Graduate Certificate of Early Childhood Education and Care

• Are you a primary or secondary teacher wanting to expand your qualifications into early childhood education? The Graduate Certificate of Early Childhood Education and Care provides you with essential qualifications to deliver crucial early childhood and Kindergarten learning.
• One of the most significant times of a person's life is during their first 5 years, where brain development is at it's peak and a supportive, nurturing environment is essential to build a foundation for future learning, health and life success. Expand your teaching qualifications to deliver learning that makes a life-long difference.
• This Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)-accredited degree is an ideal option for teachers who have the desire to take a role in the early childhood education space, for example, in rural areas where teachers are often limited and the need for staff to become multi-skilled is essential.
• Once graduated, you will have a broad range of qualifications giving you the ability to deliver essential learning in an early childhood education setting, or to become a manager or advisor of an educational centre for children aged from birth to 5 years of age.

This degree is an approved Early Childhood Teacher (ECT) qualification with the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).

• This degree suits teachers who want to broaden their career opportunities and be qualified for in-demand kindergarten career vacancies. This qualification also suits those wishing to pursue management or advisory positions within education settings to work with children from birth to 5 years of age.

To complete this degree students must complete 4 units. Most courses (similar to 'subjects') are valued at 1 unit.

Students can enrol in a maximum of 2 courses per semester due to the time constraints which are required to attend professional experience placements. This enrolment pattern is provided to accommodate students' needs, many of whom, in addition to study, are teaching on a full or part-time basis. Therefore, this qualification can only be studied part-time.

Refer to the UniSQ Handbook for courses to be studied and recommended enrolment patterns.

A student of the Graduate Certificate of Early Education and Care, you will embark on the following professional placements:

• 20 days with children aged 3-5 (Kindergarten)
• 10 days with children aged from birth - 35 months
• 30 days with children before they start formal schooling or another approved context.

Complete your online application directly to UniSQ.

The closing dates for applying directly to UniSQ are:

• Semester 1, 2023 - applications close on 20 February and the Semester 1 study period commences on Monday 20 February, 2023.
• Semester 2, 2023 - applications close on 10 July and the Semester 2 study period commences on Monday 10 July, 2023.
• Semester 3, 2023 - applications close on 13 November and Semester 3 study period commences on Monday 13 November, 2023.

Select to start your degree in one of the following intakes:

• Trimester 1, 2024 - applications close 22 January 2024 and the Trimester 1 study period starts on 22 January 2024.
• Trimester 2, 2024 - applications close 13 May 2024 and the Trimester 2 study period starts on 13 May 2024.
• Trimester 3, 2024 - applications close 2 September 2024 and the Trimester 3 study period starts on 2 September 2024.

More information on applying key dates is available.

Discover further information on applying to study at UniSQ that is relevant to you.