What is the BEST option for DEGREE

[Miss T]

I completed my Diploma in 2010, and i've always been freaked out about uni.

These are my fears:

The cost
How will i do the work while working
Is Hecs really better than paying as you go?
How can i do blocks of pracs when i'm working? I need to work as i have rent to pay etc.

You with all these changes, they could offer the option of a work place degree traineeship if that makes sense lol... should be able to be assessed at your workplace rather than going to a different center.

So with uni, ultimately I wouldnt mind the one - 0-12 years, i've been told that doesnt exist anymore. I met a girl that did a degree of somesort and it is not recognised in the early childhood sector.

[law92]

Hi

I know, uni is such a big commitment, and you have to do heaps of practical unpaid hours for the degree which can be a real drawback for many people as we all have bills, etc to pay. You might be able to get some help from centrelink, maybe austudy? i get student payments from centrelink, and because i get that payment from them, it entitles me to their uni scholarship automatically, where they give me 2 lump sum payments a year, worth $1,000 each, to pay for uni textbooks and anything else I need.

HECS is good as you only have to pay back your uni debt in small amounts when you are earning a decent salary, i think its about $50,000/year? not sure tho. The benefit of this is paying in small, manageable amounts only when you have a decent salary, rather than trying to pay off your uni debt while still trying to study. Trust me, uni textbooks are expensive enough. I would definately do HECS.

I know its hard to do the practicals when you have bills to pay, but really try and do the degree if you can afford to it will really pay off in the future as you will have so many more career options, better working conditions and, of course, better money! They should do a work place traineeship but I guess they try and make it as hard as possible or else everyone would be doing uni!

You can do teaching degrees for the 0-12years, I know there are unis now that do a Bachelor of Education (early childhood & PRIMARY), they actually combine the early childhood (0-8 years) and the primary (8-12 years) into one degree. There are online/distance degrees that offer this course:

http://www.une.edu.au/courses/2014/courses/BEDECP - UNE is a university in NSW & this degree meets the accreditation requirements for both Early Childhood Teacher and Primary School Teacher & you can study it via distance education.

[cathiek]

HI there
Some uni's offer the course externally (for most of it) I know murdoch uni in WA does, but there are a couple of on campus components that are done in the hols. I did some of my Early childhood and primary degree on campus and some external. I found it quite good - lots of support online. You will have to take some leave (maybe hols) to do the on campus components and pracs. You don't have to take a full load on at once so why not start of slowly and see how you handle it. Do you have young kids at home? My children were a bit older (I think 10) when I started so it was OK but would prob be harder with toddlers etc. I found the workload manageable you just have to set yourself goals and work towards it. I used HECS, except for one year when I actually had some money to pay for it! It just comes out of my pay now - not too much so is ok, I will just be paying it off for a while.
Good luck
Cathie

[strathjack]

Hi there,

You are correct, the pracs are hard work in terms of having to take time off to do them but they are a necessary evil (and I call it evil as some placements can be awesome whilst some can be hellish!). They will never create a course where you can do the pracs in your own center as the degree actually gives you Teacher recognition and therefore you have to have experience in the various school classrooms.

Your diploma will actually take away a year of your university degree and you wont actually have to do any prac in a child care environment which is always a bonus. The longest prac of course is the final one, for myself it was 5 weeks of prac (basically 5 weeks of teaching someone else's class and having them watch you eekk... seriously though, the pracs are amazing when you get a great mentor).

HECS is a great system and use it well!

[leenie]

Hi
I'm in the process of pursuing applying for an online degree. I was accepted this year into full time uni but didn't accept as I was exhausted from work and not 100% on the path I was travelling with my career and couldn't afford uni full time. So now I'm looking at a similar degree online. But to get anywhere really a degree is the way to go.
If you are not looking at becoming a teacher. There is a degree called child and family studies. To have a look at it Griffith Uni which is where I was accepted. Edith Cowan uni in WA you can do online-slightly different but generically similar. It is ACECQA approved. But you may have to find out what level of job you can do but from what I've understood you can be manager/direct of centres. You would have to find out if it covers you for preprep (QLD) preschool (NSW) like an ECT.

Good Luck

[zara1200]

Best option is to get job with the degree.

[wimble]

As others have stated, the prac is extremely demanding if you have no other form of income support. I did my degree full-time while working full-time and 15 weeks of prac. It was hell but dfinitely worth it, I literally starved for days on end... however I am now employed as preschool team leader and going from working as an assistant my wage instantly doubled (if you already have a diploma this won't be the case but it will still be a significant pay-rise.)
If finances are an issue I would suggest going part time to start with, work full-time and try to save as much as possible for the prac blocks, you can always increase your study load if you get some funds behind you.