Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood Studies) (GDEC) - GradDipEd(Early Childhood Studies)

This program is offered only to continuing students. No new admissions will be accepted. Students who are interested in this study area should contact us.

Notes

This program does not qualify you for teacher registration with relevant teaching authorities. If you are interested in a program that enables you to qualify for teacher registration, please refer to the Graduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching.

Contact us

Future students

Current students

Telephone 1800 007 252 (within Australia freecall), +61 7 4631 2285 (from outside Australia), email usqassist@usq.edu.au or submit a question via USQAssist.

Program focus

This program is designed for students who hold qualifications in another field and wish to study in the early childhood education area. This fully external program is specifically designed to provide a means by which intending early childhood professionals who are qualified in another sector might undertake additional study to qualify as a Director of a Child Care Centre or work in the profession as a carer. Professionals who already hold a three year teaching degree may complete this Graduate Diploma as a pathway to majoring in Early Childhood Education, if they already hold teacher registration with the Registration Board in their State, Territory or Country. The Graduate Diploma does not, in itself, qualify graduates for teacher registration.

We are currently redeveloping our programs for 2009. This area of study will remain available, with greater flexibility.

Professional accreditation

This Program is accredited by the Queensland Department of Families. International and Interstate students should check the status of this qualification with local authorities. This qualification will not lead to teacher registration.

Program aims

The Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood Studies) is a one-year full-time equivalent program. The program is offered fully via external studies and must be completed within 5 years of initial enrolment.

The Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood Studies) is specifically designed to provide a means by which intending early childhood professionals who are qualified in another sector might undertake additional study to qualify as a Director of Child Care Centres.

Program objectives

The Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood Studies) aims to develop students who will:

• demonstrate an awareness of the social, cultural, geographic factors and the impact of such factors on early education

• demonstrate an understanding of how children develop and learn

• accept all children as individuals with unique characteristics

• create flexible, aesthetic and adaptable learning environments that are responsive to the diverse abilities of all young children

• design and manage programs that are developmentally responsive and accommodate relevant cultural and environmental issues

• develop management skills that foster positive and productive relationships and community partnerships

• articulate clearly beliefs and understandings about early childhood curriculum and philosophy and demonstrate those beliefs as the basis of their professional practices

• reflect critically on emerging trends and policies that impact on early childhood education

• contribute actively to resolving the existing schism between education and care

• abide by the code of ethics set down for early childhood professionals

• contribute towards an eclectic range of services for children and their families

• work to ensure the rights of all children and their families to services of high quality

• demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning.

Admission requirements

Normal Entry

To be eligible for enrolment in the Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood Studies) an applicant must meet the following criteria:

• possess a recognised undergraduate degree or equivalent of at least three years

• normally have the equivalent of at least one year's work experience or study relevant to early childhood settings, approved by the Program Coordinator.

International Applicants

International applicants must have met the University's English language requirements or have completed the University's ELICOS/UNIPREP program.

Program fees

Commonwealth supported place

A Commonwealth supported place is where the Australian Government makes a contribution towards the cost of your higher education and you as a student pay a student contribution amount, which varies depending on the courses undertaken. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.

Commonwealth Supported students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called HECS-HELP.

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.

Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called FEE-HELP.

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, via distance education/online. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.

Program structure

To graduate with the Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood Studies), a student normally must have completed the eight courses of study listed below. The four level 5 and level 8 courses (ECE5001, ECE5007, ECE8003, EDU8223) can be used for exemption into the Masters program at the completion of the GDEC.

Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 5 years to complete this program.

Practical experience

Students will complete 60 days of professional experience in a child care setting. 30 days may be completed in the work setting if the student is currently employed. The remaining 30 days must be completed in a different setting with a different age group.

Eligibility to Undertake Professional Experience in Queensland Educational Settings

Under the terms of the Commission for Children and Young People Act (Qld. 2000), students undertaking professional experience are considered to be volunteers engaged in regulated employment . As such, all students must apply to the Commission to be issued with a notice that they are suitable to work in child-related employment. As part of this application, the student must consent to the Commission conducting a criminal history check as the key element of the process of determining suitability. All applications for a suitability notice must be made at the local campus of the university at the commencement of their program. Students who do not make application, or who do apply but are subsequently deemed unsuitable, will not be able to undertake the professional experience components of the program.

Further information, including a list of serious offences which could lead to a child care student being deemed unsuitable, are available from the Commission's website at http://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/employment/

Students undertaking Professional Experience outside of Queensland will need to check the requirements for Professional Experience in their State or Country.

IT requirements

Students will be expected to have access to a computer with common productivity software (e.g. word processing, spread sheet, presentation software) email, web browser and the Internet.

Exemptions

In line with University policies, exemptions will be considered from students entering the Graduate Diploma in Education (Early Childhood Studies) with university or equivalent qualifications relevant to the listed content/outcomes of the Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood Studies). Exemptions are not granted for qualifications used to gain entry to the program.

In this section:

• Recommended enrolment pattern - continuing students
• Recommended enrolment pattern - students transitioning to Master of Learning and Development (MLAD) Early Childhood

Recommended enrolment pattern - continuing students

Recommended enrolment pattern - students transitioning to Master of Learning and Development (MLAD) Early Childhood