Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth to Five Years) (Accelerated)

Course information for - 2025 entry
Domestic
  • Domestic

Offered at 2 locations
  • Brisbane
  • Townsville

Duration

18 months

ATAR
New
Fees (first year)*

$4624 CSP

Start dates
Semester 1 intake: Beginning February 2025
Applications open August 2024
Midyear (Semester 2) intake: to be advised

Overview

Make a difference to the lives of young children through a degree in early childhood education.

The Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth to Five Years) (Accelerated) is designed for students dedicated to a career teaching in prior to school settings.

Early childhood teachers help lay critical learning and development foundations for young children, teaching them the building blocks of numeracy, literacy, music, art and literature. Graduates of this course will have a strong grounding in early childhood curriculum and pedagogy and will have the confidence and practical experience to teach across all year levels from birth to five years.

Developed in response to workforce needs in the early childhood sector, the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth to Five Years) (Accelerated) program offers Diploma trained educators working in paid employment in early childhood settings, the opportunity to advance your career and graduate with a four-year equivalent early childhood teaching qualification in 18 months while continuing to work.

What to know more? Join us one of our information sessions.

More information 

Professional experience

You will be required to complete 80 days –  Year 1: 15 days, 15 days; 15 days; Year 2: 15 days, 20 days.

Work placement

Supervised professional experience is at the heart of all our pre-service teacher education courses and the faculty will find appropriate placements to suit the needs of your course. You’ll be placed in relevant prior-to-school settings at different stages of your course to ensure your practical experience evolves alongside your theoretical knowledge base. Our placement program also gives you diverse educational experiences, so you’ll be in a better position to choose your future career path.

Professional recognition

Graduates are eligible for registration as an early childhood teacher in government, independent, Catholic, and other faith-based early learning centres and early childhood education settings.

The course is approved by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) as an Early Childhood Teacher qualification.

This course will not lead to primary or secondary teacher registration.

Careers

Our graduates have pursued careers in:

  • early childhood education
  • kindergarten teaching
  • policy development

Course details

Course structure

Course map

Open all

Please note: Course maps are subject to change.

Commencing Professional Term 3

  • Education Studies UnitsEDES100Understanding Learning and Teaching10 cp
  • Early Childhood UnitsEDMA163Exploring Mathematics and Numeracy10 cp
  • Effective Teaching UnitsEDET100Effective Teaching 1: Becoming a Teacher

    PEP BLOCK 15 days: 3-5 years

    10 cp
  • Early Childhood UnitsEDEC111Early Years Curriculum and Play-Based Pedagogies

    PEP 15 DAYS: 3-5 years, same setting as EDET100

    10 cp
  • Education Studies UnitsEDES105Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges, Histories and Cultures10 cp
  • Early Childhood UnitsEDEN100Foundations of Literacy10 cp
  • Effective Teaching UnitsEDET111Effective Teaching 2: Curriculum Planning and Pedagogy

    PEP 15 days 3-5 years

    10 cp
  • Early Childhood UnitsEDEN102Children's Literature for Early Reading10 cp
  • Early Childhood UnitsEDSI168Science, Inquiry and Sustainability10 cp

Commencing Professional Term 5

Graduate statement

Insight

As an ACU graduate you have personal insight founded on an understanding of who you are as a professional, a citizen and a scholar. You embrace change and growth through critical self-awareness and learning autonomy. You are empowered to seek truth and meaning, drawing on the principles of justice, equity, and the dignity of all human beings.

Empathy

As an ACU graduate you value human dignity and diversity. This appreciation is founded on deep reflection, and empathy. You have experience of Indigenous Knowings and perspectives and can engage respectfully when working alongside Australia's First Peoples. You can connect with people and cultures and work with community in ways that recognise the dignity of the human person and all cultures

Imagination

As an ACU graduate you utilise imagination and innovation to solve problems. You critically analyse information from a range of sources to creatively solve practical problems and use critical thinking to make decisions and advance the common good. You appreciate the role of innovation and creative thinking in developing a better future for each person and community.

Impact

As an ACU graduate you recognise your responsibility to work for social justice and a sustainable world founded on a commitment to human dignity and the common good. You lead change through respectful collaboration and effective communication of ideas to diverse peoples, groups and communities in local and global contexts. You are empowered to positively impact your profession and the community.

AQF framework

Bachelor - AQF Level 7

Exit Points

A student who has successfully completed the following requirements may exit from the course with that qualification:

  1. Non-Award Certificate in Educational Studies
  2. Diploma in Educational Studies (Tertiary Preparation)
  3. Bachelor of Educational Studies

Graduates of this course are Early Childhood Teachers (ECT). None of these qualifications qualifies a student to teach in a Primary or Secondary school in Australia. 

Additional course information

The course includes an articulation pathway for graduates of the AQF level 5, Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, providing credit recognition and, for selected cohorts, direct admission into year two of the course

Requirements for working with children: All students enrolled must have the appropriate approvals before they may enter a classroom. These are: Blue Card (Qld) or Working with Children Check (ACT, NSW and Vic), or equivalent requirements in other states and territories. International students must bring police check documentation from their own countries. To meet the requirements for working in settings other than schools, a National Police check may be required. All students who have lived in another country for 12 months or more must provide a police check from that country for that period.

Entry requirements

An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy

To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant:

  1. must have completed a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care or an equivalent qualification approved by ACECQA;
  2. Victoria and New South Wales students must also be currently employed by an eligible early childhood service that delivers (or intends to deliver) a funded kindergarten program.

Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2025 Admission.

View transparency admission information

Applicants with higher education study

To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have completed Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care or an equivalent qualification approved by ACECQA.

Victoria and New South Wales students must also be currently employed by an eligible early childhood service that delivers (or intends to deliver) a funded kindergarten program.

You will need to meet the minimum entry requirements and subject prerequisites for your chosen course. 

If you have completed at least two units of AQF-recognised study at bachelor level or above, we’ll assign you with a new selection rank that reflects your study level, duration, and grade point average.

If your prior study or relevant work experience has provided you with knowledge, skills or experience aligned with the learning outcomes of units in your new course, you may be eligible to gain credit for study or have your prior learning recognised. This means you may be able to complete your ACU course in a shorter timeframe.

You can use our credit search tool to see what you might be eligible for. For more information about credit and recognition of prior learning at ACU, follow the link below.

Search our credit database

Learn more about recognition of prior learning

English language requirements

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

  • Overall score of 6.5. An individual score of 6.5 in all tests


Pearson Test of English (PTE)

  • 58 with a minimum of 58 in all four communicative skills


Test of English as a Foreign Language – Academic (TOEFL)

  • Internet based total of 79: minimum 24 in writing and a minimum of 19 in reading and 20 in listening and speaking


ACU English Language Test

  • B (65-74%)


C1 Advanced

  • Overall score: 176. Minimum score of 176 in all tests

Inherent requirement

There are essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the capabilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of that course or unit. You will need to be able to meet these inherent requirements to complete your course.

Learn more about inherent requirements for your course and how they affect you

Pathways

Pathways into course for current or recent Year 12 students

If you can’t meet the ATAR requirement for your choice of course and you’re currently completing Year 12 or finished Year 12 in the two years previously, we have entry programs to get you where you want to be. 

Alternatively, you may be able to complete a diploma or bridging course relevant to your desired course: 

Understand your pathway options 

Pathways into course for applicants with previous study and/or life experience

Are you applying to ACU as a non-school leaver? 

By that we mean, you’re not currently completing Year 12 and haven’t completed it in the two years previously. If the answer is yes and your selection rank isn’t enough to meet the requirements for your desired course you still have a number of options to help you achieve your study goals. 

If you’re over 21, you can sit the Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT), or you can complete a diploma or bridging course relevant to your desired course. 

Explore the pathways to your future 

Further study

Bachelor Degree graduates may be eligible for entry into further postgraduate coursework degree programs.

Fees

Course costs

Average first year fee*

$4624 CSP

Payment options

You should be able to concentrate on getting good marks instead of worrying about how you’ll pay your fees. We have a number of options that can help you ease the financial burden, including government assistance, scholarships and income support. 

Explore your options 

Scholarships

You could be eligible for one of the hundreds of scholarships we award each year to help students from across the university with the cost of studying, accommodation or overseas study opportunities. Some of our scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, but these aren’t just for the academically gifted; ACU also recognises excellence in community engagement and leadership. We also offer a range of scholarships for those who may be struggling financially or who have faced other barriers to accessing education.  

Search our scholarships 

How to apply

Domestic applicants

Direct application

Apply now

Staff Profile

Laurien Beane

Early Childhood Education lecturer and advocate

Laurien Beane is a lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Arts at Australian Catholic University and engages in leadership for improving professional practice in early childhood. Laurien collaborates on government sponsored projects with industry partners conducting curriculum, policy and practice workshops. Laurien has held executive roles in organisations including Early Childhood Australia, Queensland, and Australian Early Childhood Teacher Education Network (AECTEN) under the umbrella of the Australian Council of Deans of Education (ACDE). Currently, Laurien is engaged in social justice and advocacy projects ensuring women in early childhood marginalised contexts have access to high quality educational experiences.


 

Have a question?

We're available 9am–5pm AEDT,
Monday to Friday

If you’ve got a question, our AskACU team has you covered. You can search FAQs, text us, email, live chat, call – whatever works for you.

Live chat with us now

Chat to our team for real-time
answers to your questions.

Launch live chat

Visit our FAQs page

Find answers to some commonly
asked questions.

See our FAQs