Undergraduate study in Early Childhood Education

Play a key role in ensuring the vital years of children’s lives are a time of fun, learning and healthy development. As an early childhood teacher, you will help young children from birth to five years with their learning, identity and exploration of the world around them.

The Early Childhood Education specialisation is taught at our Epsom Campus.

Our Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Early Childhood Education is a three-year specialisation. It qualifies you to become an early childhood teacher in a range of settings, including kindergartens and early childhood centres (typically children from birth to five). Upon graduation, you will be eligible for provisional teacher certification.

The programme will develop your understanding of the teaching profession, theories of learning, the early childhood curriculum: Te Whāriki, te reo Māori, Māori and Pacific culture, literacy, numeracy and communication skills.

The Bachelor of Education (Teaching) – Early Childhood Education specialisation consists of 360 points: 120 points each year, mostly comprised of 7–8 compulsory 15-point core courses at each level. In the first year, students are able to choose one course from the General Education courses on offer.

You’ll be assessed through assignments, examinations and practical work experience in early childhood centres.

Practical experience, or practicum, is critical to understanding what it’s really like to be a professional teacher. Throughout the programme, you’ll spend approximately 24 weeks observing and teaching in a range of early childhood centres. This is an opportunity for you to find out what it’s like to care for young children, observe a range of teaching approaches, develop your own skills and discuss relevant issues with practising professionals.

Our graduates are in high demand as early childhood teachers. Many go on to teach in a range of kindergartens, early childhood centres and teacher-led home-based care agencies in New Zealand and overseas. Teaching also equips you with a range of transferable skills that can be applied in many professions.

Early childhood teachers are highly sought after in New Zealand. The career is listed as a skill shortage for every region in the Regional Skill Shortage List 2019.

Other postgraduate programmes include

• Master of Education
• Master of Education Practice
• Master of Educational Leadership
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education
• Postgraduate Diploma in Education
• Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership
• Postgraduate Diploma in Language Teaching

Each year we award scholarships and prizes to thousands of students. Find out more by visiting Scholarships and awards.

In addition, you will be eligible to apply for TeachNZ scholarships.

For general student enquiries, please contact the Student Hubs.

To discuss your study options with a student adviser, email studentinfo@auckland.ac.nz
or make an appointment.