavily subsidised and HECS-HELP loans available for eligible students in 2023. Apply now or register your interest - there's never been a better time to study!
Early Childhood Scholarships & Incentives Program (domestic students only)
The Victorian Government offers the Early Childhood Scholarship and Incentives Program to individuals looking to start a rewarding career as an early childhood teacher. Educators wanting to upskill and take the next step to become degree-qualified are also eligible. Students applying for an approved qualification are eligible to receive up to $25,500.
Study in convenient four-week blocks
Following the overwhelming success of the revolutionary VU Block Model with undergraduate students, we have rolled out the Block Model to our postgraduate courses.
This course is delivered in four-week mode, which means you study one unit (subject) at a time over four weeks, rather than juggling several units at once. And with its focused timetables and smaller, collaborative classes, VU’s Block Model gives you more time to connect with your peers, lecturers and industry partners, helping you to build strong professional networks.
The VU Block Model has improved our student results and engagement, and has won multiple international awards for innovation and excellence.
Early childhood workplace experience
You'll complete 60 days of supervised professional experience, including:
- 15 days with children aged birth – 35 months
- 15 days with 3–5 year olds
- 5 days community playspace, with children aged birth – 8 years
- 25 days in a 3–4-year-old, or 4–5-year-old, kindergarten program (preschool).
We have many exciting projects, partnerships and initiatives to help you learn from experience working with young children. VU will find you a placement, or you can also organise your own placement, if this is your preference.
Education authority approval
This course has been approved by Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), which oversees national quality frameworks in early-childhood education.
This means that you'll graduate with the latest early-childhood teaching methods and knowledge.
Careers
Childcare job openings are expecting massive growth (ACECQA).
Thanks to the essential experience you’ll get from teaching early-childhood settings during your placement, you’ll be work-ready when you graduate.
With an ACECQA approved early-childhood teacher qualification, our graduates can find employment in:
- public or private kindergartens (preschool)
- long-day-care centres
- early-childhood centres in the state of Victoria, Australia.
Interstate applicants should check with their state’s relevant teaching registration board or authority to see if their state requires early-childhood teacher registration and accepts this qualification.
Salaries
Check the Labour Market Insights website to find the average salary for early-childhood teachers.
Course structure
To attain the Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education students will be required to complete:
- 96 credit points of Core units and
- the '0' credit point unit ECE 6013 Professional Practice 2.
Course structure and units
-
- Unit code
- ECE6003
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE6008
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE6009
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE6010
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE6011
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE6012
- Credits
- 12
-
- Unit code
- ECE6013
-
- Unit code
- ECE6014
- Credits
- 24
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 standpoints in early childhood education; | ||
| 2. | Critically review 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; | ||
| 3. | Design teaching practices that reflect an ability to contextualise, question, resist, rethink, and act towards equity and the public good; | ||
| 4. | Exhibit a broad and coherent body of knowledge of early childhood pedagogy, curriculum and assessment in relation to the changing nature of education in a rapidly-evolving global context; | ||
| 5. | Appraise, adapt, and exemplify a range of oral and written communication techniques to engage and connect with learners, their parents/carers and the wider community; | ||
| 6. | Create learning opportunities that embrace a rich and varied curriculum, reflecting culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds ensuring that learning and teaching approaches are based on sound ethical principles and foster reciprocal relationships in early childhood settings. |
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.
Admission & pathways
Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee you entry into this course. Some courses receive more applications than the number of places available. In this situation we will also assess your education, work and other relevant experience.
If you do not meet the minimum requirements you may be eligible for one of our special admission programs. We also encourage you to explore our study pathways to help you reach your goal.
Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency.
Entry requirements
Completion of an Australian Bachelor degree (or equivalent).
Applicants with a Bachelor's degree from countries other than Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada or the Republic of Ireland will be required to complete IELTS: Overall 7.0 with Listening 7.5, Reading 6.5, Writing 6.5, Speaking 7.5.
OR the following scores that serve as equivalent scores for the IELTS:
• ISPLR: Overall (3+) L (4), R (3+), W (3+), S (4)
• TOEFL: Overall (94), L (27), R (21), W (24), S (24)
• PTE: Overall (65-72), L (73), R (58), W (58), S (73)
Applicants with a minimum of a 3 year Bachelor's degree from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada or the Republic of Ireland will not be required to complete IELTS.
Find out if you meet the entry requirements, including English language and academic requirements.
Pathways from VU courses
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.
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.
Pathways to further study
On completion of this course you will be guaranteed entry into the following degree and in some cases receive credit for your study:
You will be credited for up to 96 credit points of study.
Find out more about our study pathways to VU
Additional information
Working with Children Check: Applicants must complete a Working with Children Check prior to undertaking placement.
This course is ACECQA accredited and is recognised by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) for teaching registration in Victoria, by the Education Standards Authority (NESA) in New South Wales and by the Queensland College of Teachers in Queensland.
Graduates of Early Childhood Education programs in NSW are required to register with NESA. In Victoria, the VIT advises that "those who wish to teach in an early childhood setting must hold an early childhood education qualification approved or recognised by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)."
Refer to VIT Registration information https://www.vit.vic.edu.au/registering-as-a-teacher/how-do-i-register-as....
How to apply
We are currently accepting international applications, and we welcome you to apply for this course.
Click 'apply' to begin, and we will guide you through the application process.
If you have questions, please get in touch:
- Phone: +61 3 9919 1164
- Online: enquiry form
Information and fees listed above are for non-resident students. Fees are accurate at the time of viewing and will be subject to annual increases. Some courses require students to purchase equipment or clothing that they will need in the course. These equipment or clothing costs are not included in the course fees listed above – check your Letter of Offer for an estimate on non-tuition-fee-related expenses.
VU takes care to ensure the accuracy of this course information, but reserves the right to change or withdraw courses offered at any time. Please check that course information is current with the Student Contact Centre.
