The early years of children’s lives are incredibly important. Your contribution to early childhood education and care extends children’s sense of agency, learning and active citizenship. Our program is designed to qualify you for early childhood teaching (birth to eight years) 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 supportive environments in early learning. Benefit from Supervised Professional Experiences in a range of early childhood settings that link knowledge and practice. You’ll also gain valuable and rewarding Wider Field Experiences where you engage with community projects and work with children, families and communities.

Our program has been developed in partnership with leading educational bodies. As a graduate, you are eligible to register with the Queensland College of Teachers.

Personal statement requirement

As part of your application, you are required to complete an online questionnaire to demonstrate your motivation for, and understanding of, the program and profession. In the questionnaire, you will be asked to rank a series of statements in order of what you think is most to least important. You will also need to write a 600-1000 word personal statement on why you think you would make a great teacher, and why influencing the future appeals to you.

After you have submitted an application for this program, you will be contacted with further information about the written statement and how to complete your application.

More information is on the QTAC website.

Post-admission requirements

Students must complete 95 days of Supervised Professional Experience, 20 days of an internship and 75 hours of Wider Field Experience. Students must obtain a Blue Card (or link their existing Blue Card to USC) prior to commencing SPE. Blue Card applications should be submitted at least 12 weeks prior to the SPE start date. View the Blue Card Fact Sheet for further information. Blue Cards are free-of-charge for Education students when applying through the School of Education at USC.

Students will also need to successfully complete the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education students. For more information on this Government initiative please visit the Students First website. Further information on the test, including sample test questions and registration information, please visit the Australian Council of Educational Research website.

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.