Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) (MC-TEACHEC) // Course structure

Course structure

The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) is a 200-credit point program which is normally completed over:

• 2 years of full time study

Options for completing the course in a longer time frame include:

• 3 years of part time study - Coursework Option; or
• 3.5 years of part time study - Research Pathway Option.

Please note there will be no part time intake into the Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) in 2021.

All Teacher Candidates complete:

• 10 core subjects
• 3 Clinical Teaching Practice subjects (which incorporate 60 placement days in early childhood settings and 5 placement days in a primary school setting);
• Subjects specific to either the Coursework or Research Pathway options.

The Coursework or Research Pathway subjects are completed in the second half of the program alongside the core program and comprise:

• Coursework: 1 x 25-credit point capstone subject and 3 electives;
• Research Pathway*: 50 points of research preparation for entry to higher degree research programs and 1 elective.

*In order to be eligible to apply for the Research Pathway Option, Teacher Candidates must achieve an average of at least H2A (75%) in the:

• first 100 credit points of the program (calculated on subjects that comprise the first 100 points of the full time structure)

All Teacher Candidates must meet the following course progression requirement:

The Australian Commonwealth Government’s Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students (the Test) is administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (independently of The University of Melbourne).

Each Teacher Candidate must satisfactorily complete the Test by the end of the first calendar year of their enrolment in the Master of Teaching (Early Childhood).  This is necessary in order for each Teacher Candidate to continue beyond the first calendar year of their course.

Failure to satisfactorily complete the Test by this progression point will result in referral to the Melbourne Graduate School of Education’s Course Academic Progress Committee and may result in exclusion from the course. Excluded Teacher Candidates may be granted an early exit award of a Graduate Diploma in Pedagogy* (subject to satisfactory completion of relevant subjects). Alternatively they may be withdrawn from the course.

*Note that the Graduate Diploma in Pedagogy (Early Childhood) is not a qualification for registration to teach in early childhood settings.

Subject options

See subject options for each of the Full Time and Part Time course plans listed under Majors, minors and specialisations.

Last updated: 28 April 2025