The accreditation process involves a rigorous assessment of an initial teacher education (ITE) program against a set of nationally agreed standards. Accreditation standards and procedures are designed to ensure that all graduates of ITE meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the Graduate career stage. This ensures the program is of high quality and prepares pre-service teachers for the teaching profession. The process also includes an assessment of a provider’s quality assurance and continuous improvement mechanisms, as well as ensuring that the provider has a nationally endorsed teaching performance assessment which all graduates must successfully complete.
In Queensland, each program is assessed by a panel of nationally trained assessors that includes school leaders, employers, practising teachers and higher education representatives. A mandatory site visit involving forums with school partners, graduates, ITE students and the teaching staff of the ITE program is embedded in Queensland reaccreditation processes. Panels make a recommendation to the QCT’s Professional Standards Committee, which holds responsibility for granting accreditation and determines the length of the accreditation period. A maximum of five years accreditation may be granted.
More information on the accreditation process may be found at: www.aitsl.edu.au/deliver-ite-programs/standards-and-procedures.
| Jurisdiction | QLD |
| Provider | Central Queensland University |
| Program title | Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) |
| Program type | Undergraduate |
| Program duration in equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL) | 4 years |
| Minimum program duration | 4 years |
| Stage of schooling | Early Childhood |
| Mode(s) of delivery | On Campus / Online |
| Campus location(s) | Bundaberg, Cairns, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville, Online |
| Date of current accreditation | 1/1/2024 |
| Accreditation outcome* | Five-year accreditation period granted |
| Accreditation expiry date (optional) | 31/12/2028 |
| Quality assurance processes in place | Quality assurance data collection processes include, but are not limited to: · Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment data · Final Professional ePortfolio · Student impact and employment patterns in rural and regional settings · Graduate readiness survey and course experience focus groups · Employer satisfaction, with an emphasis on rural and regional school leaders · Course reference committee feedback (including school partners) · National collections such as QILT. |
Program description and rationale
To graduate with a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) students are required to complete 32 units, including discipline-specific curriculum and pedagogical studies and a primary specialisation.
The learning/subject area available for the primary specialisation is English. Students located in the Rockhampton diocese, if selected to be part of the program, can undertake a specialisation in Catholic Education.
The Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) includes 90 days of supervised professional experience in primary schools and early childhood settings and an additional 15 of which must be spent in the birth to 35 months group.
For further information including entry requirements and career opportunities, please visit: Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood).
A key feature of the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) are the embedded VET qualification/s (Certificate 3 in Early Childhood Education and Care and then a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care). These qualifications are only available after the successful completion of nine first year units and the required practicum and associated tasks.
Central Queensland University graduates have successfully passed the national literacy and numeracy test (LANTITE), the final Queensland Professional Experience Reporting Framework (QPERF) and the Graduate Teaching Performance Assessment (GTPA).
* Nationally accredited ITE programs delivered in Queensland are subject to ongoing monitoring, including: