Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary)
Course information for - 2023 entry
Offered at 2 locations
- Duration
- 2 years full-time or equivalent part-time
- CRICOS Code
- 107259F
- IELTS
- No score less than 7 in reading and writing. No score less than 8 in listening and speaking
- Fees (first year)*
- $25568
- Start dates
- July 2023, February 2024, July 2024, February 2025, July 2025
Overview
The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary) is a graduate entry, pre-service teacher education course for those who want to qualify as both an early childhood and primary school teacher. This course cultivates graduates who are passionate about, and committed to, the generation and dissemination of knowledge, skills and attitudes that facilitate high-quality learning in childhood from birth to twelve years.
This course will enable you to engage with the breadth of curriculum and pedagogical knowledge required by a primary classroom teacher. You will graduate with specialist knowledge and understanding of not only literacy and numeracy but of all learning areas of the primary school curriculum. Building on your undergraduate studies, you will develop a teaching specialisation in an area of the primary curriculum from these options:
- English and Literacy
- Mathematics and Numeracy
- Science
- Humanities and Social Sciences
- The Arts
- Technologies
- Health and Physical Education
Professional experience
You must complete 70 days professional experience during which you will be required to be available full time.
Work placement
Pre-service educators must complete a Professional Experience Program in a relevant prior-to-school and formal primary school settings in line with the requirements of national teacher accreditation authorities.
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. Placements will usually be arranged for the scheduled placement period in the professional experience calendar though this may not always be possible.
Professional recognition
Graduates are eligible for registration as an early childhood or primary school teacher in government, independent, Catholic schools or other faith-based schools.
If you wish to teach in a Catholic primary school you will be required to have a Graduate Certificate in Religious Education qualification or equivalent (this may vary by diocese). You can study this concurrently with your master's degree at ACU.
Accreditation
This program has been accredited by the Victorian Institute of Teaching and listed on the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) and Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) accredited programs list.
Careers
Our graduates have pursued careers in:
- early childhood education
- primary school education
- religious education
- education research
- play education specialist
- curriculum development
- education consulting
- policy making
Course details
Course structure
To complete the Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary), a student must complete 160 credit points (cp).
Sample program map
| Year - Study period | Unit 1 | Unit 2 | Unit 3 | Unit 4 | Unit 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year 1 - Sem 1 | EDES560 Foundations of Development and Learning in Australian Early Childhood Contexts | EDEN500 Foundations of Literacy and Childrens Literature for Early Reading | EDMA500 Foundations of Mathematics and Numeracy Curriculum and Pedagogy for Children | EDTE560 Technologies Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment (B-12) | LNTE110 Literacy and Numeracy Diagnostic AND LNTE100 LANTITE - Literacy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students AND LNTE101 LANTITE - Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students |
Year 1 - Sem 2 | EDET561 Effective Teaching 1: Early Years Learning and Pedagogies: Play-Based Curriculum and Assessment | EDEN501 English Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 1 | EDHP560 Health, Wellbeing and Physical Education (B-12 Years) | EDAR560 The Arts Curriculum and Pedagogy (B-12) | |
Year 2 - Sem 1 | EDET660 Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: English and Literacy (B-12) OREDET661 Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: Mathematics and Numeracy (B-12) OREDET662 Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: Science and Inquiry (B-12) OREDET663 Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: Humanities and Social Sciences (B-12) OREDET664 Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: The Arts (B-12) OREDET665 Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: Technologies (B-12) OREDET666 Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: Health, Wellbeing and Physical Education (B-12) | EDES600 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories, Cultures and Education | EDSI660 Science, Inquiry and Sustainability Education (B-12) | EDSS661 Humanities and Social Sciences Education for Children (B-12) | |
Year 2 - Sem 2 | EDET669 Effective Teaching 3: Teacher Inquiry and Evidence-Based Practice (B-12) | EDES601 Special Education and Inclusive Practice | EDEN602 English Language and Literacy Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 2 | EDMA602 Mathematics Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 2 |
This is a sample program only and units will vary depending on your campus and mode of study. Please refer to the handbook for the prerequisite units and the current listing.
Semester 1 intake map - 24 months
AQF framework
Exit Points
A student who has successfully completed the following requirements may exit from the course with that qualification. Note that none of these qualifications qualify a student to teach in Australia.
- Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies: 40 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings
- Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies: 80 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings
A student who does not meet the LANTITE requirements may exit with the Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies or Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies if they meet the requirements of those awards.
Additional course information
Non-academic assessment - suitability for teaching
Applicants who apply for entry into this initial teacher education course will be required to complete a non-academic assessment. The assessment is to demonstrate suitability for teaching and will be part of your application when applying for admission into this course. Please visit our Suitability for teaching page for more information.
Literacy and Numeracy Test in Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE)
Students will be required to demonstrate they have achieved approved benchmarks in literacy and numeracy as demonstrated through the Literacy and Numeracy Test in Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE). Successful completion of LANTITE is a requirement for course completion.
If you have started your ITE course at another institution and wish to transfer to ACU to complete your studies, please be sure that you have read and understand the requirements for receiving credit for previous studies and those on completing LANTITE.
Entry requirements
English language requirements
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- No score less than 7 in reading and writing. No score less than 8 in listening and speaking.
Pearson Test of English (PTE)
- A minimum of 65 in reading and writing and a minimum of 79 in listening and speaking
Test of English as a Foreign Language – Academic (TOEFL)
- No score less than 24 in reading, 27 in writing, 28 in listening and 26 in speaking
ACU English Language Test
- A++ (85 or above)
Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)
- A minimum of 185 in reading and writing and 200 in listening and speaking.
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
Further study
Master’s degree graduates may be eligible to progress to a doctoral program.
Fees
Course costs
- Unit fee: $3196
- Average first year fee: $25568
- Estimate total cost: $51136
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.
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.