Fast facts
Course facts at a glance.
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth - 8)
Study Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth – 8)
Educate, inspire and support young minds in the fundamental early years of life and learning.
The Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth – 8) seeks to equip graduates with the skills to implement considered and purposeful experiences that cultivate young children’s play, learning and development in the twenty-first century. In viewing our graduate teachers and young children as strong, powerful, and rich in potential, the program delivers a sound understanding of the importance of play, early learning curriculum and pedagogies, social and emotional development and a contemporary understanding of documentation and leadership.
As an Initial Teacher Education degree, successful completion of the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education enables you to apply for registration with the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
35 Enabling Educator Excellence (E3) Scholarships, valued at $5000, will be available for students commencing in 2025. Find out more.
Apply via SATAC
Why study Early Childhood Education (Birth -8) at Flinders
- Gain the skills employers are seeking with our nationally and internationally recognised transformative curriculum, based on contemporary research understandings of how to prepare effective teachers.
- Qualify job-ready to work with children aged birth-8 in birth-5 settings, preschools and the early years of school.
- Get a feel for the early childhood settings that you’re most passionate about, with a minimum of three professional placements across long-day care, preschool, kindergarten and school.
- Personalise your degree by choosing a specialist curriculum area and multiple elective options.
Your career
Education is a fast-growing sector, with a wide variety of job opportunities and long-term career prospects. Job growth of 17.2% is projected for Early Childhood Teachers over the next five years*
Although the majority of education graduates go on to employment as educators in the public or private sector, some choose to follow other pathways.
*Source: Labour Market Information Portal, Department of Jobs and Small Business. 2020 employment projections for the five years to November 2025.
Potential occupations include:
- early childhood teacher
- education support officer
- long day-care educator
- in-home nanny
- out of school hours care (OSHC) educator/director.
Potential employers include:
- government, Catholic or independent schools
- private industry and government settings
- childcare or early learning centres
- kindergartens or preschools
- OSHC.
Professional accreditation/recognition
Upon successful completion you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia.
Graduates looking for employment in other parts of Australia and overseas may be required to meet additional conditions. Graduates can be assured that they will meet the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority employment requirements.
"
The experience I had at Flinders definitely set me up for success in my current career as an early childhood teacher. Just as children can learn so much from Mother Nature, so do we as adults. Flinders’ beautiful natural environments provided me with lots of inspiration, motivation and space to think, learn and reflect. I was provided with endless resources and opportunities to learn and experience, and during placements was very well supported, with course coordinators that listened and helped me every step of the way.
Catherine Li
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education/Bachelor of Arts
What you will study
First year A typical first year may include: |
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Second year A typical second year may include: |
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Third year A typical third year may include: |
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Fourth year A typical fourth year may include: |
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Practical experience
The degree provides you with practical experience that prepares you for the workforce.
- Undertake extensive professional experience placements (minimum 80 days) in a variety of early childhood settings.
- Develop vital practical skills such as relationship building, educational planning, technology use and community innovation.
- Learn to engage in transformational, innovative and creative teaching practices.
- Develop considered, relational skills for working with children, their families, community members and professional colleagues.
What you'll need
A Working with Children Check, and Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect – Education and Care Certificate must be completed before undertaking a placement in your first semester.
ATAR and Student Profile Information
The table below shows ATAR and Selection Rank data for students offered a place wholly or partly on the basis of ATAR commencing in Semester 1, 2024. It is limited to applicants that have recently completed secondary education (within the last two years). Data may reflect multiple courses available within a suite of courses.
Notes:
<5 – less than 5 ATAR based offers made
N/A – This course uses additional selection criteria and therefore Selection Rank is not published
| ATAR-based offers only across all offer rounds | ATAR - Excluding adjustment factors | Selection Rank - ATAR plus any adjustment factors |
|---|---|---|
| Highest rank to receive an offer | 97.85 | 99.35 |
| Median rank to receive an offer | 77.13 | 81.65 |
| Lowest rank to receive an offer | 60.95 | 70.05 |
The table below gives an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students in this course. It provides data on students who commenced study in this course in Semester 1, 2024 including those admitted through all offer rounds and international students studying in Australia. Applicant background groupings are based on educational background, not basis of admission. Data may reflect multiple courses available within a suite of courses.
Notes:
<5 – the number of students is less than 5
N/P – Not published: the number is hidden to prevent calculation of numbers in cells with less than 5 students
| Applicant background (Semester 1, 2024) | Number of students | Percentage of all students |
|---|---|---|
| Higher education study (includes a bridging or enabling course) | 75 | 24% |
| Vocational education and training (VET) study | 13 | 4% |
| Work and life experience | 15 | 5% |
| Recent secondary education - Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR (regardless of whether this includes the consideration of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points) | 134 | 43% |
| Recent secondary education - Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered (e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test) | 24 | 8% |
| Recent secondary education - Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor (e.g. special consideration pathways) | 30 | 10% |
| International Students | 18 | 6% |
| All students | 309 | 100% |
Add Innovation and Enterprise
to your degree
At Flinders University, we recognise that careers are evolving and the workplace of the future will look very different from today.
Whatever undergraduate course you are studying at Flinders, you can add innovation and enterprise electives to your degree to gain new, adaptable and transferrable skills that will equip you for the careers of tomorrow.
How to apply
Choose your preferred course.
Check the entry requirements and admission pathways available to you.
Choose other courses to include in your preferences.
Visit SATAC and submit your application online.
Apply via SATAC
Flinders students can apply to transfer to this course internally. Visit: www.flinders.edu.au/internaltransfer for more information.
Applicants can apply for this course using Year 12 qualifications, previous higher education study, TAFE/VET qualifications, or through adult entry (STAT/Foundation Studies/tertiary preparation course).
Find the entry path that’s right for you.
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
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.
When choosing your preferences through SATAC, another Flinders degree you might want to include in your list is the Bachelor of Arts.
How to apply
Select your course.
Check entry requirements.
Check your eligibility for credit.
Obtain certified documents.
Submit your application and documents.
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
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.
If you don’t meet our English language entry requirements and need to improve your English language proficiency, you can do so through Flinders University Academy – or our approved English Language Instruction Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) providers.
This means that you can attend the required English language tuition at approved ELICOS providers and gain direct entry into university without an IELTS or TOEFL test.
If you don’t meet our academic entry requirements, you can still gain entry to Flinders University through Flinders University Academy. With a range of diplomas, foundation and English language courses, students can find a direct pathway into the destination degree of their choice.
Course enquiries
Want more information about studying at Flinders University? Contact us to find out more – we’d love to help you decide if Flinders University is the right choice for you.
Course enquiries
For all course enquiries phone or email us or complete the course enquiry form.
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South Australia 5042
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Last Updated: 15 Oct 2024