Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary)

Early childhood educators provide young children with a strong foundation for learning and help them develop their social and emotional skills. Primary educators build on these capabilities, helping children develop their literacy and numeracy skills; as well as their physical, arts, social and emotional competencies.

The Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary) is part of an innovative suite of education degrees that are only available at Macquarie. Unique to teacher education in Australia, the degrees provide up to 12 months of fully paid conditional employment in a school during your fourth year. In your first year, you’ll study a set of core units that span the suite of degrees. In these units, you’ll explore inclusive practices; technology in the classroom; cultural and linguistic diversity; sustainability teaching; the integration of Indigenous knowledge in the classroom; and how children learn. In your second and third years, you’ll study units focused on early childhood education and primary teaching, and you’ll undertake your first professional experience placements. The streamlined nature of the degree, in conjunction with the extensive practical placements, means you’ll graduate wholly equipped with the knowledge and skills to manage modern early childhood education and primary school settings.

Areas of study

Arts in education, Australian education in social and historical contexts, critical thinking, English language and literacies, play based approaches for learning, health and physical education, humanities and the world, inclusive education, Indigenous education, learning, principles and design of mathematics, science and technology education, teaching practice.

Career opportunities

Director in prior-to-school setting, early childhood education adviser, long day care centre teacher, preschool teacher, researcher, teacher in prior-to-school settings and/or primary schools, education adviser, education officer, education policy adviser, education researcher.

Professional recognition

This degree is accredited by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). Accreditation requires that all students completing an initial teaching degree must demonstrate suitability for teaching.

This degree is under review by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) for accreditation.

Practical experience

Opportunities for observation in year 1, professional experience placements in years 2 and 3, and work integrated learning in year 4 that will allow students to take fully paid employment as a conditionally accredited teacher.

Fees and charges

Visit the Macquarie University website for current fee information.