CM43 - Master of Teaching (Early Childhood)

Overview

Course Overview

The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) is an initial teacher education course that will prepare you to demonstrate the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Career Stage) with evidence and qualify you for professional registration with the Queensland College of Teachers, the administering body in Queensland. 

The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) will enable you to teach across the Australian Curriculum in the Preparatory Year to Year 2 in Australian primary schools and in early childhood settings (long day care settings & kindergartens/pre-prep). Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) is an approved course with the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) for employment purposes as an early childhood teacher in childcare/early learning centres and kindergartens.

In addition to building the professional knowledge and skills required to teach, the course is designed to foster dispositions for engaging in and contributing to the teaching profession through a commitment to ongoing professional learning.

The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) includes a specialisation in English providing you with knowledge and skills in this specialisation area.

The course is structured to include work-integrated learning in each term of study.

The design of this course utilises CQUniversity’s three term structure, enabling a 2 year volume of learning Master course to be completed in 1.5 years. A part-time pathway is also available and is to be completed as a minimum of two units per term as per the part-time course structure provided.

To be eligible for teacher registration, students in this course are required to undertake and pass the National Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Educators (LANTITE) prior to graduation.

Career Information

The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) is an initial postgraduate pre-service teacher education course for those who aim to pursue a career as a primary school teacher. Graduates are qualified to teach from Prep to Year 2. In addition, graduates are qualified to work in long day care settings and kindergartens with children from birth to school age.

Graduates of the course can apply for registration with the Queensland College of Teachers and are qualified to teach in State, Catholic and Independent schools throughout Australia.

The course is also recognised as a teaching qualification for employment in educational settings internationally, however additional requirements may apply in some locations.

Graduates of this course have developed significant skills that enhance employment opportunities in other sectors. In combination with work experience and personal qualities, graduates may pursue employment in a variety of career paths including:

  • government departments (e.g. family services, education and health)
  • education administration
  • community development roles
  • workplace training developers

Course Details
Duration 1.5 years full-time or 2.5 years part-time
Credit Points that Must be Earned 96
Number of Units Required CQUniversity uses the concept of credits to express the amount of study required for a particular course and individual units. The number of units varies between courses. Units in postgraduate courses normally consist of 6 points of credit or multiples thereof (e.g. 12, 18, 24).
Expected Hours of Study One point of credit is equivalent to an expectation of approximately two hours of student work per week in a term.
Course Type Postgraduate Award
Qualification (post nominal) MTeach(EC)
AQF Level Level 9: Masters Degree (Coursework)
Course Fees
Indicative Year - 2025
  • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $4,624
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $24,696
Indicative Year - 2024
  • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $4,440
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $23,628
  • International Indicative First Term Fee - $14,280
  • International Indicative First Year Fee - $28,560
Indicative Year - 2023
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $22,284

Admission Codes

Domestic Students
Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes
International Students
CRICOS Codes 		Not Applicable
Where and when can I start?
Units offered internally at the below campuses may be delivered using a combination of face-to-face and video conferencing style teaching.
Units offered via MIX mode are delivered online and require compulsory attendance of site-specific learning activities such as on-campus residential schools, placements and/or work integrated learning. See Course Features tab for further information. Online units are delivered using online resources only.
Please Click Here for more information.
The following tables list the courses availabilities by location and term. Directing your pointer over your preferred location will provide further information if this course is not available for the full duration. Please be sure to also check individual unit availability by location and term prior to enrolling.

Domestic Availability

Term 2 - 2026

Online

Term 1 - 2026

Online

Term 2 - 2025

Online

Term 1 - 2025

Online

Term 2 - 2024

Online

Term 1 - 2024

Online

Term 2 - 2023

Online

Term 1 - 2023

Online

Term 2 - 2022

Online

Term 1 - 2022

Online
Show All

International Availability

Term 2 - 2026

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2026

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 2 - 2025

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2025

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 2 - 2024

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2024

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 2 - 2023

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2023

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 2 - 2022

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2022

Sorry, no international availabilities found.
Show All
For any problems regarding admissions availability for the selected course please contact 13 CQUni (13 27 86) or send us an email at http://contactus.cqu.edu.au/
Entry Requirements - What do I need to start?
Academic Requirements

There are three key components to gain successful entry to the Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) as outlined below:

Academic Requirements (Pre-requisite Qualification)

To be eligible for entry into this course, applicants must hold:

  • A completed 3 year non-education Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Bachelor degree, or overseas equivalent qualification, with a minimum overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 4.0 which has been completed within the last 10 years* ; and
  • Successful completion of at least 8 units (1 year full-time equivalent study) relevant to either one, or a combination, of the learning areas from the primary school curriculum (below):

-English

-Mathematics

-Science

-History

-Geography

-The Arts

-Civics and Citizenship

-Economics and Business

-Health and Physical Education

-Technologies

*Degrees must have been completed/conferred within the last 10 years from the date of term commencement for the relevant intake term. Applicants who completed their Bachelor degree ten or more years ago will need to supply a letter of employment which demonstrates professional experience in the same area as their undergraduate degree. Letters of employment must be presented on a company letterhead as well as signed and dated by a delegated authority. The letter must contain position title, duties performed and length of service.

Non-Academic Requirements (Key Capabilities)

All applicants must provide a mandatory written statement in support of your non-academic capabilities, demonstrating how you hold the key attributes and motivations to become an effective teacher, as outlined by AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership). You may consider the prompts mentioned below in each question to frame your response. For your application to be considered, you must write 200-500 words for each of the questions below:

  • Tell us what has inspired you to become a teacher and tell us why you think teaching is a good career choice for you. (In your response, describe who and what has inspired you to become a teacher and describe the types of skills and abilities you will bring to teaching.)
  • Describe one or two leadership, community and/or learning and development activities that you have engaged in. (In your response, describe how these leadership, community and/or learning and development activities demonstrate your conscientiousness and coping strategies when you are faced with challenges.)
  • Describe how you manage your time when you are both planning and coordinating activities in your personal schedule. (In your response, provide examples of how you have put both your planning and coordinating skills to use.)
  • Tell us about one or two times where you have utilised your problem-solving skills to achieve an outcome. (In your response, explain what you learned, regardless of whether the outcome you achieved was positive or undesirable.)

English Language Proficiency

Applicants are required to provide evidence of their completed 3 year non-education Bachelor level qualification with an overall Grade Point Average of at least 4.0, which has been completed within Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland or United States of America.

If you do not satisfy the above requirement, you will need to undertake an English language proficiency test and achieve the following scores:

  • An International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) overall band score of at least 7.5 with a minimum 7.0 for Reading and Writing and 8.0 for Speaking and Listening.

Each student will be assessed individually.

Assumed Knowledge

N/A

Fees and Charges
Course Features

Awards and Accreditation

Interim Awards Not applicable
Exit Awards CC34 - Graduate Diploma of Teaching
Accreditation
  • Not applicable

Residential School Requirements

No Residential School for this course.

Practicum/Work Placement

EDFE20034 - Supervised placement in a kindergarten context as per EDFE20034 Unit Profile
EDFE20035 - Supervised placement in a kindergarten context as per EDFE20035 Unit Profile
EDFE20036 - Supervised placement in a school context as per EDFE20036 Unit Profile
EDFE20037 - Supervised placement in a school context as per EDFE20037 Unit Profile

Previous and Current Enrolments

Year Number of Students
2024 20
2023 13
2022 9
Inherent Requirements
There are currently no inherent requirements associated with this course.
Compulsory Requirements
Health Requirements

To be eligible to complete placements in early childhood settings, pre-service teachers may be required to show proof of immunisation against measles, mumps and rubella and influenza. In addition, some states and territories are requiring vaccination against COVID-19 for all school staff. Please be aware that these regulations would apply to preservice teachers. Regulations may be introduced in your state prior to, or at the time of, your scheduled placement/s and you must adhere to these requirements.

COVID-19 Vaccination Advice

Effective 25 September 2023, updates have been made to the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for Queensland Health sites and the Queensland Ambulance Service. While Queensland Health does not currently mandate evidence of COVID-19 vaccination, it's essential to recognise that other organisations may enforce their own vaccination specific criteria. This situation is similar across other states and territories, with the exception of Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, where COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory for all healthcare students.    

Security Requirements

This course requires you to possess a Working with Children Check (WWCC) to enable you to participate in work integrated learning in schools and other learning sites.

Core Learning Outcomes
  • 1. Synthesise knowledge and understanding of theoretical perspectives, research findings and curriculum frameworks to design, implement and evaluate learning experiences for individuals and groups that employ developmentally appropriate, evidence-based teaching strategies and resources
  • 2. Align curriculum decision-making with organisational and legislative responsibilities, assessment and reporting requirements and the characteristics of children that impact on participation, engagement and learning in early childhood educational settings
  • 3. Document and interpret evidence of children’s learning and assessment data for the purposes of differentiated teaching practice, planning modifications, provision of feedback and reporting processes that involve parents and carers in the educative process for young children
  • 4. Initiate and maintain inclusive and supportive learning environments that are responsive to the wellbeing, safety and learning of children and families from diverse cultural, socioeconomic and linguistic backgrounds
  • 5. Analyse theory, policy and legislation to embed quality assurance and accountability practices, enhance professional learning and model high-quality pedagogical practice that supports the participation and engagement of all children in early childhood settings
  • 6. Communicate and engage professionally and ethically with learners, colleagues, parents/carers and the community to build partnerships that foster positive dispositions, effective transitions and continuity of learning for children from birth to the early years of formal schooling
  • 7. Engage in action research, scholarship, critical reflection and self-assessment practices to enhance personal professional learning and foster the creation and maintenance of a collegial professional learning community committed to the delivery of high-quality education and care in early childhood settings.
  Course Learning Outcomes
Australian Qualifications Framework Descriptors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1. KNOWLEDGE Have a body of knowledge that includes the understanding of recent developments in a discipline and/or area of professional practice
2. KNOWLEDGE Have an understanding of research principles and methods applicable to a field of work and/or learning
3. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge and to reflect critically on theory and professional practice or scholarship
4. SKILLS Have cognitive, technical and creative skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories and to apply established theories to different bodies of knowledge or practice
5. SKILLS Have cognitive, technical and creative skills to generate and evaluate complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level
6. SKILLS Have communication and technical research skills to justify and interpret theoretical propositions, methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions to specialist and non-specialist audiences
7. SKILLS Have technical and communication skills to design, evaluate, implement, analyse and theorise about developments that contribute to professional practice or scholarship
8. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to use creativity and initiative to new situations in professional practice and/or for further learning
9. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to use high level personal autonomy and accountability
10 APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to plan and execute a substantial research-based project, capstone experience and/or piece of scholarship.
APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Communicate, interact and collaborate with others effectively in culturally or linguistically diverse contexts in a culturally respectful manner
More Details

Location

This course can only be studied from within Australia. 

Term 2 Mid-Year Entry Course Structure and Duration

Please note that if you are commencing your studies in Term 2 (July), the units that you are required to complete will be scheduled over two years of full-time study (or part-time equivalent). 

Course Planners

Please see Course Planners for planners that outline a recommended enrolment pattern for timely completion. 


Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE)

Students undertaking an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course must complete both components of the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) with a result of “Standard Achieved” to be eligible for graduation. As per the national guidelines, you must attempt both the Literacy and Numeracy tests in your first year of study.You will need to have met this requirement of "Standard Achieved" to be eligible to register for the two linked final year placements of Professional Praxis 3 and Professional Praxis 4. Registration for these placements occurs in August of the year prior to their scheduled completion. You will not be able to enrol in EDFE20037 Professional Praxis 4 or complete a placement for this unit if you have not submitted a registration form confirming successful completion of LANTITE.


Placement Units

The four Professional Praxis (placement) units must be completed in sequence and must be completed as per the approved Professional Praxis calendar. Each Praxis unit has a pre-requisite which must be adhered to. To be eligible to enrol in EDFE20037 Professional Praxis 4, students must have successfully completed all other units in the course with the exception of a co-requisite unit scheduled for the capstone term. All assessment for a co-requisite unit must be submitted and successfully passed prior to commencement of the Professional Praxis 4 placement.

Working with Children Check

Pre-service teachers must be enrolled in a CQUniversity Professional Practice unit and be in possession of a current Positive Notice Blue Card (or equivalent "Working with Children" check issued in other Australian states or territories) to be eligible for placement in a school/early learning centre/educational site. Please log onto the placement system Sonia to access the online form to apply for a Working with Children Check. 

Credit for Prior Learning

Credit transfer will not be granted towards curriculum and pedagogy units within the Master of Teaching courses on the basis of work experience and/or informal and non-formal learning.

Credit transfer will only be granted from formal learning where a student is able to demonstrate that tertiary studies, equivalent in content and depth to the CQU unit, have been successfully completed as part of an accredited Initial Teacher Education Course.

It is an expectation that all pre-service teachers must be able to demonstrate the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at Graduate Career Stage to gain teacher registration. Demonstration of the standards necessarily includes relevant knowledge planning, teaching, assessing and reporting in accordance with the mandated curriculum.

Core curriculum and pedagogy units are an essential component of the course to ensure that students have all the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Career Stage).

In addition, graduation from an Initial Teacher Education Course and eligibility for teacher registration requires the completion of a minimum number of assessable placement days in schools or other approved learning sites. For this reason, credit will not be granted for any professional experience other than days completed as part of a formal, supervised assessable placement within an Initial Teacher Education Course.

Credit is normally granted only for units satisfactorily completed in the last 5 years for practical placement units and in the last 7 years for curriculum units at a recognised educational institution.

Refer to the Credit For Prior Learning website at http://www.cqu.edu.au/credittransfer for further details on the guidelines and application process or contact the Academic Pathways Team at credit@cqu.edu.au.

Career Opportunities

Like other professions, the teaching profession is impacted by issues of supply and demand. It is therefore wise to investigate your employment prospects prior to deciding on a course specialisation. This is especially important if you are unable to relocate.