Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECEd)
Course code: 1515
Contact: Ms Jill Robbins
On completion of the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, graduates may seek
employment in preschools, childcare centres, junior primary grades, and other
children's services and specialist early childhood settings.
The major objectives of the course are to provide students with a
program of studies and experiences which should enable them to:
- develop knowledge of, and critically reflect on, the theoretical
foundations of human development and of education, especially those relevant to
early childhood education;
- relate their own views and experiences in education, family and society
to those of others and critically reflect on these;
- appreciate the implications the family, social, cultural and political
contexts have for children's development and learning, and how they impact on
early childhood services;
- understand the professional role of the early childhood educator in a
diverse and complex society which is undergoing rapid and continuous social and
technological change;
- develop skills that will enable them to instigate and respond to change
and to advocate effectively for young children, families and the early
childhood profession;
- demonstrate competence in general care, appropriate curriculum planning
and teaching skills, as well as administration and management across a range of
children's services;
- develop effective communication and interpersonal skills;
- have the skills and attitudes that foster a positive view of continued
personal and professional development.
Applicants must have satisfactorily completed the Victorian Certificate
of Education or its equivalent. Within the Victorian Certificate of Education,
English must be included in the applicant's `best four' subjects and applicants
must have satisfactorily completed any two VCE mathematics units (or their
equivalent).
Applicants contemplating admission to this course may seek formal credit
or recognition of prior learning. Applicants should apply for credit prior to
enrolment but currently enrolled students may also apply. The Faculty of
Education considers each application on its merits within the context of the
faculty guidelines on credit transfer which are contained in a booklet
`Learning from experience' available from the Professional Development
Institute, Faculty of Education, Monash University, Gippsland campus, Churchill
3842 ($7 postage and packing).
Students who have completed an Associate Diploma in Social Science -
Child Care (or equivalent) and have achieved an average of at least credit
level across all subjects studied may be considered for admission to the
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, with credit for up to one year's study.
The degree consists of three groups of studies:
- teaching and curriculum studies, including a teaching practicum,
totalling sixty-eight points;
- education studies, concerned with major issues in education, totalling
sixty points;
- general studies electives which allow students to enhance their personal
development by pursuing a discipline area of study in the sciences, humanities
or expressive arts (fifty-six points).
Students are required to undertake
studies drawn from the first two groups (above) in each of the four years of
the degree. General studies are undertaken only in years one to three.
The first-year program consists of:
- EDP1101 English and studies of society and environment (6 points)
- EDP1102 Science and health and physical education (6 points)
- EDP1103 Images of education (6 points)
- EDP1104 Education and the individual 1 (6 points)
plus four
elective subjects from the student's chosen areas of study.
The second-year program consists of:
- EDP2101 Education - mathematics education and learning technologies (8
points)
- EDP2104 Structuring education (8 points)
- EDP2105 Education and the individual 2 (8 points)
- EDP2106 Early childhood literacy and studies of society (8
points)
plus two elective subjects.
This course consists of four years full-time study taken on-campus. The
expected number of hours per week for a full-time student is forty-eight.
Students are referred to the subject descriptions, including reading
material, following the course information in this handbook for details of the
subjects offered in the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education degree.
Further information regarding this course may be obtained from the
administrative officer, Faculty of Education, Peninsula campus (telephone 9904
4291).