Please note: An accelerated 9-month option is available for students commencing in Term 2.

Engage in teaching as a political and ethical practice through creating rich educational experiences that foreground Indigenous Worldviews and sustainability, supporting children become active contributors of social change and sustainable communities.

• Become a highly-qualified early years teacher
• Become a culturally and socially responsible teacher for change
• Online study
• Receive ongoing support throughout studies and placement
• Receive financial support through DET

Early childhood plays an important role in social change. For children to be active, contributing citizens, they need relational teaching that focuses on social issues relevant to their context and local communities. In Australia, early childhood teachers have a responsibility to value and promote greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being, as is set out in the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF), Australia’s Education and Care Services National Law, and the National Quality Framework.

Relevant to all communities, on both a local and global level, is sustainability. Understanding and acting on sustainable practices empowers children to build deep relationships with local places, including the waterways, landforms, plants, animals, and insects they inhabit the planet with. Early childhood teachers who understand the need for these relationships create learning and teaching moments that respond to social issues and contribute to making a meaningful, positive impact on the world.

The Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching focuses on learning and teaching for children aged birth to eight years, providing the required qualification for registration to teach in early childhood settings from birth to age five.

Taught by internationally-recognised scholars at the Faculty of Education, the online course is a radical re-thinking of how we become, belong and be as teachers in the context of our relationship with Country and Indigenous Worldviews.

It focuses on foregrounding Indigenous Worldviews and sustainability to equip you to foster a learning environment that values and promotes inclusivity, respect and sustainability for the growth of all children. By completing this course you will be able to provide rich educational experiences that make a positive impact on children and their communities.

The Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching is externally accredited by the Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). Graduates may apply for registration and work in Australian early childhood education and care settings with children aged birth to five years. Graduates are also eligible to apply for registration as an early childhood teacher with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT).

The program may be completed in one year full time or in two years part-time, and includes 60 days of placement in multiple settings. It also contributes to CPD.

Who is this course for?

The Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching is ideal for early childhood educators wanting to upgrade their qualifications and advance into leadership roles within early childhood settings, as well as for those wanting to change careers to join the early childhood workforce.

To take the course you must hold an undergraduate degree, or a diploma plus relevant work experience in a leadership position (eg Activity Group Leader, Head Teacher, Educational Leader, Group Leader) in an early childhood setting. For those who hold a diploma and have work experience, the University of Melbourne recognises this as an admission pathway to gaining this qualification.

Why choose the University of Melbourne’s Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching?

The University of Melbourne is globally-recognised, with a particularly strong reputation for education and a high ranking for graduate employability. The University of Melbourne is consistently ranked first in Australia and in the global top 15 for education.

Our teaching degrees centre evidence-based research paired with a focus on connecting theory and practice. By completing the Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching you can be confident you will graduate fully equipped to teach early childhood and in a strong position to gain employment.