Postgraduate courses - Teaching (Early Childhood)

Overview

Teach children aged birth to 8 years.

This degree provides you with the knowledge to start a career in early childhood education. You will enter the teaching profession with confidence and competence, equipped with the skills required to work with young children aged birth-to-8 years.

The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) will give you a detailed understanding of curriculum studies and theories of education. You'll undertake teaching practice, bringing together theory and practice in early childhood settings - such as childcare centres, kindergartens, preschool and year levels reception to year two.

Up to 80% off fees due to Government subsidies*.

*Government subsidies enable Flinders to offer Domestic applicants a reduction of up to 80% off full course fees through Commonwealth Supported Places. Offer subject to change.

Courses

Master of Teaching (Early Childhood)

Duration: 2 years

Delivery mode:
In person

Location:
Bedford Park

Availability:
Full-time
Part-time

Start dates:
March

SATAC code: 2CM088

Annual indicative fees (2025):
$4,624 (Commonwealth supported place)

Further information on fees listed

Apply via SATAC

Your career

The Master of Teaching prepares graduates to enter the teaching profession with confidence and competence. Although the majority of education graduates go on to employment as a teacher in the public or private sector, some choose to follow other pathways. Graduate opportunities include community education officer, integrated service delivery in the early years, and education and engagement officer.

Potential occupations include:

teachers in long-day childcare, preschools and early years of school classrooms
team-leaders in long-day childcare services
educational leadership roles including directors, school coordinators and principals
curriculum and policy advisors.

Professional accreditation/recognition

This academic qualification will enable you to apply for registration with the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia. You are advised to check registration requirements as they are subject to change. Graduates looking for employment in other parts of Australia and overseas may be required to meet additional conditions. Graduates meet Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority employment criteria.

What you will study

This course will give you the knowledge, skills and disposition to be a transformative educator and advocate for young children.

The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) consists of 72 units over two years, taken as 36 units per year in a full-time load or the equivalent on a part-time basis.

The study program includes studies in the fields of developmental psychology, sociology, curriculum, and pedagogy to equip graduates with the specialist knowledge to become active change agents and advocates for young children, as well as champions of social justice and equity in a diverse range of contexts and communities.

Our cooperative education and professional experience topics offer substantial opportunities to bridge the theory-practice divide, enabling you to work independently, reflexively and collaboratively on curriculum and research inquiries that seek to actively and meaningfully contribute to the lives of young children, families and communities, and the early childhood centres and schools that serve them.

Practical experience

You will be engaged throughout the entire program in developing the skills to become a teacher. The course includes extensive cooperative education opportunities and professional experience placements in first and second year that meet the professional and employment requirements of the early childhood sector in South Australia.

Practical experience requirements

Child-Related Employment Screening

All College of Education, Psychology and Social Work pre-service teachers must obtain a Working With Children Check (WWCC) from the Department for Human Service (DHS) Screening Unit and a Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect: Education and Care (RRHAN-EC) from a registered provider before undertaking their professional experience placements. This is a requirement of the Department for Education (DfE), in agreement with the Catholic Education and Independent Schools Boards. Pre-service teachers who are not cleared will therefore not be able to complete the requirements of the course.

Instructions about applications are provided on the professional experience website

Practical experience financial support

Financial Support While You’re On Placement?

You could be eligible for the Commonwealth Prac Payment.

Begins January 2025

Teaching, Social Work, Nursing and Midwifery

Up to $319.5 per week

Find out more

View study program

Master of Teaching (Early Childhood)

Related courses

Master of Teaching (Birth to 5)

Entry requirements

Masters

Applicants must hold an approved undergraduate bachelor degree or equivalent qualification. The Master of Teaching is a pre-service teaching degree and admission normally will not be granted to applicants who already hold a teaching qualification in the same area. Selection is based on academic merit.

Additional entry requirements

Applicants must complete a non-academic assessment task known as a Teaching Capabilities Statement as part of their application to demonstrate their motivation to teach, their strong interpersonal and communication skills, willingness to learn, resilience, self-efficacy, and strong organisational and planning skills. This involves a short statement in response to three set questions used to demonstrate suitability for study and work in the teaching profession.

Applicants who select this course as a preference during the application process will be directed to a page to meet this requirement.

Visit the Teaching Capabilities Statement page for further information

Inherent requirements

The Australian Government has introduced the Literacy and Numeracy Test for all initial teacher education (ITE) students to ensure they have the high level of personal literacy and numeracy skills required of teachers.

The test is a national instrument designed to assess elements of an individual's literacy and numeracy skills and will be used to demonstrate that ITE graduates are in the top 30 per cent of the population for literacy and numeracy.

All students graduating from any ITE course in South Australia must have achieved the standard for both the literacy and numeracy components of the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) to graduate.

For further information, including registration details, please check the test administrator’s website at https://teacheredtest.acer.edu.au/

There are also important inherent requirements for this course and applicants are strongly advised to become aware of these requirements.

View inherent requirements

How to apply

Select your preferred course.

Check entry requirements.

Check individual course entries on SATAC for information on important dates.

Apply online at SATAC.

Apply directly via SATAC

2CM088

Flinders students can apply to transfer to this course internally. Visit: www.flinders.edu.au/internaltransfer for more information.

Entry requirements

Masters

Applicants must hold a bachelor degree or equivalent from an approved tertiary institution.

Additional entry requirements

Applicants must complete a non-academic assessment task known as a Teaching Capabilities Statement as part of their application to demonstrate their motivation to teach, their strong interpersonal and communication skills, willingness to learn, resilience, self-efficacy, and strong organisational and planning skills. This involves a short statement in response to three set questions used to demonstrate suitability for study and work in the teaching profession.

Applicants who select this course as a preference during the application process will be directed to a page to meet this requirement.

Visit the Teaching Capabilities Statement page for further information

Inherent requirements

The Australian Government has introduced the Literacy and Numeracy Test for all initial teacher education (ITE) students to ensure they have the high level of personal literacy and numeracy skills required of teachers.

The test is a national instrument designed to assess elements of an individual's literacy and numeracy skills and will be used to demonstrate that ITE graduates are in the top 30 per cent of the population for literacy and numeracy.

All students graduating from any ITE course in South Australia must have achieved the standard for both the literacy and numeracy components of the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) to graduate.

For further information, including registration details, please check the test administrator’s website at https://teacheredtest.acer.edu.au/

There are also important inherent requirements for this course and applicants are strongly advised to become aware of these requirements.

View inherent requirements