This course from the Sydney School of Education and Social Work will give you a professional qualification to teach children from birth to five years in early childhood education settings. Our innovative four-year teacher education program incorporates introductory and advanced curriculum units, a strong social justice and leadership focus, placement experiences in early childhood settings that exceed minimum requirements, scope to develop and apply research skills in an honours strand, and opportunities to develop strong practical and research skills. You will study specialist units in early childhood education and development, complemented by generalist units in education and professional studies, as well as elective units of study in the sciences, social sciences and humanities offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Science, and the University of Sydney Business School. In second year you will begin observing and interacting with small groups of young children (ages three to five). In third year you will undertake professional experience in an early childhood setting with children from birth to three years. By fourth year you will be competent to teach in an early learning centre using your professional judgement and autonomy. Your final, fourth-year, 30-day internship will be complemented by a practitioner inquiry research project, in which you focus on an area of specialisation. Careers & future study Graduate opportunities Examples include teaching in a range of early learning centres and preschools (birth to 5 years). Qualified early childhood teachers are in high demand and early childhood education is a high priority for both federal and state governments in Australia. This qualification is not suitable for teachers seeking employment in the Kindergarten to Year 6 school sector. Future study options Eligible candidates may apply for admission to a rich postgraduate program with the Sydney School of Education and Social Work comprising advanced learning and professional courses. Master's degrees include capstone independent research projects, supervised by experts in the field of study, which prepare students for higher degrees by research. Course opportunities The Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) includes significant professional experience placements in early childhood settings. The placements begin in the second year of the course and the amount of responsibility and duration of the placements progressively increases until the final placement in which students are competent to teach under minimal supervision.