Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching)

About the Programme

This field based degree will enable you to gain a teaching qualification to make a difference in children’s lives.
Teacher, mentor, carer, supervisor – as an early childhood teacher you’ll be all this and more. During their early years children need teachers who can work with their strengths and interests, and encourage them to flourish. Bring your passion for working with young children, your sense of fun and an ability to work positively with all types of people to this three-year, full-time, centre-based programme. It will challenge and reward you, both as a teacher and on a personal level.

Because young children learn through interaction, you’ll be taught to build relationships and to create nurturing, challenging and creative learning environments. You’ll work with children on a weekly basis to develop your teaching skills and to understand the complex role of an early childhood teacher.

On graduating you’ll be equipped with skills and knowledge you need to work within diverse contexts to implement a range of cultural teaching practices that can include Maori and Pasifika world views. You will be qualified to teach children under five years across the curriculum (Te Whariki) and work in a wide range of early childhood settings, including childcare centres and kindergartens.

Students may choose to study at our Otara campus or Queen Street location.

Offered by

Faculty of Education and Social Sciences - School of Education

Entry Requirements

Applicants must meet the following entry requirements: 

• Be seventeen years of age or older at the start of the programme.
  

Applicants must be able to demonstrate the following: 

• Ability to meet the New Zealand Teachers Council requirements and entry standards (including language and numeracy requirements and the potential to develop the qualities and dispositions to meet the Graduate Teaching Standards and the programmes Graduate Profile on graduation)
• Ability to relate to young children, their parents and family/whanau. 

The above qualities will be assessed through an interview process. The interview will be conducted by an Entry Committee which will be conducted by an Entry Committe which will consist of staff from the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences.

• All applicants under the age of 20 years must have achieved University Entrance.
  or
• International applicants must demonstrate that they have the equivalent to New Zealand University Entrance.
  or
• Applicants who are 20 years of age at the commencement of the programme and have relevant life and/or work experience but do not have the minimum academic requirements, may apply for admission if they meet comparable literacy and numeracy requirements as those entering with UE.
  and
• All applicants must have English language competence to undertake this programme which is taught and assessed in English.  Applicants for whom English is an additional language must have a minimum score of 7.0 in all components of the academic version of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System).

Not exempted: English as an additional language (EAL) applicants whose medium of instruction was fully in English in a university in a country (other than New Zealand or Australia) where English is an official language, and who are graduates at degree level (7) would be required to meet the additional English language requirements of an IELTS assessment.

Exempted Case: EAL who had studied in New Zealand for a minimum of two years at secondary school, and who had eight, level 2 NCEA University Entrance literacy credits (4 credits in reading and 4 credits in writing), would be exempted from the requirement to meet an IELTS assessment.

Exempted case:  EAL applicants whose medium of instruction was fully in English in a New Zealand or Australian tertiary education organisation (TEO – university, polytechnic, institute of technology, wānanga or PTE) and who are graduates at a degree level (7) or Higher, would not be required to meet the additional English language requirement.
and

• Demonstrate a mature and positive approach to study, commitment and motivation to succeed
  and
• Be able to relate to and communicate with young children, their parents and family/whānau
  and
• Have no criminal convictions which would preclude them from working with children in a position of trust and no medical, physical, or psychological condition which could preclude working with children.
  and
• Be mentally and physically fit enough to carry out the teaching role safely and satisfactorily
  and
• Applicants must be able to meet the sustained practicum (‘home’ centre) requirements and provide a signed letter of support from the centre in which they propose to undertake their ‘home’ centre practicum to show that they will be in paid or voluntary work with children in a Licensed Early Childhood Centre for a minimum of 12 hours per week each week of the semester, (practicum block weeks excepted) at the start of and for the duration of the programme. 
  Note: Assistance will be given with the process of finding a voluntary placement for successful applicants as necessary
  and
• Applicants must be able to attend teaching practicum at specified times and places

Applicants will be accepted in order of application.

Programme Summary

Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching) students will study the following courses:

Semester One

• Building and Maintaining Inclusive Relationships
• Health and Well-being
• Professional Inquiry 1: Introduction to Early Childhood Teaching

Semester Two

• Holistic Development and Learning
• Te Ao Māori
• Professional Inquiry 2: Responsive, Reflective Teaching.

Semester Three

• Exploring the Expressive Arts
• The World of Infant and Toddler
• Professional Inquiry 3: Inclusive Practices

Semester Four

• Exploring Science and Mathematics
• Exploring Language and Literacy
• Professional Inquiry 4: Philosophy of Teaching and Learning and the Outdoors

Semester Five

• Making Creativity Visible
• Politics and Influences on Early Childhood Education
• Professional Inquiry 5: Practice-based Research

Semester 6

• Teaching for Social Justice
• People, Places, Things and Events
• Professional Inquiry 6: Leadership and Management

Sustained Practicum Requirements
All applicants, by the beginning of the programme, must provide a signed Letter of Support Form confirming they will be in paid or voluntary work with children, for a minimum of twelve hours per week, each week of the semester (except for where the student is on fulltime practicum placement), in a licensed early childhood centre, to meet the sustained practicum requirements.

Note: Assistance will be given with the process of finding a voluntary placement for a student who is not in paid or voluntary employment in a licensed early childhood centre.

Cross-credit directly to the third year of the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching)
Registered teachers with a Diploma of Teaching (ECE) may be eligible to credit directly into the third year of the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching).

To qualify, you must meet the general Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching) entry requirements and meet the following additional criteria:

• Hold a New Zealand Diploma of Teaching (ECE)
• Hold a current teacher registration
• Have been in employment in an early childhood teaching role for at least three of the last five years
• Be employed in a licensed early childhood centre either part-time or full-time for at least eight hours per week
• Have a letter of support from current employer.

Graduates of Non-MIT Programmes
Graduates of non-MIT programmes may also apply for recognition of prior learning (see below). Applications will be treated on a case-by-case basis.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Cross-credit
Applicants who believe they already have the experience or knowledge to achieve the learning outcomes of a course or courses may apply for cross-crediting of papers and/or seek credit for RPL.

Application for RPL and Cross-crediting must be done through CAPL, at the Academic Centre.

If the application is successful this may reduce the number of courses required to gain the qualification.

Note: New Zealand Teachers Council limitations on RPL will apply.

Further Training or Study

• Postgraduate Diploma in Education
• Masters of Education

Career Opportunities

Early childhood teacher, early childhood centre manager or owner, early childhood education lecturer.

Apply here now!