Master of Teaching (Early Childhood)
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2026 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) |
| Deakin course code | E761 |
| Course Credit Points | 16 |
| Course version | 3 |
| Faculty | |
| Course Information | For students who commenced from 2024 onwards |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Online |
| Duration | 2 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | The course map for students commencing from Trimester 1 2026 will be available soon.
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 | 114296J Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9 |
| Supplementary Information | Become an Early Childhood Teacher. This course is approved by ACECQA as an early childhood teaching qualification in Australia and graduates are eligible to register with the VIT. *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. Graduates are eligible to register with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) as an early childhood teacher. Other states and territories may also require early childhood teachers to hold teacher registration or accreditation. Prospective students are strongly advised to check with teacher registration and accreditation authorities as to the requirement and eligibility to register and work as early childhood teachers in other states, territories or internationally with a Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) birth to five qualification. |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Alternative exits
- Research information
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Specialisations
- Course structure
- Details of specialisations
- 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 a Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) and discover how to help young children learn important concepts like empathy and self-confidence through play. Graduate with the unique ability to shape the next generation as a nationally accredited early childhood teacher.
Ranked #3 in Australia and #13 worldwide for education and educational research*, Deakin is also the only university to embed the Berry Street Education Model into all of our initial teaching degrees. You’ll graduate equipped with practical, trauma-informed strategies to support every learner. You’ll know how to manage safe, healthier and more engaging learning environments and build positive relationships to promote academic success – giving you and your employer confidence.
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 fast-tracked course will equip you with the knowledge to work across diverse early childhood settings. Our nationally recognised academics will guide you towards teaching expertise in areas such as:
- Developing numeracy and literacy in young learners
- Creating safe and inclusive learning environments
- Social justice, diversity and equity
- Trauma responsive practice
- Arts and STEM creativity in a child’s life
- Play-based learning across all areas of the curriculum
At Deakin, we’re focused on developing educational leaders for the future. That’s why we offer our Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) students the chance to develop in-depth knowledge through unique specialisation training pathways.
You may choose to specialise in early childhood inquiry stream, trauma responsive practice or Research pathways, the latter of which may be used as a pathway to further study in a PhD.
In addition, you will put your academic knowledge into practice with 60-days of professional experience placements. 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 Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) at Deakin. More information can be found at education.vic.gov.au
* U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Subject Rankings 2025-2026
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
The education and training industry is one of the largest growing employment industries in Australia, and is projected to grow by 12.4% by May 2034 – that’s 150,100 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.
For more information go to DeakinTALENT.
^2024 Jobs and Skills Australia, Employment Projections May 2024 to May 2034.
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.
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 will be required to hold a valid Working with Children (WWC) Check prior to undertaking professional placements as part of this course. Learn more about Working with Children Checks.
Interstate applicants must check the requirements and meet all conditions for undertaking professional experience in schools for their state or territory before undertaking professional experience placements as part of this course.
Inherent requirements
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.
Immunisations
Immunisation and/or vaccination requirements will be communicated by the Professional Experience Office in line with the Department of Education and Training's directions at the time of placement.
For further information contact the School of Education, Professional Experience Office.
Alternative exits
| Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education (E661) |
Research information
This is a graduate entry teaching course that introduces research-based practice throughout the core professional studies units (a total of six credit points), which includes demonstrating their application of knowledge and skills through their 70-days of professional practice in education-based contexts e.g. early childhood settings. As part of the series of core professional studies units, students are also required to complete a capstone assessment in the final year (2 credit point unit) to demonstrate their evidence-based professional practice informed by data analysis and scholarship of teaching and learning.
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Research, interpret, critically evaluate, and synthesise advanced knowledge, theory, principles and practices relevant to curriculum, ethical conduct, policy and regulations in early childhood education. Advanced ability to transfer specialised theoretical and practical knowledge into practice. |
| Communication | Critically evaluate and use highly skilled communication strategies (oral, written, digital and nonverbal) to professionally transfer specialised knowledge, complex ideas and advanced theoretical concepts with diverse individuals and groups (such as children, families, parents and caregivers, colleagues and other professionals, community organisations). |
| Digital literacy | Research, 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 | Apply advanced knowledge to research, critically analyse and reflect on complex and contemporary issues, policies and concepts in educational and societal contexts to generate and transmit independent evidence-informed 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 advanced evaluative and 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 | Apply culturally responsive, critically reflective and embodied self-knowledge of decolonial praxis in the design, delivery and evaluation of teaching and learning that honours and respects the educational expectations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and diverse learners, families and communities. |
Approved at Faculty Board 2025
Course rules
To complete the Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) you must pass 16 credit points. This includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- ETI010 Trauma Informed Practice (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first year of study
- 12 credit points of core units
- 4 credit points in one of the following specialisations:
- Early Childhood Inquiry
- Research
- International Baccalaureate Early Years (Primary Years Programme (PYP)*
- Internship*
- Trauma Responsive Practice.
* offered to continuing students only
This course includes 60-days of supervised professional experience, and students must successfully complete the Deakin Teaching Performance Assessment.
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.
Specialisations
Students complete the remaining four credit points from one of following specialisations:
- Early Childhood Inquiry
- International Baccalaureate Early Years (Primary Years Programme (PYP))*
- Internship*
- Research
- Trauma Responsive Practice
* offered to continuing students only
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 (zero (0) credit points) |
To be completed in the first year of study:
| ETI010 | Trauma Informed Practice (zero (0) credit points) |
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 |
| ECE731 | Diverse Environments and Pedagogies |
| ECE765 | Play Pedagogies Addressing Adversity and Trauma |
| EPR714 | Curriculum, Pedagogies and Practices for Infants and Toddlers |
| IND730 | Decolonising Teaching and Learning: Recognition, Relationships, and Reconciliation on Unceded Land |
Details of specialisations
Early Childhood Inquiry
Units
To complete a specialisation in Early Childhood Inquiry complete the four (4) units as specified below
| EDX701 | Research Design Development and Method |
| EIB702 | The Inquiring Child: the Role of Play in Children's Learning |
| EIB703 | Assessing and Documenting Learning in the Global Early Years Context |
| EDX707 | Independent Research Project for Professional Practice |
International Baccalaureate Early Years (Primary Years Programme (PYP)^
^ Offered to continuing students who commenced prior to 2025
Units
To complete a specialisation in International Baccalaureate Early Years (Primary Years Programme (PYP) complete the four (4) units as specified below
EIB701 Inquiry Learning Through the International Baccalaureate (PYP) [no longer available for enrolment]
| EIB702 | The Inquiring Child: the Role of Play in Children's Learning |
| EIB703 | Assessing and Documenting Learning in the Global Early Years Context |
EIB704 Planning for Inquiry Learning: Professional Practice and Portfolio [no longer available for enrolment]
Research*
* Enrolment in Trimester 3 in Year 1 is required for students who select the Research specialisation in order to complete units in the required sequence and complete the course within the full-time duration.
Units
To complete a specialisation in Research complete the four (4) units as specified below
| EDX701 | Research Design Development and Method |
| EDX712 | Theory and Methodology in Education Research |
| EDX703 | Research Paper A |
| EDX704 | Research Paper B |
Trauma Responsive Practice
Units
To complete a specialisation in Trauma Responsive Practice complete the four (4) units as specified below
| ETR701 | Refugee Trauma and Education |
| ETR702 | Trauma-Responsive and Humanitarian Practice Inquiry |
| ETR703 | Trauma and Learning |
| ETR704 | Trauma and Trauma-Responsive Practices |
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.
Commonwealth Prac Payment - Domestic students only
The Australian Government has introduced the Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) to help eligible domestic students enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place studying teaching, nursing, midwifery, and social work cover the costs associated with mandatory placements. For more information on the eligibility criteria and application process please visit our Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) 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.