Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Honours)

The addition of Honours offers a higher-level qualification, which will set you apart from your competitors and provide increased employment opportunities due to your ability to undertake research.

Honours is a focused approach to learning and is attainable and achievable by all, including you. It adds no extra time to your degree, and you will develop planning, problem solving and critical thinking skills that are essential for a career as a contemporary educator.

This degree is solely focused on early childhood education, preparing you for a successful career in this specialised field. Much of the learning in this degree is practical in nature, ensuring you graduate career-ready. The practical component begins in the first six months, giving you the opportunity early on to experience exactly what the job is all about.

Overseas professional experience is also available to interested students, with the University offering the opportunity for you to undertake up to 20 days of professional experience as part of an overseas placement.

The aim of this degree is to provide you with knowledge across a range of contexts. The learning is largely practically-based, and centres heavily on the principles and concepts relating to early childhood development and learning, as well as curriculum planning for learners aged from birth to eight years of age. The four key components of the curriculum include:

*primary specialism

*curriculum studies

*professional experience

*education studies

You will also undertake three courses in a Learning Area aligned to the Australian Curriculum. Learning Areas include:

• Arts
• English
• Mathematics/Science

The key focus of this honours degree is research and the production of an honours project at the end of your studies.

You can gain an extra qualification and broaden your career prospects by completing a Diploma in Languages.

The Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Honours) degree offers a range of diverse employment options beyond teaching only specific roles. You may choose to work for a variety of employers including:

• business associations
• the Department for Education
• private and community-based child care providers
• Catholic Education South Australia (CESA)
• the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (AISSA)

The Honours degree will equip you with an additional qualification and specialised skills which will enhance your employment prospects if you choose to continue into teaching. The early childhood teaching field shows promising job prospects Australia-wide, with very strong long-term growth*. Careers to consider include:

• childcare educator: encourage the healthy intellectual and psychological growth of children aged from birth to four years of age
• kindergarten teacher: responsible for a child's first education experience; this role often encompasses introducing basic skills, including letters, numbers, social
• science and behavioural skills
• preschool teacher: educate and care for children aged three to five years
• junior primary teacher: develop lesson plans in line with curriculum objectives and facilitate classroom learning for children aged five to eight

*Joboutlook.gov.au July 2020.

Graduates go on to work in a variety of settings including:

• childcare centres
• kindergartens
• primary schools
• crèches
• paediatric hospital wards
• women's shelters
• parent drop-in centres
• community outreach and recreation centres
• in-home child care

You may also choose to continue onto further research with a PhD, Masters of Education or Education Doctorate.*

*A class 2A honours grade or higher is required.

The initial teacher education qualification for the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Honours) meets the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia (the Board) qualification requirements for the purpose of teacher registration in South Australia and the requirements of the national approach to the Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs in Australia.