Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education
Quick facts
Student type:
Quick facts
-
Duration
Full-time 1 year -
Location
Bundoora -
Fees
Next intake
February Duration
Full-time 1 year Location
Bundoora Fees
AU$27,840 (2020 total)
Next intake
February
Overview
Based on Australia’s national Early Years Learning Framework for early childhood teachers, this graduate diploma prepares you to enrich young children’s minds in educational environments, designing and demonstrating high-quality learning experiences. As a teacher, you will support children as advocates, enablers, custodians and thinkers; global citizens in yet-to-be-imagined futures.
On completing this course, you will become an innovative and attuned professional teacher with an edu-portfolio that you can share proudly with potential employers. You will also have the knowledge, skills and experience to work in private enterprise, government agencies and community-based early childhood education settings locally and globally.
At the end of your studies, you’ll be qualified to teach in early childhood settings in Australia, and hold transferable skills to work here and overseas.
Scholarships through the Department of Education and Training are available to students undertaking studies in early childhood education.
Details
In RMIT’s Pedagogies of Possibilities Lab (PoPLab) - a virtual and physical space for innovative industry-partnered research - you’ll have access to video technologies that will enable you to explore your practice with ‘real’ children in online and/or face-to-face modes of delivery.
You will explore inclusive learning and teaching practices including issues age, gender, ethnicity and ability. You will learn a wide range of diverse philosophies and theories concerning belonging, being and becoming in curricula which shape the field. You will pay special attention to indigenous perspectives and approaches, and your practice will also be informed by international trends and policies.
The School of Education has well-established links with education early childhood services both Australia and internationally. Our academics work closely with early childhood teachers to respond to the needs and priorities of young learners. This graduate diploma responds to current and arising issues and challenges facing the early childhood sector.
Students will have opportunities to work with and be mentored by early childhood educators in their professional placements, and in studio-based activities.
Working with Children Check
You will be required to hold a valid Victorian Working with Children Check (WWC) prior to undertaking profession placements.
This graduate diploma program comprises six core units in early childhood education.
Additionally, students will complete 60 days in placement (minimum 7 hours per day), located at partnership early childhood centres across Melbourne (sourced by RMIT).
Working with Children Check
You will be required to hold a valid Victorian Working with Children Check (WWC) prior to undertaking profession placements.
Choose a program structure
| Title | Location | Duration | Plan code | CRICOS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education | Bundoora Campus |
1 year full-time - 2 semesters
|
1 year full-time
|
GD204 | 0100711 |
Choose a program structure
Program code: GD204
Career
Upon completion of this graduate diploma, you will be qualified to teach in early childhood education settings, both in Australia and overseas.
The market for early childhood teachers is forecast to remain very strong over the coming years, with an expected 29,000 job openings over the next five years.
Admissions
Entry requirements
You must have successfully completed an Australian Bachelor degree (or equivalent overseas qualification) in any discipline.
Entry requirements
You must have successfully completed an Australian Bachelor degree (or equivalent overseas qualification) in any discipline.
If you did not complete your initial tertiary qualification in English at an approved institution in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States of America you must sit an IELTS test or another approved VIT English Language Test.
Minimum scores required for IELTS academic are an overall band of 7.0 with no individual band less than 6.5.
Working with Children Check (WWC)
You will be required to hold a valid Working with Children Check prior to undertaking professional placements. For more information visit the Working With Children Check website.
To study this program you will need to complete one of the following English proficiency tests:
- IELTS (Academic): minimum overall band of 7.0 (with no individual band below 6.5)
- TOEFL (Paper Based Test): minimum score of 600 (TWE 5.0)
- TOEFL (Internet Based Test - IBT): minimum overall score of 94 (with minimum of 19 in Reading, 20 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 24 in Writing)
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) (PTE (A)): minimum score of 65 (with no communication band less than 58)
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE): minimum of 185 with no less than 176 in any component.
Working with Children Check (WWC)
You will be required to hold a valid Working with Children Check prior to undertaking professional placements. For more information visit the Working With Children Check website.
The following information outlines the tasks you will be required to undertake during professional experience placement and on-campus learning activities.
The non-academic abilities listed are provided for your information only and are not entry requirements.
If there are any activities outlined which may be difficult for you to undertake, there are a range of adjustments to your study conditions available to enable and support you to demonstrate these abilities. Please contact the Equitable Learning Service to discuss any adjustments you may require.
The following information outlines the tasks you will be required to undertake during professional experience placement and on-campus learning activities.
The non-academic abilities listed are provided for your information only and are not entry requirements.
If there are any activities outlined which may be difficult for you to undertake, there are a range of adjustments to your study conditions available to enable and support you to demonstrate these abilities. Please contact the Equitable Learning Service to discuss any adjustments you may require.
By understanding the types of activities you’ll participate in, you can:
- understand more about the program
- determine if you may need support during your studies
- make an informed decision about whether the program is suitable for you
If you are living with disability, long-term illness and/or a mental health condition, we can support you by making adjustments to activities in your program so that you can participate fully in your studies.
To receive learning adjustments, you need to register with Equitable Learning Service
The University considers the wellbeing and safety of all students, staff and the community to be a priority in academic and professional experience placement settings.
Pathways
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
If you have already developed areas of skill and knowledge included in this program (for example, through prior studies or work experience), you can apply for credit once you have enrolled in this program. There is information on the RMIT University website about how to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
Fees
Entry for this program is primarily through Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs).
Government financial assistance is available to eligible students regardless of the type of place you enrol in.
2020 indicative fees
- Commonwealth supported places (CSP) range from AU$6,684 to AU$11,155.
- Full-fee places: AU$21,120
Additional expenses
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF): AU$308 maximum fee for 2020.
- Other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment.
Annual fee adjustment
Amounts quoted are indicative fees per annum, and are based on a standard year of full-time study (96 credit points). A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load.
Fees are adjusted on an annual basis and these fees should only be used as a guide.
Defer your payment
You may be eligible to apply for a HELP loan, which can be used to defer payment of up to the full amount of your student contribution or tuition fees. You may also be eligible to apply to defer payment of your SSAF through the SA-HELP loan scheme.
For more information and to learn how to calculate your exact tuition fees see postgraduate study fees.
If you are offered a Commonwealth supported place, your tuition fees are subsidised by the Australian Government.
Your share of the fee (student contribution) is set on an annual basis by the government and is determined by the discipline areas (bands) of your individual enrolled courses, not the overall program.
How much can I expect to pay for my Commonwealth supported place?
In 2020, the annual student contribution amount you will pay for a standard year of full-time study is between AU$6,684 to AU$11,155.
Courses (subjects) fall into one of three bands. The band determines the student contribution amount for the course.
Amounts listed in the table below are based on a standard, full-time study load (96 credit points per year) with all courses in the same band. A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load or for enrolment in courses (subjects) from a combination of bands.
You can learn how to calculate your exact tuition fees for units from different bands at Fees for Commonwealth supported students.
Maximum student contribution amount for Commonwealth supported places in 2020
Student contribution band by course (subject) |
Maximum annual student contribution amount in 2020 |
Band 1: humanities, behavioural science, social studies, clinical psychology, foreign languages, visual and performing arts, education, nursing |
$6,684 per standard year $835 per standard (12 credit point) course |
Band 2: mathematics, statistics, computing, built environment, other health, allied health, science, engineering, surveying, agriculture |
$9,527 per standard year |
|
$11,155 per standard year |
How does a HELP loan work?
If your FEE-HELP, HECS-HELP and/or SA-HELP loan application is successful, the Australian Government will pay RMIT, on your behalf, up to 100% of your fees. This amount will become part of your accumulated HELP debt.
You will only start repaying your accumulated HELP debt to the Australian Government once you earn above the minimum income threshold for repayment, which is set each year by the Australian Government (this also applies if you are still studying).
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will calculate your compulsory repayment for the year and include this on your income tax notice.
For more information about loan repayment options see Commonwealth assistance (HELP loans) or Study Assist.
This program is approved for income support.
You may be eligible for student income support payments from the Commonwealth Government if you are undertaking a graduate certificate, graduate diploma or an approved professionally oriented masters by coursework program. For more information see Income support for Masters students.
If you are enrolled in an eligible program you will also need to satisfy all other student payment eligibility requirements. You can contact Centrelink or the Department of Human Services for further information about student income support entitlements, your eligibility and how to apply.
In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual student services and amenities fee (SSAF), which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student. The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2020 is $308.
You may be eligible to apply to defer payment of the SSAF through the SA-HELP loan scheme. If you use SA-HELP, the amount will be added to your accumulated HELP debt.
For more information about calculating your actual SSAF see Paying SSAF.
You may also be required to purchase other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment. These additional fees and expenses vary from program to program.
In addition to tuition fees you also need to pay for:
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) in each calendar year.
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) - Student visa holders must have cover for the total duration of their visa.
- Some programs incur additional expenses.
You also need to account for your living expenses. Estimate the cost of living in Melbourne.