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Deakin University

  • 21% international / 79% domestic

Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education

  • Graduate Diploma

Want to equip the next generation with the emotional intelligence, social and critical-thinking skills to flourish? Study the Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education and discover how to help young children learn important concepts like empathy and self-confidence through play.

Key details

Degree Type
Graduate Diploma
Course Code
E661

About this course

Want to equip the next generation with the emotional intelligence, social and critical-thinking skills to flourish? Study the Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education and discover how to help young children learn important concepts like empathy and self-confidence through play.

Ready to start a meaningful career, shaping tomorrow's leaders?




Whether your background is in education or you're looking to make a meaningful career change, this course will equip you with the knowledge to work across diverse early childhood settings. Our nationally recognised academics will guide you towards specialised teaching using a play-based approach so you can:

  • Create safe and inclusive learning environments
  • Practice Social justice, diversity and equity
  • Develop numeracy and literacy in young learners
  • Support arts and STEM creativity in a child's life
  • Be a leader for educational change

In addition, you will put your academic knowledge into practice with over 60-days of professional experience placements. The course is designed to blend your classroom experience with your academic learning, culminating in a final hurdle task, the Deakin Teaching Performance Assessment, that ensures you graduate with the experience and rigour you will need to enter the teaching profession with confidence.

This practical experience ensures you graduate with the skills and expertise that are highly valued by employers. 96% of Deakin early childhood education graduates have gone on to secure roles in the early childhood education profession, which continues to generate new jobs at a steady rate. In addition, the Victorian Government offers a range of financial incentives to support students interested in studying the Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education at Deakin. More information can be found at education.vic.gov.au

Career pathways

The education and training industry is one of the largest growing employment industries in Australia, and is projected to grow by 11.2% by May 2023 - that's 11,300 new jobs.* Early childhood education teachers in particular are in high demand.

As an early childhood education graduate, you could go on to secure teaching roles within early childhood settings across the private, independent, or public education sectors. You could also find employment in a range of other education-adjacent fields, including in early years service management, policy, consultancy, NGOs, research community and government organisations.

*Australian Government Department of Jobs and Small Business, 2018 Employment Projections - for the five years to May 2023.

For more information go to 'DeakinTALENT'

Credit for prior study or work

The University aims to provide students with as much credit as possible for approved prior study or informal learning which exceeds the normal entrance requirements for the course and is within the constraints of the course regulations. Students are required to complete a minimum of one-third of the course at Deakin University, or four credit points, whichever is the greater.

Recognition of prior learning in the Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education is restricted by the professional accreditation structures of the course. Students are encouraged to apply for credit for comparable curriculum discipline units completed at postgraduate level.

Recognition is not available for any work experience whether paid or unpaid, qualified or unqualified teacher or teacher aide against the academic professional experience units.

You can also refer to the Recognition of prior learning system which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree and how to apply for credit.

Graduate outcomes

Graduate satisfaction and employment outcomes for Teacher Education courses at Deakin University.
81.6%
Overall satisfaction
73.6%
Skill scale
71.8%
Teaching scale
87.5%
Employed full-time
$78k
Average salary