Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood), Bachelor of Arts

Admission requirements

The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.

Applicants must complete a non-academic capabilities assessment task that is based on the Australian Institute for Teaching and school Leadership Initial Teacher Education standards.

Limited credit may be granted for relevant topics taken at the University or other institutions.

Course aims

The course aims to produce graduates who:

use understandings of how children learn and develop to co-construct inclusive and intellectually challenging curriculum for children from birth to age 8
demonstrate the capacity to form and sustain effective relationships with children, colleagues, parents and community members
use critical reflection and understandings of theoretical knowledge to inform their future practice
actively promote and support policies and practices that take account of social and individual differences and ensure that all children learn and develop
demonstrate a commitment to social justice in our democratic society, acting powerfully in their centres, classrooms, schools and communities
use an effective repertoire of information and communication technologies.

Learning outcomes

It is anticipated that on completion of the double degree program graduate students will:

foreground equity considerations in all facets of their professional work
relate to children as competent and active social participants within the contexts of their diverse families, local and global environments
use understandings of how children develop and processes of learning to co-construct inclusive and intellectually challenging curriculum for children from birth to age 8
utilise a range of technologies, pedagogical approaches and techniques that enhance, sustain and extend children's learning and development from birth to age 8
enhance the connections between early childhood programs and other services that support the learning and wellbeing of children and communities
sustain relationships based on trust, respect, integrity, and reciprocity in order to achieve high quality, equitable outcomes for young children, families, colleagues and the wider community
work collaboratively and collectively as members of inter-disciplinary teams to ensure that all children have opportunities to access and participate in high quality and inclusive Early Childhood services
communicate effectively with a variety of audiences for a range of purposes
critically analyse the relationship between research, practice and theory as an impetus for transformational, innovative and creative work in early childhood education
recognise the effects of history, culture and politics on their identities and work as professional early childhood educators in a multi-service environment
demonstrate a commitment to the scholarship of teaching and learning through a continuous process of reflexive inquiry
draw on a multi-disciplinary knowledge base to make ethically informed decisions that are in the best interests of children, families and colleagues
in partnership with families, lead, negotiate and advocate for change through policy activism which contributes to a democratic society.

Credit

Limited credit may be granted for recognition of prior studies undertaken at the University or other approved tertiary institutions. Further information is available on this page.

Program of study

To qualify for the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood), Bachelor of Arts, a student must:

complete 144 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, consisting of 72 units in the Bachelor of Education component and 72 units in the Bachelor of Arts component, according to the program of study below; and
meet the required benchmark in the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students (LANTITE) prior to commencing the professional experience topics. Students must normally meet the benchmark within two attempts. Further attempts may be recommended by the Dean (Education) under exceptional circumstances.

A student whose Grade Point Average (GPA) falls below 5.00 after attempting the first 72 units of study (excluding topics for which a Withdraw, Not Fail (WN) has been recorded) will normally be required to enter into a counselling process with the College to demonstrate their capacity to achieve the range of attributes and motivations that have been determined by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) as being common to effective teachers. As part of this process students who are unable to satisfactorily demonstrate their capacity to achieve the range of attributes and motivations before graduation will be supported through a range of options appropriate to their circumstances.

The Bachelor of Education component must include:

9 units of Education topics at First Year level
9 units of Education topics at Second Year level including professional experience
27 units of Education topics at Third Year level including professional experience
27 units of Education topics at Fourth Year level including professional experience.

The Bachelor of Arts component must include:

36 units of one BA major sequence
22.5 units of one BA minor sequence
EDUC2420 Teaching Indigenous Australian Students (4.5 units)
9 units of prescribed BA electives which can be selected from any of the BA majors/minors at any level provided the entry requirements are met.

Except with the permission of the Dean (Education):

no compulsory topic may be taken more than twice
professional experience topics may not be attempted more than once
students must complete the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students (LANTITE) prior to commencing the professional experience topics.

Students should note that professional experience topics require full-time commitment for their duration.

LIST OF TOPICS

The BA major, minor and electives may be chosen from topics and topic sequences listed in the BA handbook.

Year 1 topics

36 units comprising

EDUC1120  Teaching and Educational Contexts (4.5 units)
EDUC1221  Play, Learning and Development (4.5 units)
EDUC1225   Professional Experience: Year 1 (Early Childhood) (0 units)

plus 9 units of BA major topics

plus 9 units of BA minor topics

plus 9 units of BA Elective topics

Year 2 topics

36 units comprising

EDUC2321  The Expressive Arts in Early Childhood (4.5 units)
EDUC2420  Teaching Indigenous Australian Students (4.5 units)
EDUC2421  Literacy and Numeracy: Birth-4 (4.5 units)
EDUC2324 Professional Experience: Year 2A (Early Childhood) (0 units)
EDUC2424 Professional Experience: Year 2B (Early Childhood) (0 units)

plus 18 units of BA major topics

plus 4.5 units of BA minor topics

Year 3 topics

36 units comprising

EDUC3521  Language, Literature and Literacies 4-8 (4.5 units)
EDUC3522 Pedagogies of Belonging (4.5 units)
EDUC3528 Professional Experience: Year 3A (Early Childhood) (0 units)
EDUC3618 Numeracy and Multiliteracies in Design and Technology (4.5 units)
EDUC3622  Thinking and Working Mathematically (4.5 units)
EDUC3623  Health and Physical Education in Early Childhood (4.5 units)
EDUC3640 Professional Experience: Year 3B (Early Childhood) (4.5 units)

plus 4.5 units of BA major topics

plus 4.5 units of BA minor topics

Year 4 topics

36 units comprising

EDUC4722 Critical Pedagogies for a Changing World (4.5 units)
EDUC4723 Investigating Early Years Curriculum and Pedagogy (4.5 units)
EDUC4724 Thinking and Working Scientifically in the Early Years (4.5 units)
EDUC4740 Professional Experience: Final Assessment (Early Childhood) (4.5 units)
EDUC4820 The Professional Educator (4.5 units)

plus 4.5 units of BA major topics

plus 4.5 units of BA minor topics

plus 4.5 units of Education Elective topics

The following majors or minors can be studied within the Bachelor of Arts component of the double degree:

# Chinese, German and Japanese are available cross-institutionally at the University of Adelaide. Please visit the University of Adelaide webpage for topic information.

**Students may only study a BA major or a BA minor cross-institutionally at the University of Adelaide, but not both.