George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
Early Childhood Education
Program Details
- Program Code: C100
- Credential: Ontario College Diploma
- Duration: 2 years (4 semesters) or 18 months continuous with Summer classes (January start)
- Method of Study: Full-time
- Starting Months: January, September
- Domestic Tuition: $4,158.00 *
Program Availability
| Semester | Domestic | International |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2019 | Closed | Closed |
| Winter 2020 | Closed | Closed |
| Spring 2020 | Not Available | Not Available |
- Work-Integrated Learning: Field Placement
- PGWP Eligible: No
Program Description
Leadership Claims
Preparing graduates to work as Early Childhood Educators for more than 20 years.
Program Overview
Full Description
Early Childhood Education is a two-year diploma program that combines alternating blocks of classroom theory and field practice to provide students with both theoretical and practical training. Students learn to work with infants, toddlers, preschool and school-aged children in a variety of early childhood education settings.
Each semester is divided into blocks of seven weeks. One block is for academic study, the other is for field placement.
ACCELERATED OPTION (16 Consecutive Months)
For students who are eager to enter the field of Early Childhood Education and are able to study without any significant breaks, we offer an accelerated stream that runs for 16 consecutive months (4 continuous semesters). For more details visit our Early Childhood Education (Accelerated) (C160) program.
FAST-TRACK – DIRECT ENTRY (10 MONTHS)
You may qualify for the fast-track program if you have a diploma or degree in a related field. For details visit program C130.
Your Field Education Options
Students complete a seven-week field placement in each semester of the program. During this time, students have the opportunity to work with children of different age groups in a variety of settings.
Field placement provides a continuum of experience that gives students the opportunity to integrate and apply theory to practice.
To support student learning outcomes and ensure you have access to facilities that reflect the best practices we consider essential, we own and operate 12 child care centres located across the Greater Toronto Area. These lab schools expose you to the kinds of environments where you will eventually work and provide valuable services to the families and communities that they serve.
Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities
Your Career
Graduates of this program may find employment in:
- child care centres
- early years centres
- full-day Kindergarten
- parent resource centres
- pediatric playrooms
- special education settings
- integrated kindergartens
- therapeutic nursery programs
- in-home care
Courses
Semester 1
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| COMM2000 | Communicating Across Contexts |
| ECE 1000 | Professional Development Workshop 1 |
| ECE 1024 | Field Practice I for Early Childhood Education |
| ECE 1069 | Health, Safety & Nutrition |
| ECE 1070 | Interpersonal Communication |
| ECE 1075 | Foundations of Early Childhood Education |
| ECE 1181 | Integrated Seminar I |
| ECE 2075 | Applied Curriculum |
| PSY 1075 | Infant and Child Development |
Semester 2
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| ECE 1026 | Field Practice II |
| ECE 1069 | Health, Safety & Nutrition |
| ECE 1070 | Interpersonal Communication |
| ECE 1075 | Foundations of Early Childhood Education |
| ECE 1089 | Observation, Planning & Evaluation |
| ECE 1095 | Anti-Racism in Early Years Programs |
| ECE 1182 | Integrated Seminar II |
| ECE 2075 | Applied Curriculum |
| GSSC1064 | Introduction to Sociology |
| PSY 1075 | Infant and Child Development |
Semester 3
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| ECE 1141 | Professional Development I |
| ECE 1183 | Integrated Seminar III |
| ECE 2014 | Field Practice III |
| ECE 2056 | Creative Curriculum |
| ECE 2111 | Policy Advocacy&Legislation I |
| ECE 2121 | Inclusion Early Childhood I |
| ECE 2131 | Working with Families I |
| ECE 2141 | Curriculum Theory I |
| GNED | General Elective |
Semester 4
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| ECE 1142 | Professional Development II |
| ECE 1184 | Integrated Seminar IV |
| ECE 2017 | Field Practice IV |
| ECE 2057 | Current Issue |
| ECE 2112 | Policy Advocacy&Legislation II |
| ECE 2122 | Inclusion Early Childhood II |
| ECE 2132 | Working with Families II |
| ECE 2142 | Curriculum Theory II |
| GNED | General Elective |
Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Design, implement and evaluate inclusive and play-based early learning curriculum and programs that support children’s holistic development and are responsive to individual children’s and groups of children’s observed abilities, interests and ideas.
- Establish and maintain inclusive early learning environments that support diverse, equitable and accessible developmental and learning opportunities for all children and their families.
- Select and use a variety of screening tools, observation and documentation strategies to review, support and promote children’s learning across the continuum of early childhood development.
- Establish and maintain responsive relationships with individual children, groups of children and families.
- Assess, develop and maintain safe, healthy and quality early learning environments which meet the requirements of current legislation, agency policies and evidence-based practices in early learning.
- Prepare and use professional written, verbal, nonverbal and electronic communications when working with children, families, colleagues, employers, and community partners.
- Identify, select and apply relevant legislation, regulations, College of Early Childhood Educators Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics, policies and evidence-based practice guidelines, and interpret their impact on a variety of early learning environments.
- Apply a developing personal philosophy of early learning in accordance with ethical and professional standards of early childhood education practice.
- Advocate for quality early learning environments and collaborate with members of the early learning team, families and community partners to establish and promote such settings.
- Engage in reflective practice, develop learning goals and maintain an ongoing professional development plan in accordance with evidence-based practices in early learning and related fields.
- Plan, implement and evaluate Indigenous early learning curriculum, programs and environments that promote children’s, families and communities knowledge of and respect for Indigenous peoples and their cultures.
Tuition & Fees
Domestic Tuition
Additional Costs
* Amounts listed are the total of tuition, materials, student service and ancillary fees for the first two semesters of programs starting in Fall 2018. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2019 and at later dates.
International students: Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
International Students
Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
Admission Requirements
Applicants are selected on the basis of their academic achievement, including the required courses, and any other selection criteria outlined below.
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent**
- Grade 12 English (C or U) PLUS any additional (3) Grade 12 C, U, M or Grade 11 C, U or M credits
- Mandatory Information session – Only applicants who receive a conditional offer will be required to attend the information session. Other arrangements will be made for applicants who live outside the Greater Toronto Area and/or are unable to attend the information session.
** Mature Student status (19 years of age or older and no OSSD)
Mature Students may take the Admissions Assessment for English, OR may consider upgrading to achieve the credit(s) needed in English.
Please note that George Brown is committed to ensuring that applicants will succeed in their program of choice and meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Applicants may be required to have grades higher than the minimum requirements stated.
Course Exemptions
College or university credits may qualify you for course exemptions. Please visit georgebrown.ca/transferguide for more information.
International Students
Visit the International Admissions page for more information.
International Students
Visit the International Admissions page for more information regarding country specific admission requirements.
Special Requirements
Field placement is a mandatory and complex component of the program. Should accommodation issues arise, an Accessible Learning Consultant may be called upon to assist the applicant in determining whether she/he can meet the requirements necessary for safe caregiving for young children.
In compliance with requests from our student placement partners and requirements from Public Health and Ontario legislation, all students in this program must have completed the following prior to beginning field placement:
- Standard First Aid with CPR level C course
- Police Vulnerable Sector Check
- Medical Clearance
Students who are unable to provide completed field clearance documents may be unable to complete their field placement and, therefore, be unable to complete the program.
For more information on the ECE Field Placement requirements, please email ece@georgebrown.ca
How to Apply
Apply To
Domestic students should apply through Ontario Colleges
International Students
Visit the How to Apply page for more information on how and when to apply.
International students should apply through the George Brown Polytechnic Online Application System.
Contact Us
School of Early Childhood
Phone: 416-415-5000, ext. 2310
Email: ece@georgebrown.ca
Our office hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
For more information about George Brown College, you may also call the Contact Centre at 416-415-2000 (TTY 1-877-515-5559) or long distance 1-800-265-2002.
International Students
Contact one of our international recruitment representatives specializing by country of origin by either booking a virtual meeting or submitting an inquiry. For more information visit the International Contact Us page
Program Description
Leadership Claims
Preparing graduates to work as Early Childhood Educators for more than 20 years.
Program Overview
Full Description
Early Childhood Education is a two-year diploma program that combines alternating blocks of classroom theory and field practice to provide students with both theoretical and practical training. Students learn to work with infants, toddlers, preschool and school-aged children in a variety of early childhood education settings.
Each semester is divided into blocks of seven weeks. One block is for academic study, the other is for field placement.
ACCELERATED OPTION (16 Consecutive Months)
For students who are eager to enter the field of Early Childhood Education and are able to study without any significant breaks, we offer an accelerated stream that runs for 16 consecutive months (4 continuous semesters). For more details visit our Early Childhood Education (Accelerated) (C160) program.
FAST-TRACK – DIRECT ENTRY (10 MONTHS)
You may qualify for the fast-track program if you have a diploma or degree in a related field. For details visit program C130.
Your Field Education Options
Students complete a seven-week field placement in each semester of the program. During this time, students have the opportunity to work with children of different age groups in a variety of settings.
Field placement provides a continuum of experience that gives students the opportunity to integrate and apply theory to practice.
To support student learning outcomes and ensure you have access to facilities that reflect the best practices we consider essential, we own and operate 12 child care centres located across the Greater Toronto Area. These lab schools expose you to the kinds of environments where you will eventually work and provide valuable services to the families and communities that they serve.
Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities
Your Career
Graduates of this program may find employment in:
- child care centres
- early years centres
- full-day Kindergarten
- parent resource centres
- pediatric playrooms
- special education settings
- integrated kindergartens
- therapeutic nursery programs
- in-home care
Courses
Semester 1
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| COMM2000 | Communicating Across Contexts |
| ECE 1000 | Professional Development Workshop 1 |
| ECE 1024 | Field Practice I for Early Childhood Education |
| ECE 1069 | Health, Safety & Nutrition |
| ECE 1070 | Interpersonal Communication |
| ECE 1075 | Foundations of Early Childhood Education |
| ECE 1181 | Integrated Seminar I |
| ECE 2075 | Applied Curriculum |
| PSY 1075 | Infant and Child Development |
Semester 2
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| ECE 1026 | Field Practice II |
| ECE 1069 | Health, Safety & Nutrition |
| ECE 1070 | Interpersonal Communication |
| ECE 1075 | Foundations of Early Childhood Education |
| ECE 1089 | Observation, Planning & Evaluation |
| ECE 1095 | Anti-Racism in Early Years Programs |
| ECE 1182 | Integrated Seminar II |
| ECE 2075 | Applied Curriculum |
| GSSC1064 | Introduction to Sociology |
| PSY 1075 | Infant and Child Development |
Semester 3
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| ECE 1141 | Professional Development I |
| ECE 1183 | Integrated Seminar III |
| ECE 2014 | Field Practice III |
| ECE 2056 | Creative Curriculum |
| ECE 2111 | Policy Advocacy&Legislation I |
| ECE 2121 | Inclusion Early Childhood I |
| ECE 2131 | Working with Families I |
| ECE 2141 | Curriculum Theory I |
| GNED | General Elective |
Semester 4
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| ECE 1142 | Professional Development II |
| ECE 1184 | Integrated Seminar IV |
| ECE 2017 | Field Practice IV |
| ECE 2057 | Current Issue |
| ECE 2112 | Policy Advocacy&Legislation II |
| ECE 2122 | Inclusion Early Childhood II |
| ECE 2132 | Working with Families II |
| ECE 2142 | Curriculum Theory II |
| GNED | General Elective |
Tuition & Fees
Domestic Tuition
Additional Costs
* Amounts listed are the total of tuition, materials, student service and ancillary fees for the first two semesters of programs starting in Fall 2018. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2019 and at later dates.
International students: Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
International Students
Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
Admission Requirements
Applicants are selected on the basis of their academic achievement, including the required courses, and any other selection criteria outlined below.
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent**
- Grade 12 English (C or U) PLUS any additional (3) Grade 12 C, U, M or Grade 11 C, U or M credits
- Mandatory Information session – Only applicants who receive a conditional offer will be required to attend the information session. Other arrangements will be made for applicants who live outside the Greater Toronto Area and/or are unable to attend the information session.
** Mature Student status (19 years of age or older and no OSSD)
Mature Students may take the Admissions Assessment for English, OR may consider upgrading to achieve the credit(s) needed in English.
Please note that George Brown is committed to ensuring that applicants will succeed in their program of choice and meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Applicants may be required to have grades higher than the minimum requirements stated.
Course Exemptions
College or university credits may qualify you for course exemptions. Please visit georgebrown.ca/transferguide for more information.
International Students
Visit the International Admissions page for more information.
International Students
Visit the International Admissions page for more information regarding country specific admission requirements.
Special Requirements
Field placement is a mandatory and complex component of the program. Should accommodation issues arise, an Accessible Learning Consultant may be called upon to assist the applicant in determining whether she/he can meet the requirements necessary for safe caregiving for young children.
In compliance with requests from our student placement partners and requirements from Public Health and Ontario legislation, all students in this program must have completed the following prior to beginning field placement:
- Standard First Aid with CPR level C course
- Police Vulnerable Sector Check
- Medical Clearance
Students who are unable to provide completed field clearance documents may be unable to complete their field placement and, therefore, be unable to complete the program.
For more information on the ECE Field Placement requirements, please email ece@georgebrown.ca
How to Apply
Apply To
Domestic students should apply through Ontario Colleges
International Students
Visit the How to Apply page for more information on how and when to apply.
International students should apply through the George Brown Polytechnic Online Application System.
Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Design, implement and evaluate inclusive and play-based early learning curriculum and programs that support children’s holistic development and are responsive to individual children’s and groups of children’s observed abilities, interests and ideas.
- Establish and maintain inclusive early learning environments that support diverse, equitable and accessible developmental and learning opportunities for all children and their families.
- Select and use a variety of screening tools, observation and documentation strategies to review, support and promote children’s learning across the continuum of early childhood development.
- Establish and maintain responsive relationships with individual children, groups of children and families.
- Assess, develop and maintain safe, healthy and quality early learning environments which meet the requirements of current legislation, agency policies and evidence-based practices in early learning.
- Prepare and use professional written, verbal, nonverbal and electronic communications when working with children, families, colleagues, employers, and community partners.
- Identify, select and apply relevant legislation, regulations, College of Early Childhood Educators Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics, policies and evidence-based practice guidelines, and interpret their impact on a variety of early learning environments.
- Apply a developing personal philosophy of early learning in accordance with ethical and professional standards of early childhood education practice.
- Advocate for quality early learning environments and collaborate with members of the early learning team, families and community partners to establish and promote such settings.
- Engage in reflective practice, develop learning goals and maintain an ongoing professional development plan in accordance with evidence-based practices in early learning and related fields.
- Plan, implement and evaluate Indigenous early learning curriculum, programs and environments that promote children’s, families and communities knowledge of and respect for Indigenous peoples and their cultures.
Contact Us
School of Early Childhood
Phone: 416-415-5000, ext. 2310
Email: ece@georgebrown.ca
Our office hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
For more information about George Brown College, you may also call the Contact Centre at 416-415-2000 (TTY 1-877-515-5559) or long distance 1-800-265-2002.
International Students
Contact one of our international recruitment representatives specializing by country of origin by either booking a virtual meeting or submitting an inquiry. For more information visit the International Contact Us page
