The early years of any child's life are crucial to their later education and life experience. To be entrusted with teaching and caring for young children is an enormous responsibility but also a great privilege. Early childhood teaching is a truly rewarding professional career where you can really make a difference.

The Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary) (Honours) program at the University of Newcastle aims to develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary for a highly successful career in teaching. Graduates of this program will be able to seek employment as Preschool and Early Childhood teachers, and K-6 (Primary) teachers in and beyond the New South Wales Government, Catholic, and Independent school sectors. The program aims to develop graduates who are inspirational teachers with the capability to act professionally, knowledgeably and effectively in their educational destinations; insightful scholars with the capability to engage in rational enquiry into curriculum, policy and practice; and innovative leaders with the capability to play a constructive role in public discourse on and beyond education.

The Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary) (Honours) program places a special emphasis on preparing graduates who can critically evaluate education research, and have the capacity to design, implement and evaluate their own educational research project. For Honours graduates this degree is a pathway into higher degree research programs, such as the Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy. The Honours degree provides specific opportunities for graduates to pursue careers in educational research, education publication writing or editing, education policy analysis, as well as the typical professions for Education graduates including an Early Childhood Teacher, Early Childhood Centre Director, K-6 (Primary) school teacher, community educator, education consultant, curriculum developer, educational materials developer, curriculum evaluator, and educational administrator.

Total units required

330 units

Program duration

4 years full-time or part-time equivalent up to 10 years maximum.

International students studying this program on campus are required to enrol full time to comply with their student visa requirements and complete their study in the standard minimum program duration. International students requiring enrolment advice should review the program plan corresponding to the semester and year of commencement and can contact their Program Advisor at ProgramAdvice@newcastle.edu.au

On successful completion of the program students will have:

• Coherent and advanced knowledge of the underlying principles and concepts in one or more disciplines and knowledge of research principles and methods
• Cognitive skills to review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge to identify and provide solutions to complex problems with intellectual independence
• Cognitive and technical skills to demonstrate a broad understanding of a body of knowledge and theoretical concepts with advanced understanding in some areas
• Cognitive skills to exercise critical thinking and judgement in developing new understanding
• Technical skills to design and use research in a project
• Communication skills to present a clear and coherent exposition of knowledge and ideas to a variety of audiences
• Demonstrated the application of knowledge and skills with initiative and judgement in professional practice and/or scholarship
• Demonstrated the application of knowledge and skills to adapt knowledge and skills in diverse contexts
• Demonstrated the application of knowledge and skills with responsibility and accountability for own learning and practice and in collaboration with others within broad parameters
• Demonstrated the application of knowledge and skills to plan and execute project work and/or a piece of research and scholarship with some independence
• Become inspirational teachers who act professionally, ethically, and effectively
• Become insightful scholars who engage in rational enquiry into the theory and practice of education
• Become innovative leaders who play a constructive role in public discourse on education

Admission to our undergraduate degree programs usually requires successful completion of a senior secondary school qualification similar to the Higher School Certificate (HSC).

TOEFL paper-based test score of 610; TOEFL internet-based score of 102; IELTS (Academic) score of 7.5; PTE GSE score of 73; Cambridge English: Advanced score of 74.