The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary) is a graduate entry, pre-service teacher education course for those who want to qualify as both an early childhood and primary school teacher. This course cultivates graduates who are passionate about, and committed to, the generation and dissemination of knowledge, skills and attitudes that facilitate high-quality learning in childhood from birth to twelve years.

This course will enable you to engage with the breadth of curriculum and pedagogical knowledge required by a primary classroom teacher. You will graduate with specialist knowledge and understanding of not only literacy and numeracy but of all learning areas of the primary school curriculum. Building on your undergraduate studies, you will develop a teaching specialisation in an area of the primary curriculum from these options:

• English and Literacy
• Mathematics and Numeracy
• Science
• Humanities and Social Sciences
• The Arts
• Technologies
• Health and Physical Education

Professional experience

You must complete 70 days professional experience during which you will be required to be available full time.

Work placement

Pre-service educators must complete a Professional Experience Program in a relevant prior-to-school and formal primary school settings in line with the requirements of national teacher accreditation authorities. 

Supervised professional experience is at the heart of all our pre-service teacher education courses and the Faculty will find appropriate placements to suit the needs of your course. Placements will usually be arranged for the scheduled placement period in the professional experience calendar though this may not always be possible.

Professional recognition

Graduates are eligible for registration as an early childhood or primary school teacher in government, independent, Catholic schools or other faith-based schools.

If you wish to teach in a Catholic primary school you will be required to have a Graduate Certificate in Religious Education qualification or equivalent (this may vary by diocese). You can study this concurrently with your master's degree at ACU.

Accreditation

This program has been accredited by the Victorian Institute of Teaching and listed on the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) and Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) accredited programs list.