Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education)

Qualify to teach students in Prep to Year Three with this flexible course. Study online or on campus, and make a difference in the lives of young children during their early years of schooling.

Our Bachelor of Education is an approved teacher education program with the Queensland College of Teachers. As a JCU Education graduate, you will have the skills and qualifications to seek employment across Australia and beyond.

Right for our region

You will develop specialist skills needed for teaching in rural and remote areas, and you will be at the forefront of education for sustainability. Our program also focuses on ensuring you have the skills to help improve Indigenous education outcomes.

Early Childhood Education

Early childhood is a highly specialised field that focuses on the education of children from birth to age 8 with a special focus on Kindy, Prep and Years 1-3.

Flexible study options

The early childhood major allows you to complete your degree via external study (online) or through a mix of studying online and on campus. Some subjects are only available externally in this course.

Mid-year entry is also available.

Credit for your prior study

If you already hold a Certificate III or Diploma in Children's Services, you can receive credit for these qualifications and shorten the time it takes to complete your teaching degree. Read our Advanced Standing and Learning Pathways booklet to find out if this applies to you.

Placements in and across our region

Gaining professional experience in schools is an integral part of the Early Childhood Education program at JCU and commences in the first year of study.

This involves practical work in State, Catholic and Independent schools and a variety of other educational sites in rural and remote locations, as well as wider community settings. In the early childhood program, you will also have a dedicated early years placement.

You will need to have a Blue Card (a working with children check issued by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian) before starting professional placements in a school. Professional workshops are held throughout the degree, including a compulsory five-day intensive Professional Orientation Program on campus.

There are also exciting opportunities for international experiences, and an Internship option in final year. See our Service Learning site for more details.

A world of career opportunities

Early childhood teachers work in schools, preschools and childcare centres. Teaching is a portable qualification and teachers are in demand throughout Australia and overseas.

Many JCU graduates have taken the opportunity to travel and teach in Europe, Asia and North America.

Innovative Learning Spaces – Now Open

The next generation of teachers now have a new space to prepare themselves for the classrooms of the future with the opening of the Education Central building on James Cook University’s Townsville campus.

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The new facilities allow School of Education staff and students to explore, research and demonstrate the nexus between technology, space and the next generation transformative pedagogies.

Download course flyer

Download poster for your childcare centre