Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education

Launch a rewarding and in-demand pre-school teaching career, with VU's one-year Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education.

If you're a domestic student or you won't be studying at VU on a student visa, you can study this course online.

This course is tailored to applicants with an undergraduate qualification in a discipline other than early childhood. If you hold an early childhood teaching degree and you're looking to advance your career, we recommend upskilling to a four year degree by applying for the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Leadership.

You'll study units focused on children from birth to five years, learning how teaching practice can include children and families as capable participants in education.

You'll also gain hands-on work experience in a range of settings, including childcare and kindergartens, graduating with expertise in early-childhood learning built on a strong sense of social justice.

Gain insight into the early years by studying these fascinating areas:

• child development
• teaching practice that includes Aboriginal perspectives
• education and curriculum studies focused on childhood and relationships
• family and community contexts
• advocacy and activism in early-childhood settings
• history and philosophy of early childhood
• ethical early-childhood professional practice.

The Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education is recognised as the equivalent of a four-year degree.

Childcare job openings are expecting massive growth (ACECQA).

Thanks to the essential experience you'll get from teaching early-childhood settings during your placement, you'll be work-ready when you graduate.

With an ACECQA approved early-childhood teacher qualification, our graduates can find employment in:

• public or private kindergartens (preschool)
• long-day-care centres
• early-childhood centres in the state of Victoria, Australia.

Interstate applicants should check with their state's relevant teaching registration board or authority to see if their state requires early-childhood teacher registration and accepts this qualification.

Check the Labour Market Insights website to find the average salary for early-childhood teachers.

To attain the Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education students will be required to complete:

• 96 credit points of Core units and
• the '0' credit point unit ECE 6013 Professional Practice 2.

Use our credit calculator to find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

If you have completed study with another university or institution and believe you are eligible to receive credit for skills and past study, you can apply for advanced standing.

Applications for advanced standing can be made after a discussion with your course chair or academic adviser.

Before applying, you should consider whether you also want to apply for:

• Special admission programs: Depending on your life circumstances you may be eligible for special consideration of your application.
• Advanced standing: If you have significant experience or studies elsewhere you may be eligible for credit for some units of your course and not have to undertake them.

Find out more about applying for our courses.