Master of Teaching (Early Childhood)

The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) is a two-year postgraduate qualification for people who want to teach children from birth to eight years old. It's a professional teaching degree, so you'll spend time in early childhood settings and schools, not just in a lecture theatre. The course covers child development, early literacy and numeracy, play-based learning, curriculum planning, and working with families and communities. You'll also study how to include children with additional needs and how to meet the requirements of the Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum in the early years of school.

How the degree is structured

Australian master's degrees usually run for one to two years full time, and this one is two years. You'll study a set number of units each semester or trimester, with each unit worth credit points. The exact number of units and credit points is set by Ozford Institute of Higher Education, so check the official course page for the current structure. Most teaching degrees include a capstone or final professional experience unit that pulls together everything you've learned. You'll also complete supervised professional placements in early childhood centres, kindergartens or preschools, and the early years of primary school. Placement is a core part of the degree because you need real hours in real settings to register as a teacher.

What you'll learn

You'll learn how young children develop and how to plan learning experiences that match their stage. You'll practise observing children, documenting their learning, and using that information to plan next steps. Literacy and numeracy teaching in the early years gets close attention, as does working with families from different backgrounds. You'll also learn about the legal and ethical responsibilities of teachers, including child protection and mandatory reporting. By the end, you should be able to run an early childhood classroom or centre room with confidence.

Who it suits

This course suits people who already have a bachelor's degree in another field and want to move into teaching. It also suits early childhood educators who hold a diploma or bachelor's degree and want to upgrade to a teaching qualification. If you enjoy working with young children and want a career that combines care and education, this is the pathway. You'll need to meet English language requirements, for teaching courses, Australian institutions typically ask for IELTS Academic 7.0–7.5 overall, higher than the standard 6.0–6.5 for many other master's degrees. Check the official page for the exact score and accepted equivalents. If you're an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. After you finish, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia for a period. Always confirm visa details with the Department of Home Affairs.

• Early childhood teacher, long day care centres, kindergartens, preschools and early learning centres across Australia.
• Kindergarten or preschool teacher, community-run and private kindergartens, often in the year before school.
• Early years primary teacher, prep to year 2 in Australian primary schools, depending on registration requirements in your state or territory.
• Family day care educator or coordinator, running or supporting home-based early childhood education.
• Early childhood centre director or manager, leading a team and managing a service, usually after some years of teaching experience.
• Early intervention specialist, working with children with developmental delays or disabilities and their families.
• Education advisor or curriculum consultant, developing early childhood resources and programmes for publishers, NGOs or government bodies.

Most graduates work in the education and care sector, which employs hundreds of thousands of people across Australia. Registration or accreditation requirements vary by state and territory, so check with the relevant teacher regulatory authority where you plan to work.