Bachelor of Arts (Pathway to Teaching Birth to 5/Birth to 12)

This degree will put you on the path to Master of Teaching (Birth to 5 Years/Birth to 12 Years) and a rewarding career as an early childhood or primary school teacher. It will also give you the skills you need to explore your prospects beyond the classroom.

Initial enrolment will be into the Bachelor of Arts. As part of your study in your Bachelor of Arts degree, you will complete eight units of study (equivalent to 12 months) in an education studies major, four units in a primary teaching specialisation in either English or Mathematics and two units in an early childhood studies sub-major. After successful completion of the Arts degree, you will transition into Master of Teaching (Birth to 5 Years/Birth to 12 Years) after demonstrating suitability for teaching. You can graduate with a consecutive early childhood and primary teaching qualification Master of Teaching (Birth to 12 Years) or an early childhood teaching qualification Master of Teaching (Birth to 5 Years). Study for Bachelor of Arts is three years full-time or two and a half years for Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care graduates. Master of Teaching (Birth to 12 Years) takes two years full-time for graduates of Bachelor of Arts. Students may also elect to take an early exit with the Master of Teaching (Birth to 5 Years) after 1.5 years of study, or 1 year in accelerated mode.

The Bachelor of Arts, early childhood and education studies components of this program are offered at Bankstown, Parramatta and Penrith campuses, and a small selection is offered online. The Master of Teaching (Birth to 5 Years/Birth to 12 Years) component is only offered at Bankstown campus.

For all teaching programs: Western Sydney University reserves the right to vary teaching programs to enable students to meet any additional provisions in relation to teacher registration, which may be required by relevant external organisations.

Areas of study

For Bachelor of Arts: Anthropology, creative writing, culture and society, education studies, English, geography and urban studies, history and political thought, Indigenous Australian studies, international English, international relations and Asian studies, Islamic studies, languages (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese), linguistics, music performance, musicology, organisations and work, philosophy, psychological studies, sociology.

Career opportunities

For Arts: Examples include family liaison officer or project officer working with families and communities. For Teaching (Birth to 5 Years): Examples include teachers in childcare centres and preschools. For Teaching (Birth to 12 Years): Examples include teachers in primary schools.

Professional recognition

Master of Teaching (Birth to 5 years) (exit only) is a professional early childhood teaching qualification for students possessing a recognised and relevant bachelor degree. The program is approved by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). Graduates of this course will be registered teachers with the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) and meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the Graduate Teacher level.

The Master of Teaching (Birth to 5 years/ Birth to 12 years) is a professional teaching qualification for students possessing a recognised and relevant bachelor degree. It has been accredited by NESA as meeting all initial teacher education accreditation standards including the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the Graduate Teacher level. This course has also been approved by ACECQA.

Practical experience

Field day visits are offered in a range of early childhood and family settings throughout the Arts undergraduate course. Professional experience placements occur in long day care and preschool in Master of Teaching (Birth to 5 Years) and in early childhood settings and primary school settings in Master of Teaching (Birth to 12 Years).