Make a positive and life-long difference to children and their futures.
The early years of children’s lives are incredibly important. Your contribution to early childhood education and care set up a child’s learning for life. Our program is designed to qualify you for early childhood teaching (birth to eight) and enables you to lead and work across a wide range of settings including childcare, kindergarten and primary school, with a focus on Prep to Year 3.
- Only a full-time option is available to international students on a Student visa. Online programs are not available to Student visa holders.
- * Estimated tuition fees are based on 2025 rates. Refer to international fees for more information.
- Not all majors/minors and elective options are available at every campus. You should refer to the What Can I Study tab, and the proposed study sequence for your chosen campus and intake for further information.
- † Semester 2 intake not available at Gympie.
- † Semester 2 intake not available at Gympie.
The early years of children’s lives are incredibly important. Your contribution to early childhood education and care set up a child’s learning for life. Our program is designed to qualify you for early childhood teaching (birth to eight) and enables you to lead and work across a wide range of settings including childcare, kindergarten and primary school, with a focus on Prep to Year 3.
You’ll learn about the importance of wellbeing, play and environments in early learning. Benefit from supervised professional experiences in a range of early childhood settings that link theory and practice. You’ll also gain valuable and rewarding wider field experience where you engage with community projects and work with children, families and communities.
Our program has been developed in partnership with leading educational bodies, and as you graduate you’ll be eligible to register with the Queensland College of Teachers.
Post-admission requirements
Students must complete 95 days of Supervised Professional Experience, 20 days of an internship and 5 days (25 hours) of Wider Field Experience. Students must undergo a Working with Children Check and obtain a Blue Card from the Public Safety Business Agency (PBSA) prior to commencing supervised professional experience.
Career opportunities
Early Childhood teacher, primary school teacher, Manager of Early Childhood centre, private practice tutor, education consultant, community education centre leader, College/University lecturer, zoo education officer, education exhibition organiser, Education Policy Analyst, children’s television presenter, youth support worker, teacher of English overseas, children’s advocate leader.
Membership
Early Childhood Australia.
Registration
Queensland College of Teachers.
Program structure
For students commencing 2016. All other students please refer to previous handbooks.
Introductory required courses
9 required courses:
COR109 Animation Principles, Process and Production
EDU101 Animation and Visualisation
EDU103 Creative Branding and Design
EDU104 Design Capstone
EDU107 Design Methods
EDU109 Visual Identity
EDU110 Visual Communication and Culture
EDU112 Creative Branding and Design
EDU113 Introduction to Indigenous Australia
Advanced required courses
23 required courses:
EDU206 Indigenous Wellbeing Practice
EDU208 Health Promotion Assessment and Planning
EDU209 Environmental Health Risk Management
EDU211 Health Promotion Principles
EDU215 International Community Development and Global Justice
EDU235 Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
EDU308 Globalisation, Development and Indigenous Peoples
EDU309 Health Research Design
EDU318 Public Health Practicum
EDU319 Health Promotion Implementation and Evaluation
EDU331 Indigenous Wellbeing Foundations
EDU332 Indigenous Wellbeing Practice
EDU333 Health Promotion Principles
EDU336 Globalisation, Development and Indigenous Peoples
EDU340 Performance Skills Laboratory 1
EDU343 Dramatic Languages
EDU344 Performance Skills Laboratory 2
EDU400 Applied Performance
EDU408 Devising Performance: Community Engagement
EDU409 Trends in Twentieth Century Theatre
EDU410 Introduction to Writing for Drama and the Screen
EDU415 Directing Performance: Contemporary Perspectives
SCS203 Physical Theatre
Note: Not all USC courses are available on every USC campus.
Requirements for placements
As required by the Queensland Family and Child Commission Act (2014), preservice teachers must undergo a Working with Children Check and be issued with a Blue Card by the Public Safety Business Agency to allow them to undertake supervised professional experience in a school or centre where children under 18 years of age are present. It is now a requirement of all Queensland sites and most Australian sites that preservice teachers have obtained the Blue Card prior commencing supervised professional experience.
To avoid processing delays, you are encouraged to apply for a Blue Card as soon as you have accepted your offer. Blue Cards are free-of-charge for Education students when you apply through USC’s Education Admin office (Level 2, C Building, Room 06).
Note: If you do not possess a current Blue Card, you will be unable to complete the professional experience component of your program and you will be unable to meet graduation requirements.
Visit the Public Safety Business Agency website for information on Blue Cards and how to apply.
Total units: 384
Recommended study sequences
Program requirements and notes
Program requirements
In order to graduate you must:
- Complete 32 courses.
- Complete no more than 10 introductory level courses, including core courses.
- Complete a minimum of 80 days of Supervised Professional Experience, plus 15 days in a childcare setting and 20 days of an internship, with the majority completed as full-time blocks.
- Complete 5 days (25 hours) of Wider Field Experience.
- A Blue Card is required, refer to Requirements for placements.
Program notes
- Completing this program within the specified (full-time) duration is based on studying 48 unit points per semester (normally 4 courses).
- Electives may be used to increase curriculum knowledge in Key Learning Areas.
- Courses within this program are assessed using a variety of assessment methods including essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations. Not all courses will necessarily include all methods.
- The Study Overseas Program is not currently available to Early Childhood students.
- Only a full-time study option is available to international students on a Student Visa.
- When enrolling, refer to the Study Plan.