Apply To Early Childhood Education Courses
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Table of Contents
1. What Is Early Childhood Education?
Early childhood education is an important and impactful career. It focuses on the critical developmental cognitive milestones, skills, and concepts that children attain during the period up to age 8, from social-emotional skills to the beginnings of numeracy, literacy, and critical thinking.
Why it matters?
- It is considered by the OECD to be a key economic indicator when assessing the health and future positioning of a nation.
- It is often said that the early childhood years are the most formative and malleable years that will determine a child’s ability to thrive in the future.
- Many families often have 2 working parents and this is where educators play an important role to fill the gap in children’s developmental journey.
Listen to this TED Talk on the importance of early childhood education:
2. Where To Study Early Childhood Education In Malaysia?
Here are 10 best universities to study Early Childhood Education in Malaysia.
- #1 HELP University
- #2 SEGI University
- #3 UNITAR International University
- #4 Sentral College
- #5 University Of Cyberjaya (UOC)
- #6 Quest International University (QIU)
- #7 Taylor’s University
- #8 MAHSA University
- #9 University Of Wollongong (UOW) Malaysia
- #10 TARUMT
- BONUS — University Malaya (UM)
3. Early Childhood Education Pathways & Entry Requirements
Pathway 1: SPM/O-Levels ➔ Pre-University/Foundation ➔ Early Childhood Education Degree
One pathway to earn a Degree in Early Childhood Education is to enter a Pre-University course (A-Level, SACE, STPM) or a Foundation course offered by the university of your choice.
As an SPM / O-Level leaver, the entry requirement is 5 credits including English to enter Pre-U or Foundation.
A Pre-University course or Foundation takes 1 to 2 years to complete and will qualify you to enter into a Degree in Early Childhood Education.
An Early Childhood Education Degree takes 3 years to complete. Here are the general requirements to enter with qualifications from popular pre-university courses or a foundation course:
| Qualifications | General Requirements |
| A-Level | 2D |
| AUSMAT/SACE | ATAR 60 |
| CIMP | 50% |
| STPM | 2C |
| UEC | 5B |
| Foundation | CGPA 2.00 |
Note: Actual minimum requirements will differ between different universities.
In total, this pathway generally takes 4 years to complete.
Pathway 2: SPM/O-Levels ➔ Diploma ➔ Early Childhood Education Degree
It is quite common for students to pursue a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and seek a career in the field thereafter.
As an SPM / O-Level leaver, the entry requirement is 3 credits including English to enter Diploma.
A Diploma in Early Childhood Education normally requires 2.5 years to complete while some courses require 3 years, depending on the university offering.
The minimum of 2.5 years is mainly due to the internship assignments, typically as an assistant educator at schools, that you have to undergo to gain real working experience and engagement with children.
For those who decide to continue with their Degree studies, you only need to continue your studies for another 2 years to secure a Bachelor in Early Childhood Education.
For a Diploma holder, you need a minimum of CGPA 2.0 to enter into a Degree for this field of study.
Having a Degree qualification or higher is generally better for career progression opportunities, especially in the education sector.
4. What You Learn In An Early Childhood Education Course
These are the subjects you will be exposed to when taking an undergraduate Early Childhood Education Course. Note, they may vary slightly from one university to another.
- Approaches in Early Childhood Education
- Children Play and Theatre
- Curriculum Planning & Programme Development
- Early Childhood Entrepreneurship
- Family and Community in Early Childhood
- Foundation of Early Childhood Care and Education
- Growth and Development for Early Childhood
- Health, Safety and Nutrition for Young Children
- Issues, Ethics and Professionalism in ECE
- Language and Literacy for Young Children
- Managing Young Children’s Behaviours
- Mathematics in Early Childhood
- Music and Movement in Early Childhood
- Observation and Assessment in ECE
- Physical and Health Education in ECE
- Practicum: Nursery & Kindergarten Experience
- Psychosociology for Social Sciences
- Science and Technology in ECE
- Science for Young Children
- Social and Emotion of Young Children
- Social and Environment Studies in ECE
- Special Need in Early Childhood Education
- Teacher Professional Development
How Can Uni Enrol Help?
Uni Enrol’s experienced counsellors help you compare the pros and cons of studying an Early Childhood Education Course at different universities and different locations.
5. Why Should I Study Early Childhood Education?
Aside from being instrumental in a child’s future, here are more reasons to consider entering this field:
- Continuous Need For Educators – Nothing can replace the human touch especially in the early years of a child’s life. The need for higher quality educators is reflected in the growth of private pre-schools in Malaysia.
- Rise of Montessori and Alternative Education – More parents are opting for Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Waldorf education methods, increasing the need for specialized teachers.
- Special Needs Children – New techniques, multisensory teaching approaches and strategies are being developed for children with special needs which are generally underserved in Malaysia.
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6. RIASEC Compatibility To An Early Childhood Education Course
The John Holland Theory of Career Choice states that in choosing a career, people will choose one similar to their personality to ensure job satisfaction, job performance, and career success. The test generates 6 different personality types:
- Realistic (R)
- Investigative (I)
- Artistic (A)
- Social (S)
- Enterprising (E)
- Conventional (C)
With the RIASEC Test, the 6 personalities can generate up to 720 combination possibilities to provide career compatibility. You can try the test yourself here.
The Top 3 RIASEC traits advantageous for someone going into early childhood education would be:
SOCIAL
- Individuals with a strong social orientation possess a strong motivation to help people, have good interpersonal skills, and an affinity to connect with children. This trait is essential in the process of nurturing, teaching, and supporting children’s emotional and social development.
ARTISTIC
- In early childhood education, creativity is vital for engaging children through play, art, music, and storytelling. Educators with an artistic inclination can foster a stimulating learning environment.
ENTERPRISING
- Enterprising individuals possess charismatic qualities and the ability to inspire others. In early childhood education, these traits can be beneficial for managing classrooms, leading educational initiatives, or advocating for children’s needs within the community.
7. Career Opportunities For Early Childhood Education
A qualification in Early Childhood Education lets you apply that knowledge in skills in any setting that involve children, not just the classroom:
| Areas of Opportunity | Types of Roles |
| Teaching and Classroom Roles | Preschool Teacher, Kindergarten Teacher, Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Teaching Assistant (TA) |
| Specialised Roles | Special Education Teacher, Childcare Centre Director, Early Intervention Specialist |
| Support and Development Roles | Curriculum Developer, Child Development Specialist, Family Support Worker |
| Administrative and Leadership Roles | Program Coordinator, Policy Advisor / ECE Consultant, Education Administrator |
| Non-Traditional and Creative Roles | Educational Content Creator, Corporate Childcare Provider, Nanny or Au Pair |
| Community and Advocacy Roles | Child Advocate, Social Worker (Child-Focused) |
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About the Author:
Ken Hoong is the co-founder of Uni Enrol and a contributing writer. Drawing on his close work with Uni Enrol’s counsellors, he brings keen insight into Malaysia’s evolving private higher education landscape and the shifting preferences of students in learning and career choices.
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