Program Overview

The early years of any child's life are crucial to their later education and life experience. To be entrusted with teaching and caring for young children is an enormous responsibility but also a great privilege. Early childhood teaching is a truly rewarding professional career where you can really make a difference.

The Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary) (Honours) program at the University of Newcastle aims to develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary for a highly successful career in teaching. Graduates of this program will be able to seek employment as Preschool and Early Childhood teachers, and K-6 (Primary) teachers in and beyond the New South Wales Government, Catholic, and Independent school sectors. The program aims to develop graduates who are inspirational teachers with the capability to act professionally, knowledgeably and effectively in their educational destinations; insightful scholars with the capability to engage in rational enquiry into curriculum, policy and practice; and innovative leaders with the capability to play a constructive role in public discourse on and beyond education.

The Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary) (Honours) program places a special emphasis on preparing graduates who can critically evaluate education research, and have the capacity to design, implement and evaluate their own educational research project. For Honours graduates this degree is a pathway into higher degree research programs, such as the Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy. The Honours degree provides specific opportunities for graduates to pursue careers in educational research, education publication writing or editing, education policy analysis, as well as the typical professions for Education graduates including an Early Childhood Teacher, Early Childhood Centre Director, K-6 (Primary) school teacher, community educator, education consultant, curriculum developer, educational materials developer, curriculum evaluator, and educational administrator.