Master of Teaching (Early Childhood)

You will learn innovative ways to provide foundation programs for young learners from birth to eight years of age, setting up these children for their lifelong learning journey. You will be supported by specialist early childhood academics and will experience real-world opportunities that prepare you to teach in early childhood. Our future-focused course will equip you with the skills and capabilities to manage learning programs, and to develop your own professional identity as a teacher.

As this course qualifies you to teach to Year 3 in schools, you will also undertake a primary specialisation in literacy as required by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). The specialisation will enhance your skills in this national area of priority for primary schools.

Visit the student and graduate blog to find out more about what it’s like to study education and where a QUT degree can take you.

You will learn innovative ways to provide foundation programs for young learners from birth to eight years of age, setting up these children for their lifelong learning journey. You will be supported by specialist early childhood academics and will experience real-world opportunities that prepare you to teach in early childhood. Our future-focused course will equip you with the skills and capabilities to manage learning programs, and to develop your own professional identity as a teacher.

Visit the student and graduate blog to find out more about what it’s like to study education and where a QUT degree can take you.

Specialisation for primary teaching 

As this course qualifies you to teach to Year 3, you will undertake a primary specialisation as required by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership in literacy. This will enhance your skills in a national area of priority for a primary school setting. 

Along with careers in early childhood centres and kindergartens, this keeps career paths open to teach from Prep to Year 3 in primary schools. 

Professional experience 

We organise professional experience placements, supervised by practising teachers, to give you experience in a diverse range of environments including school classrooms, kindergartens and early learning centres.  

Find out more about professional experience 

Flexible delivery

Depending on where you live, you can choose on campus, external, or a blended approach to study that accommodates your other commitments and your preferred learning style.

If you choose external study you’ll be part of an online learning community and in regular contact with our expert teaching staff. QUT provides a variety of online learning environments where you will participate fully, receive expert knowledge and guidance, and have easy access to course content.

You can undertake Professional Experience placements in your home region and the schedule will be released well in advance so you can plan ahead. If you need to borrow resources from the QUT Library, these can be posted to your home address.

Evening on campus classes may be available for some units.

Real-world facilities

Experience our state-of-the-art Education Precinct at the heart of Kelvin Grove campus. With five levels dedicated to world-class teaching, you’ll have access to imaginatively designed face-to-face and online interactive learning spaces. A centrepiece of the Precinct is the Sphere, a digital LED globe suspended over two floors with a changing menu of innovative visual content.

To prepare you to be an inspiring, innovative and confident teacher for the future, you’ll be able to experiment and innovate in preparation for professional experiences in schools and early childhood centres. The spaces facilitate just the right balance of collaborative learning, interaction and quiet individual research.

Our expert teaching staff will inspire you to push boundaries, be curious and innovate. Qualities you will in turn foster in the students you teach.

Learn more about QUT’s education precinct 

Real-world facilities

Experience our state-of-the-art Education Precinct at the heart of Kelvin Grove campus. With five levels dedicated to world-class teaching, you’ll have access to imaginatively designed face-to-face and online interactive learning spaces. A centrepiece of the Precinct is the Sphere, a digital LED globe suspended over two floors with a changing menu of innovative visual content.

To prepare you to be an inspiring, innovative and confident teacher for the future, you’ll be able to experiment and innovate in preparation for professional experiences in schools and early childhood centres. The spaces facilitate just the right balance of collaborative learning, interaction and quiet individual research.

Our expert teaching staff will inspire you to push boundaries, be curious and innovate. Qualities you will in turn foster in the students you teach.

Learn more about QUT’s education precinct 

Specialisation for primary teaching 

You will undertake a primary specialisation as required by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership in literacy. This will enhance your skills in a national area of priority for a primary school setting. 

Apply for a Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship

The Australian Government is supporting new students looking to start teaching, by providing $40,000 for full-time Bachelor of Education students or $20,000 for full-time Master of Teaching students.

Round One applications for 2024 have now closed. Round Two applications to start study in 2025 are expected to open in late 2024/early 2025.

Learn more about the scholarship

Work Integrated Learning

During this course you will be required to complete 70 days (equivalent to 490 hours) of professional experience placements.

Careers and outcomes

As an early childhood specialist, you will be prepared to work as a qualified teacher in early learning centres, kindergarten and Prep to Year 3 in primary school. A masters qualification can set you up for leadership roles in the early childhood profession. Your qualification can also allow you to work in other locations in Australia and overseas.

Professional recognition

This course meets professional teaching standards for the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, and Queensland College of Teachers. Graduates are also recognised as qualified early childhood teachers under the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority framework. Applicants seeking teacher registration in Australia may be required to provide evidence of English Language proficiency levels. Further information is available from relevant registering bodies.

Early exit

If you decide you do not wish to complete a course that leads to teacher registration you can consider an option to exit with a Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies as an alternative education qualification. This qualification does not meet requirements of the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority framework.