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Bachelor degree · university
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary)
This degree combines two teaching stages, so graduates can work in early learning services or in primary schools.
- How long it takes
- 4 years
- full time
- Entry ATAR
- From 52.95
- Lowest offered at Charles Darwin University, 2026
- How you can study
- Online or on campus
- Includes a work placement
- Leads on to
- Primary School Teacher
- $115,800 median pay
- Taught by
- 6 providers
- 4 states and territories
Is this course right for you?
What the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary) 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 adults
- a willingness to reflect on your own practice
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 demandPrimary School Teacher
Primary school teachers teach one class of children aged about five to twelve, covering reading, maths, science, art and sport across the school year.
What else you need
Complete an accredited initial-teacher-education programme for primary teaching, its placements and assessments, and meet the relevant teacher-registration requirements. 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$115,800
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 6 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.
- Course page for Charles Sturt University (opens in a new tab)
Charles Sturt University
4 campuses, NSW
4.0from 631 Google reviews
- ATAR
- 55.2 lowest
- (65.15 median, 2024)
- How you study
- On campus
- (full or part time)
- Course page for Macquarie University (opens in a new tab)
Macquarie University
North Ryde, NSW
4.4from 1,202 Google reviews
- How you study
- On campus
- (full or part time)
What students like
- Lecturers care and help students understand
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Student support can be hard to reach
Charles Darwin University
Casuarina, Education and Community Precinct, NT
4.2from 619 Google reviews
- ATAR
- 52.95 lowest
- (61.9 median, 2026)
- How you study
- Online or on campus
- (full or part time)
- Next intake
- Mar 2027
Swinburne University of Technology
Hawthorn, Swinburne Online, VIC
4.0from 1,190 Google reviews
- How you study
- Online or on campus
- (full or part time)
- Next intake
- Feb 2027
- Website for Australian Catholic University (opens in a new tab)
Australian Catholic University
4 campuses, NSW, QLD, VIC
3.7from 436 Google reviews
- ATAR
- 60 lowest
- (67.9 median, 2026)
- How you study
- On campus
- (full or part time)
- Fee
- $5,263 a year
- (Government-supported place)
- Website for The University of New England (opens in a new tab)
The University of New England
Armidale, NSW
3.8from 305 Google reviews
- How you study
- On campus
- (full or part time)
- Fee
- $6,440 a year
- (Government-supported place)
What you’ll learn
The main topics covered in the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary).
- Play and learning
- Literacy and numeracy teaching
- Health and physical education
- Curriculum planning
- Inclusion and diversity
- Placements in early learning and schools
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?