Bachelor of Arts, Master of Teaching (Early Childhood)

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.

Course aims

The course aims to provide graduates with a sound basis of knowledge in their chosen areas of study in the Bachelor of Arts together with the ability to apply an advanced/specialised body of content and pedagogical knowledge, skills and dispositions to:

plan, implement and advocate transformative teaching and learning in the field of early childhood education
enact policies and practices that take account of social and individual difference, ensuring that all children learn in supportive and just environments
work independently and collaboratively with children, colleagues and communities to construct and assess inclusive and intellectually challenging curriculum for children aged birth to 8 years
engage in critical reflection and continuing professional learning through a variety of pathways including research-based projects

Learning outcomes

On completion of the double degree program graduates will be able to:

demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes of the Bachelor of Arts and be able to apply these in an education setting
synthesise in-depth, current knowledge and an integrated understanding of the theories, content and processes of learning and teaching in the field of early childhood education
articulate advanced knowledge and reflexivity regarding children’s development and individual and social differences, including for Indigenous Australians
apply the cognitive, technical and creative skills and dispositions to create and maintain mutually respectful and socially just learning environments for children aged birth to 8 years
communicate respectfully with students, colleagues, parents and communities to enhance professional practice and student learning in the field of early childhood education
apply the cognitive, technical and creative skills to construct and assess inclusive and challenging curriculum for children aged birth to 8 years
demonstrate and apply sound knowledge of research principles and methods to execute a research based project in early childhood education
commit to ongoing professional learning to do with new discourses, debates and issues in education as they arise in the field of early childhood education
demonstrate dispositions towards relational and transformative education and a strong sense of themselves as agents, advocates and leading professionals in the field of early childhood education.

Program of study

To qualify for the double degree of Bachelor of Arts, Master of Teaching (Early Childhood), a student must:

complete 180 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, consisting of 108 units in the Bachelor of Arts and 72 units in the Master of Teaching, 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.

Except with the permission of the Dean (Education), a student may not proceed to the Master level topics in years four and five unless they have satisfactorily completed the first three years of the double degree.

Students will normally need to have achieved a GPA of 5.00 or higher in the first 108 units to enter the Masters component in the final two years of the double degree. Under exceptional circumstances and subject to specific conditions, the Dean (Education) may permit students who do not meet this GPA requirement to enter the final two years of the double degree. Those not meeting this requirement will transfer to the four-year Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood), Bachelor of Arts double degree.

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood), Bachelor of Arts may transfer to Bachelor of Arts, Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) if they have achieved a GPA of at least 5.00 after completion of 36 or 72 units of the degree. Under exceptional circumstances and subject to specific conditions, the Dean (Education) may invite other students to transfer.

Students who commence, but subsequently do not wish to complete, the double degree program may be eligible to exit with:

a Bachelor of Education Studies or a Bachelor of Arts after completing 108 units, if they have met the course rule requirements for one of those awards; or
a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood), Bachelor of Arts double degree after completing 144 units, if they have met the course rule requirements for that degree.

Except with the permission of the Dean (Education):

no compulsory Education 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.

The 108 unit Bachelor of Arts component must include:

COMS1001 Academic and Professional Communication;
36 units of one Arts major sequence selected from the list below;
18 units of one Arts minor sequence selected from the list below;
9 units of Arts electives which can be selected from any one of the BA majors/minors at any level provided the entry requirements are met; and
40.5 units of Education topics.

Bachelor of Arts component

Core - Year 1 topics

13.5 units comprising

COMS1001 Academic and Professional Communication (4.5 units)
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)

Option - Year 1 topics

Choose 22.5 units comprising:

9 units of BA Major topics
9 units of BA Minor topics
4.5 units of BA Elective topics*

*BA electives can be selected from any of the BA majors/minors at any level provided the entry requirements are met

Core - Year 2 topics

9 units comprising

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

Option - Year 2 topics

Choose 27 units comprising:

13.5 units of BA Major topics
9 units of BA Minor topics
4.5 units of BA Elective topics*

Core - Year 3 topics

27 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)
EDUC3623 Health and Physical Education in Early Childhood (4.5 units)
EDUC3640 Professional Experience: Year 3B (Early Childhood) (4.5 units)
EDUC7361 Thinking and Working Mathematically (4-8 years) (4.5 units)#

Option - Year 3 topics

Choose 9 units of BA Major topics

Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) component

Core - Year 4 topics

27 units comprising:

EDUC9127 Thinking and Working Scientifically in the Early Years (4.5 units)
EDUC9301 Curriculum and Pedagogy in the Early Years (4.5 units)
EDUC9303 Critical Pedagogies for a Changing World (4.5 units)
EDUC9304 Professional Experience: Final Assessment (Early Childhood) (4.5 units)
EDUC9400 Teaching Indigenous Australian Students GE (4.5 units)
EDUC9401 Teacher as Researcher (4.5 units)

Option - Year 4 topics

Choose 9 units comprising:

4.5 units chosen from the list of Option - Year 5 - Master of Education topics below
4.5 units of BA Major topics^

Core - Year 5 topics

4.5 units comprising:

EDUC9761 Approaches to Research (4.5 units)

Option - Year 5 - Research topics

Choose either a 4.5 unit Independent Research Study or an 18 unit Dissertation:

EDUC9719 Independent Research Study (4.5 units)

OR complete the following 18 unit Dissertation

EDUC9724A Dissertation in Education (4.5/18 units)
EDUC9724B Dissertation in Education (4.5/18 units)
EDUC9724C Dissertation in Education (4.5/18 units)
EDUC9724D Dissertation in Education (4.5/18 units)

Option - Year 5 - Master of Education topics

Select the remaining topics from the list below to fulfil the 36 unit year 5 requirement. Students may choose topics from a single Master of Education specialisation area as listed below or can choose topics from a range of these specialisation areas:

Cognitive Psychology and Educational Practice

EDUC8731 Motivation, Cognition and Metacognition in Learning (4.5 units)
EDUC9732  Teaching to Develop Motivation, Cognition and Metacognition (4.5 units)
EDUC9733  The Psychology of Learning and Instruction (4.5 units)
EDUC9734  Applications of Psychology to Learning and Instruction (4.5 units)
EDUC9735  Research Design in Cognition and Instruction (4.5 units)
EDUC9736  Research Application in Cognition and Instruction (4.5 units)

Educational Research, Evaluation and Assessment

EDUC9762  Introduction to Statistics (4.5 units)
EDUC9763  Survey and Questionnaire Methods (4.5 units)
EDUC9764  Methods in Ethnography (4.5 units)
EDUC9765  Researching Texts and Documents (4.5 units)
EDUC9766  Multivariate and Multilevel Statistics for Educational Research (4.5 units)
EDUC9767  Assessment in Education (4.5 units)
EDUC9769 Measuring Educational Achievement (4.5 units)
INDG9000 Indigenous Research Methodologies (4.5 units)

Gifted Education

EDUC8791  Gifted Education: Conceptions of Giftedness, Intelligence and Creativity (4.5 units)
EDUC9792  Gifted Education: Curriculum and Differentiation (4.5 units)
EDUC9793  Design Thinking to Develop and Evaluate Educational Programs (4.5 units)
EDUC9794  Gifted Education: Affective Development (4.5 units)

Higher Education

EDUC8905 Higher Education: A Global Context (4.5 units)
EDUC9906 Higher Education: Global Perspectives on Teaching and Learning (4.5 units)

International Baccalaureate

  EDUC8821 IBMYP Curriculum Foundations (4.5 units)
  EDUC9822  IBMYP Curriculum Processes (4.5 units)
  EDUC9823  Teaching, Learning and Assessment in the IB (4.5 units)
  EDUC9824  Classroom Diversity and the IBMYP (4.5 units)

Languages Education

  EDUC8602 Leaders and Leadership (4.5 units)
  EDUC8731 Motivation, Cognition and Metacognition in Learning (4.5 units)
  EDUC9701  Effective Use of ICT for Learning and Teaching (4.5 units)
  EDUC9704  Exploring Languages Pedagogy - Theory and Practice (4.5 units)
  EDUC9705  Developing Literacies Through Intercultural Language Learning (4.5 units)
  EDUC9706  Visualising Language Learning (4.5 units)
  EDUC9708 New Technologies and e-pedagogy in Foreign Language Education (4.5 units)
  EDUC9732  Teaching to Develop Motivation, Cognition and Metacognition (4.5 units)
  EDUC9733  The Psychology of Learning and Instruction (4.5 units)
  EDUC9767  Assessment in Education (4.5 units)
  ESOL8001 Fundamental Concepts of Second Language Learning and Teaching in TESOL GE (4.5 units)
  ESOL8002 Language Assessment in TESOL GE (4.5 units)
  LING8001 Introduction to Second Language Acquisition GE (4.5 units)
  LING8002 Introduction to Second Language Teaching Methodology GE (4.5 units)

Leadership and Management

  EDUC8601 Strategic Thinking and Planning (4.5 units)
  EDUC8602 Leaders and Leadership (4.5 units)
  EDUC8618 Pedagogical Leadership (4.5 units)
  EDUC9603  Theories of Organisational Change (4.5 units)
  EDUC9604  Managing Human Resources (4.5 units)
  EDUC9605 Leading Knowledge Management for Organisational Learning (4.5 units)
  EDUC9606  Planning Change in Organisations (4.5 units)
  EDUC9608 Globalisation, Development and Education (4.5 units)
  EDUC9609  Leadership and Management in Rural Contexts (4.5 units)
  EDUC9610  Developing People in Organisations (4.5 units)
  EDUC9611  Managing Innovation in Organisations (4.5 units)
  EDUC9616 Leadership and Management in Education (4.5 units)
  EDUC9617 Education Governance (4.5 units)
  EDUC9707 Leading Change in the Digital Age (4.5 units)

Special Education

  EDUC8129 Contemporary Issues in Special Education (4.5 units)
  EDUC8541 Studies in Vision Impairment 1 (4.5 units)
  EDUC8731 Motivation, Cognition and Metacognition in Learning (4.5 units)
  EDUC8791  Gifted Education: Conceptions of Giftedness, Intelligence and Creativity (4.5 units)
  EDUC9307 Educational Planning and Assessment for Students with Diverse Learning Needs (4.5 units)
  EDUC9406 Differentiation and Inclusive Educational Practices (4.5 units)
  EDUC9409  Intervention for Students with Numeracy Difficulties (4.5 units)
  EDUC9501  Understanding Behaviour in Educational Contexts (4.5 units)
  EDUC9503  Supporting Behaviour Change (4.5 units)
  EDUC9504  Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support (4.5 units)
  EDUC9511  Complex Communication Needs and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (4.5 units)
  EDUC9512 Functional Behaviour Assessment in Education (4.5 units)
  EDUC9513 Personalised Curriculum Design for Learners with Disabilities (4.5 units)
  EDUC9521 Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities (4.5 units)
  EDUC9522  Intervention for Students with Literacy Difficulties (4.5 units)
  EDUC9531  Current Perspectives in Early Intervention (4.5 units)
  EDUC9532  Early Intervention: Learning From and Through Play (4.5 units)
  EDUC9544  Studies in Orientation and Mobility: Research and Practice (4.5 units)
  EDUC9551  Introduction to Sensory Impairment (4.5 units)
  EDUC9552  Collaborative Consultation (4.5 units)
  EDUC9553 Autism Spectrum Disorders: Teaching and Learning (4.5 units)
  EDUC9709 Mindfulness and the Inner World of Teaching and Learning (4.5 units)
  EDUC9732 Teaching to Develop Motivation, Cognition and Metacognition (4.5 units)
  EDUC9792  Gifted Education: Curriculum and Differentiation (4.5 units)

Studies of Asia

  EDUC8881 Studies of Asia Across the Curriculum: An Introduction (4.5 units)
  EDUC8883 Studies of Asia: Contemporary Issues and Values (4.5 units)
  EDUC9882  Studies of Asia: Premodern Asian Societies and Cultures (4.5 units)
  EDUC9884  Studies of Asia: Arts Learning Area 1 (Sources and Contexts) (4.5 units)
  EDUC9885  Studies of Asia: Arts Learning Area 2 (Contemporary Arts of Asia) (4.5 units)
  EDUC9886  Studies of Asia: English Learning Area 1 (Literatures from Asia) (4.5 units)
  EDUC9887  Studies of Asia: English Learning Area 2 (Contemporary Asian Literature) (4.5 units)
  EDUC9888  Studies of Asia: Utilising In-Country Experience (4.5 units)

Wellbeing and Positive Mental Health

  EDUC8601 Strategic Thinking and Planning (4.5 units)
  EDUC8602 Leaders and Leadership (4.5 units)
  EDUC8731 Motivation, Cognition and Metacognition in Learning (4.5 units)
  EDUC9531 Current Perspectives in Early Intervention (4.5 units)
  EDUC9552  Collaborative Consultation (4.5 units)
  EDUC9606  Planning Change in Organisations (4.5 units)
  EDUC9702 Teaching and learning to promote wellbeing and positive mental health in schools and early childhood services (4.5 units)
  EDUC9709 Mindfulness and the Inner World of Teaching and Learning (4.5 units)

Other Education Options

  EDUC9502  Assessment, Planning and Teaching in Behaviour (4.5 units)
  EDUC9612 Advanced Issues in Education (4.5 units)
  EDUC9612A Advanced Issues in Education A (4.5 units)
  EDUC9703  Postgraduate Education: Purposes and Practices (4.5 units)
  EDUC9851  Constructions of Education and Social Justice (4.5 units)
  EDUC9852  Ethics in Education (4.5 units)
  EDUC9921  Issues in Professional Learning (4.5 units)
  EDUC9922  Models of Professional Learning (4.5 units)
  EDUC9923  Leading Professional Learning (4.5 units)

#This topic counts towards the Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) component of the double degree

^ This topic counts towards the Bachelor of Arts component of the double degree

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

University accredited languages, taken through cross-institutional studies, including those offered by the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia, are also available as majors in the Flinders Bachelor of Arts.

Every effort has been made to ensure the information published on the Course Rule pages is accurate at the time of publication. Flinders University reserves the right to amend its curriculum without prior notice, and will update the Course Rules to reflect any amendments at the earliest opportunity.

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Bachelor of Arts, Master of Teaching (Early Childhood)

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Admission requirements

Course aims

Learning outcomes