Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth to Five)

This degree focuses on teaching children from birth to five in settings before school, such as kindergartens and long day care.

Compare 2 providers

How long it takes: 3 years; full time
Level: Bachelor degree; University
How you can study: Online or on campus; Includes a work placement
Leads on to: Early Childhood Teacher; $99,100 median pay, In demand
Taught by: 2 providers; NSW, QLD, ACT

Is this course right for you?

What the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth to Five) asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

an interest in how young children learn and grow
patience and a calm approach with children
good communication skills with children and families
a willingness to work as part of a team

Before you start

Each provider sets its own entry requirements, so check the ones you are considering.

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

Early Childhood Teacher
Early childhood teachers plan and run play-based learning programs for children from birth to about five, in the years before formal school starts.
What else you need
Choose an ACECQA-approved early-childhood-teacher qualification for the intended age range and jurisdiction. Complete placements, screening and applicable teacher-registration requirements; educator certificates and diplomas are different routes. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.
Median pay$99,100
In demand

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list.

Where you can study this course

There are 2 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

University of Canberra
Canberra, Sydney, ACT, NSW
4.0from 487 Google reviews
How you study
On campus
(full or part time)
Website for University of Canberra (opens in a new tab)
What students like
- Staff are helpful and friendly
What to weigh up
- Teaching quality varies between staff
Queensland University of Technology
Kelvin Grove/ Online, QLD
4.5from 896 Google reviews
How you study
Online or on campus
(full or part time)
Next intake
Feb 2027
Fee
$5,590 a year
(Government-supported place)
Website for Queensland University of Technology (opens in a new tab)
What students like
- Students are friendly and approachable
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Some find staff less helpful

What you’ll learn

The main topics covered in the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth to Five).

Child development and wellbeing
Teaching in early learning settings
Learning through play
Professional practice
Placements in early childhood services

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
Who arranges the work placement, and how many hours does it involve?
Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Related courses

All early childhood education courses