Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2026 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education |
| Deakin course code | E661 |
| Course Credit Points | 8 |
| Course version | 1 |
| Faculty | |
| Course Information | For students who commenced from 2024 onwards |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Online |
| Duration | 1 year full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2026 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| CRICOS code | 114294M Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8 |
| Supplementary Information | Trimester 1, 2026 is the final intake for this course. Note: This course is accredited with the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and recognised as an early childhood teaching qualification in Australia. |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Pathways
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Other learning experiences
- Research and research-related study
- Fees and charges
Course overview
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, ensuring 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
Professional recognition
This program is approved by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) as an early childhood teaching qualification in Australia. Graduates of this course will be eligible to register with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT). Graduates who are intending to apply for registration interstate may be required to provide further information. Interstate applicants are advised to check the registration requirements in their state or territory carefully.
Career opportunities
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.
For more information go to DeakinTALENT.
Participation requirements
Professional Experience Placements are a compulsory component of the course and a requirement for registration as a graduate teacher. Placement can occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks. Learn about key dates at Deakin.
This course includes 60-days of supervised professional experience, and students must successfully complete the Deakin Teaching Performance Assessment.
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements may be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.
Mandatory student checks
Students are required to apply for a Working with Children Check. Apply online as a volunteer at Service Victoria.
It is expected that all students will be able to abide by, and ensure their behaviour is in accordance with the Deakin University initial teacher education inherent requirements.
Pathways
This course can be a pathway to:
Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) (E761)
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Critically analyse, consolidate, synthesise and apply knowledge, theory, principles and practices relevant to curriculum, ethical conduct, policy and regulations in early childhood education with advanced knowledge and evaluation of the theoretical underpinning. |
| Communication | Critically evaluate and use highly skilled communication strategies (oral, written, digital and nonverbal) to professionally transfer knowledge, complex ideas and theoretical concepts with diverse individuals and groups (such as children, families, parents and caregivers, colleagues and other professionals, community organisations). |
| Digital literacy | Critically evaluate and apply a range of technologies to collect, analyse, synthesise, evaluate, generate and transmit information for the purposes of advanced and ethically responsible teaching and learning practices in a rapidly changing global environment. |
| Critical thinking | Critically analyse, evaluate and reflect on contemporary issues, policies and research in educational and societal contexts to generate and transmit independent judgements that are ethical to complex situations relating to teaching and learning in early childhood education. |
| Problem solving | Apply analytical and practical skills to complex professional situations and ideas to make independent judgements related to teaching and learning. Generate and transmit creative, innovative and authentic solutions to real-life and complex problems encountered when working with diverse individuals and groups (such as children, families, parents and caregivers, colleagues and other professionals, community organisations). |
| Self-management | Use initiative and agency to apply evaluative and critically analytic knowledge and skills to demonstrate responsibility for own learning and professional practice (and in collaboration with others). |
| Teamwork | Actively and collaboratively participate in, and/or lead learning communities, involving learners, families, community members, colleagues and the broader profession to deepen knowledge and practice to optimise teaching for child learning and wellbeing. |
| Global citizenship | Adapt and apply advanced knowledge and skills that support inclusion of diversity in the professional context. This includes influences of Indigenous and intercultural issues, family contexts, gender and disability on development, learning and teaching. |
Approved by Faculty Board 2023
Course rules
To complete the Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education you must pass 8 credit points. This includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- 8 credit points of core units
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
This course includes 60-days of supervised professional experience.
Course structure
Core units
Compulsory 0-credit point units
To be completed in the first trimester of study:
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin |
Units
| ECE781 | Bioecological Perspectives of Child Development in the Early Years (Birth-Eight) |
| ECE722 | Positioning Early Childhood Education and Care: the History and Philosophy |
| ECE728 | Pedagogical Understandings of Teaching and Learning in the Early Childhood Contexts |
| ECE735 | Children's Ecological Positioning: Seeing Children in Family and Community Contexts |
| ECE703 | Integrative Curriculum Concepts in Play-Based Contexts: Language and Literacy |
| ECE736 | Integrative Curriculum Concepts in Play-Based Contexts: Creative Arts |
| ECE705 | Integrative Curriculum Concepts in Play-Based Contexts: Mathematics and Science |
| ECE733 | Teacher as Leader |
Placement information
All professional experience placements must be undertaken in an Australian school setting. Overseas placements are not permitted.
For further information contact the School of Education, Professional Experience office.
Course duration
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
Other learning experiences
Experiences in community and school or early childhood settings are embedded in some curriculum units beyond the professional experience placements. Students are also encouraged to volunteer in these settings. Wherever possible, academic staff work alongside education professionals and preservice teachers in these authentic learning experiences.
Research and research-related study
Independent research and practitioner research and training components are embedded across a number of units. Preservice teachers are expected to apply an integrated, critical and advanced understanding of complex bodies of knowledge and research skills in education in their practice.
Fees and charges
Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.
Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
Further information
Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.