MTeach(ECPri)/GradCertRE

Credit points

200

Minimum duration

2 years full-time or equivalent part-time

Approved locations

  • ACU Online

EFTSL value of units : All 10 cp units in this course have an EFTSL value of 0.125. Units with a cp value of a multiple of 10 have corresponding EFTSL values.

Admission requirements

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

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

  1. have successfully completed a Bachelor degree or equivalent qualification, with:
  2. subject content studies equivalent to one year of full-time study in one or more learning areas of the primary school curriculum; including
  3. subject content studies equivalent to one quarter of a year in a selected subject specialisation.
  4. demonstrate suitability for teaching as evidenced by completion of the relevant State assessment which will be provided in the application process.

Applicants who completed Bachelor degrees outside Australia should review Admission to Coursework Programs Policy to determine if they are required to meet additional English Language Proficiency requirements for entry into the course.

Applicants seeking teacher registration in Australia should check with state registration bodies to confirm English Language Proficiency requirements for teacher registration.

Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2024 Admission.



Completion requirements

To qualify for the degree, a student must complete 200 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings, consisting of:

  1. 60 cp Education Studies and Effective Teaching with Professional Experience units (Part A);
  2. 100 cp Curriculum Studies units (Part B);
  3. 40 cp Religious Education and Theology units (Part C).
  4. 0 cp from ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education units (Part D)

Other requirements

Additional Approvals

All students enrolled must have the appropriate approvals before they may enter a classroom.

These are Blue Card (Queensland), Working with Vulnerable People Registration (Australian Capital Territory), or Working with Children Check (New South Wales, Western Australia, and Victoria), Working with Children Clearance (Northern Territory), or Police Record Check (South Australia and Tasmania).

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.

  1. *Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies: 40 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings of the Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary)
  2. *Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies: 80 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings of the Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary).
  3. *Graduate Certificate in Religious Education: 40 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings of the Graduate Certificate in Religious Education
  4. Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary): 160 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings of the Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary)

*Note that none of these qualifications qualifies a student to teach in Australia.

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.

Progression requirements

Students are required to follow the pattern of unit enrolment set out in the relevant Course Enrolment Guide, unless otherwise approved by the Course Coordinator.

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Schedule of unit offerings

Complete exactly 60 credit points from the following:

  • EDES560Foundations of Development and Learning in Australian Early Childhood Contexts10 CP

    Education Studies 10 days professional experience with children aged birth to 35 months

  • EDES600Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories, Cultures and Education10 CP

    Education Studies

  • EDES601Special Education and Inclusive Practice10 CP

    Education Studies

  • EDET561Effective Teaching 1: Early Years Learning and Pedagogies: Play-Based Curriculum and Assessment10 CP

    Effective Teaching 20-days professional experience with children aged 3 to 5 years

  • EDET660Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: English and Literacy (B-12)10 CP

    Effective Teaching 15 days professional experience with a focus on English and Literacy (5-8 years old).

  • EDET661Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: Mathematics and Numeracy (B-12)10 CP

    Effective Teaching 15 days professional experience with a focus on Mathematics and Numeracy (5-8 years old).

  • EDET662Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: Science and Inquiry (B-12)10 CP

    Effective Teaching 15 days professional experience with a focus on Science and Inquiry (5-8 years old).

  • EDET663Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: Humanities and Social Sciences (B-12)10 CP

    Effective Teaching 15 days professional experience with a focus on Humanities and Social Sciences (5-8 years old).

  • EDET664Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: The Arts (B-12)10 CP

    Effective Teaching 15 days professional experience with a focus on The Arts (5-8 years old).

  • EDET665Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: Technologies (B-12)10 CP

    Effective Teaching 15 days professional experience with a focus on Technologies (5-8 years old).

  • EDET666Effective Teaching 2: Leadership, Management, Advocacy and Teaching: Health, Wellbeing and Physical Education (B-12)10 CP

    Effective Teaching 15 days professional experience with a focus on Health, Wellbeing and Physical Education (5-8 years old).

  • EDET669Effective Teaching 3: Teacher Inquiry and Evidence-Based Practice (B-12)10 CP

    Effective Teaching 25 days professional experience in a school setting (8-12 years old) with a focus on the teaching specialisation.

Complete exactly 100 credit points from the following:

  • EDAR560The Arts Curriculum and Pedagogy (B-12)10 CP
  • EDEN502Foundations of Literacy Development and Children's Literature10 CP
  • EDEN503Reading and Writing Instruction in the Early Years (B-8)10 CP
  • EDEN602English Language and Literacy Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 210 CP
  • EDHP560Health, Wellbeing and Physical Education (B-12 Years)10 CP
  • EDMA500Foundations of Mathematics and Numeracy Curriculum and Pedagogy for Children10 CP
  • EDMA602Mathematics Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 210 CP
  • EDSI660Science, Inquiry and Sustainability Education (B-12)10 CP
  • EDSS661Humanities and Social Sciences Education for Children (B-12)10 CP
  • EDTE560Technologies Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment (B-12)10 CP

Complete exactly 40 credit points from the following:

  • EDRE516Learning and Teaching for Religious Education10 CP
  • EDRE544Change and Continuity in Religious Education10 CP
  • THBS562Introducing the Scriptures10 CP
  • THCT563Introducing Theology10 CP
  • THCT565Reflecting on Faith, Recontextualising Tradition10 CP

Alternative units as approved by the course coordinator.

* The Graduate Certificate in Religious Education meets the minimum requirements to teach Religious Education in Catholic Schools. The Graduate Certificate in Religious Education also permits teachers to satisfy requirements for teaching religious education in Anglican schools. In some dioceses, the Anglican Schools Commission in conjunction with their College of Theology provide alternate units for THBS501 Biblical Studies and THCT500 Foundations of Christian Faith. Students interested in pursuing this pathway should contact the National Coordinator of the Graduate Certificate in Religious Education at ACU and seek approval for alternate units before enrolling at the theological college. Students who wish to complete the requirements for teaching in Lutheran schools must register and enrol with Australian Lutheran College as well as with Australian Catholic University.

Complete exactly 3 of the following:

  • LNTE110Literacy and Numeracy Diagnostic0 CP
  • LNTE100LANTITE - Literacy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students0 CP
  • LNTE101LANTITE - Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students0 CP

Course map

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Always check your Course Enrolment Guide before you finalise your enrolment.

Course maps are subject to change.


Commencing ACU Term 1

  • Curriculum Studies unitsEDMA500Foundations of Mathematics and Numeracy Curriculum and Pedagogy for Children10 cp
  • Curriculum Studies units EDEN502 Foundations of Literacy Development and Childrens Literature 10 cp
  • ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education units ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education unitsLNTE110 Literacy and Numeracy Diagnostic Students must register with ACER to undertake the two LANTITE tests.0 cp
  • Religious Education and Theology units*THBS562Introducing the Scriptures10 cp
  • Education Studies and Effective Teaching unitsEDES560Foundations of Development and Learning in Australian Early Childhood Contexts

    Professional Experience: 10 days with children from birth to 35 months

    10 cp
  • Curriculum Studies unitsEDTE560Technologies Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment (B-12)10 cp
  • Curriculum Studies unitsEDHP560Health, Wellbeing and Physical Education (B-12 Years)10 cp
  • Curriculum Studies unitsEDAR560The Arts Curriculum and Pedagogy (B-12)10 cp
  • ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education units ACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education unitsLNTE100 LANTITE - Literacy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students ANDACER Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education unitsLNTE101 LANTITE - Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students Students must register with ACER to undertake the two LANTITE tests.0 cp
  • Religious Education and Theology units* Religious Education and Theology units*THCT563 Introducing Theology OR Religious Education and Theology units*THCT565 Reflecting on Faith, Recontextualising Tradition 10 cp
  • Curriculum Studies units EDEN503 Reading and Writing Instruction in the Early Years (B-8) 10 cp
  • Education Studies and Effective Teaching unitsEDET561Effective Teaching 1: Early Years Learning and Pedagogies: Play-Based Curriculum and Assessment

    Professional Experience: 20 days with children aged 3 to 5 years

    10 cp
  • Religious Education and Theology units*EDRE544Change and Continuity in Religious Education10 cp

Commencing ACU Term 3

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