Early Childhood Education Program (C100)
Program Description
Leadership Claims
Preparing graduates to work as Early Childhood Educators for more than 20 years.
Program Overview
George Brown College is now offering a tuition-free* Early Childhood Education (Accelerated) program for a limited time.
This 16-month accelerated program starts in May 2023.
PLEASE NOTE: Funding for this program is only available to domestic students.
Early Childhood Education is a two-year diploma program that uses rotating blocks of theory and practice to give you the skills you need to work with children from six weeks to 12 years of age in a variety of settings.
*This opportunity is funded in partnership with the City of Toronto, the Province of Ontario and Government of Canada under the new Canada-Ontario Early Childhood Workforce Agreement, which provides one-time federal funding to support the retention and recruitment of a high-quality child care and early years workforce.
Full Description
George Brown College is now offering a tuition-free* Early Childhood Education (Accelerated) program for a limited time.
This 16-month accelerated program starts in May 2023.
PLEASE NOTE: Funding for this program is only available to domestic students.
Early Childhood Education is a two-year diploma program that will teach you how to support children as they grow. You will study the holistic development of infants (from six weeks), toddlers, preschoolers and school-aged children (to 12 years), learn how to plan and implement programs that support children’s learning; and have an opportunity to engage with families and the broader community.
We have structured this program to alternate between in-class learning and field placement. This method of teaching helps you develop confidence in your skills as you learn to apply key concepts from the classroom to a real-world setting. Employers value this approach because it makes our graduates ready to work as early childhood educators on day one.
PLEASE NOTE: Some of our clinical or work placement partners may require students to show proof of full vaccination. As such, students who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 may not be able to complete the required field placement component of their program in the regularly scheduled time frame. Please visit this page for the latest updates on COVID-19.
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 (four 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 Early Childhood Education (Fast-Track) (C130) program.
*This opportunity is funded in partnership with the City of Toronto, the Province of Ontario and Government of Canada under the new Canada-Ontario Early Childhood Workforce Agreement, which provides one-time federal funding to support the retention and recruitment of a high-quality child care and early years workforce.
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 model the best practices we consider essential, we operate Ontario's largest network of college-run lab school child care centres that serve over 1100 children and their families each year. These 12 child care centres, located across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), will 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
Educational Pathways
Students who complete the Early Childhood Education program with a GPA of 2.5 or higher may apply to complete the bridge courses for entry into the third year of the Honours Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership program (C301).
Your Early Childhood Education diploma will give you credit toward degree programs at other institutions. It also makes you eligible for entrance to Ontario’s College of Early Childhood Educators.
For information on future study options, see Transfer Guide.
Courses
Required Courses
SEMESTER 1
Code | Course Name |
---|---|
ECE 1000 | Professional Development Workshop 1 |
ECE 1075 | Foundations of ECE |
ECE 1069 | Health, Safety and Nutrition |
ECE 1070 | Interpersonal Communication |
ECE 1076 | Observation, Planning and Evaluation |
ECE 2045 | Applied Curriculum |
PSY 1075 | Infant and Child Development |
COMM 1007 | College English** |
SEMESTER 2
Code | Course Name |
---|---|
ECE 1069 | Health, Safety and Nutrition |
ECE 1092 | Field Practice I |
ECE 1181 | Integrated Seminar I |
GSSC 1064 | Introduction to Sociology |
ECE 1076 | Observation, Planning and Evaluation |
ECE 2045 | Applied Curriculum |
PSY 1075 | Infant and Child Development |
ECE 2059 | Field Practice Tutorial I |
SEMESTER 3
Code | Course Name |
---|---|
ECE 2048 | Policy, Advocacy and Legislation |
ECE 2049 | Inclusion In Early Childhood |
ECE 2050 | Working with Families |
ECE 1026 | Field Practice II |
ECE 1182 | Integrated Seminar II |
ECE 1080 | Professional Development Workshop 2 |
ECE 2053 | Curriculum Theory |
ECE 2061 | Social Plolicy in the Early Years |
ECE 2062 | Field Practice Tutorial II |
GNED | General Education Elective |
SEMESTER 4
Code | Course Name |
---|---|
ECE 2048 | Policy, Advocacy and Legislation |
ECE 2050 | Working with Families |
ECE 2060 | Field Practice III |
ECE 1183 | Integrated Seminar III |
ECE 2053 | Curriculum Theory |
ECE 2057 | Current Issues |
ECE 2056 | Creative Curriculum |
ECE 2063 | Field Practice Tutorial III |
GNED | General Education Elective |
**Based on the results of your placement test, you may be required to take COMM 1000 Introduction to College Communication before progressing to COMM 1007. COMM 1000 does not count as a course required for graduation, and you will be charged for this extra course. Please visit Assessment Centre for more information.
Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Create learning contexts to enable, build and maintain caring, responsive relationships in partnerships with children, families and communities that value and respect social, cultural and linguistic diversity including Indigenous peoples' world views and Francophone identity.
- Co-create, facilitate and reflect upon inquiry and play-based early years and child care programs and pedagogical approaches to support children's learning, holistic development and well-being following children's capabilities, interests, ideas and experiences.
- Co-design and maintain inclusive early-learning environments to value and support equitable, accessible and meaningful learning opportunities for all children, their families and communities in a range of early years and child care settings.
- Collaborate with children, families, colleagues, agencies and community partners to create, maintain, evaluate and promote safe and healthy early-learning environments to support independence, reasonable risk-taking and healthy development and well-being.
- Use observation strategies to identify children's strengths and challenges and to ascertain when children and families might benefit from additional support or community resources.
- Use professional communication in interactions with children, families, colleagues, employers, the regulatory body, government authorities and children's service agencies to meet legal and ethical standards of the early years sector.
- Act in accordance with relevant legislation, regulations, College of Early Childhood Educators Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, agency policies and procedures and principles of evidence-informed practice and reflect upon their impact on one's own role in early years and child care settings.
- Identify, report and document when a child is in a situation of perceived risk for, or actual neglect or abuse, in accordance with legislation, the College of Early Childhood Educators Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, policies and procedures.
- Create and engage in partnerships with families, communities, colleagues, interdisciplinary professionals, authorities and child service agencies to advocate for quality early years and child care programs and services.
- Engage in reflective practice and continuous professional learning in accordance with principles of lifelong learning, evidence-informed practices in the early years sector and requirements of the College of Early Childhood Educators.
Tuition & Fees
Domestic Tuition
International 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 2021. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2022 and at later dates.
** Amounts listed are the total of tuition, materials, student service and ancillary fees for the first two semesters of programs starting in Fall 2022. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2023 and at later dates.
International Students
Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
Financial Assistance
This program is approved for OSAP funding, provided the applicant meets OSAP eligibility criteria.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is subject to change without notice. It should not be viewed as a representation, offer or warranty. Students are responsible for verifying George Brown College fee requirements.
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***
** 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.
*** Grade 11 English (ENG3C) cannot be used toward meeting one of the additional 3 credits 12 C, U, M or grade 11 C, U or M credits
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 Transfer Guide 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
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 College 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.
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
Early Childhood Education Program (C100)
Apply Now:
Domestic StudentsProgram Description
Leadership Claims
Preparing graduates to work as Early Childhood Educators for more than 20 years.
Program Overview
Early Childhood Education is a two-year diploma program that uses rotating blocks of theory and practice to give you the skills you need to work with children from 6 weeks to 12 years of age in a variety of settings.
Full Description
Early Childhood Education is a two-year diploma program that will teach you how to support children as they grow. You will study the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development stages of infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-aged children, and will learn to recognize key behaviours associated with each developmental stage.
We have structured this program to alternate between in-class learning and field placement. This method of teaching helps you to develop confidence in your abilities as you learn to apply key concepts from the classroom to a real-world setting. Employers value this approach because it makes our graduates ready to work as early childhood educators on day one.
PLEASE NOTE: Some of our clinical or work placement partners may require students to show proof of full vaccination. As such, students who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 may not be able to complete the required field placement component of their program in the regularly scheduled time frame. Please visit this page for the latest updates on COVID-19.
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
Required Courses
SEMESTER 1
Code | Course Name |
---|---|
ECE1075 | Foundations of ECE |
PSY1075 | Infant and Child Development |
ECE1069 | Health, Safety and Nutrition |
ECE1070 | Interpersonal Communication |
ECE1181 | Integrated Seminar I |
ECE2045 | Applied Curriculum |
ECE1024 | Field Practice I |
COMM1007 | College English** |
SEMESTER 2
Code | Course Name |
---|---|
ECE1075 | Foundations of ECE |
PSY1075 | Infant and Child Development |
ECE1069 | Health, Safety and Nutrition |
ECE1070 | Interpersonal Communication |
ECE1026 | Field Practice II |
GSSC1064 | Introduction to Sociology |
ECE1089 | Observation, Planning and Evaluation |
ECE1182 | Integrated Seminar II |
ECE2045 | Applied Curriculum |
ECE1000 | Professional Development Workshop 1 |
SEMESTER 3
Code | Course Name |
---|---|
ECE2048 | Policy, Advocacy and Legislation |
ECE2049 | Inclusion In Early Childhood |
ECE2050 | Working with Families |
ECE2014 | Field Practice III |
GHUM1041 | History of Social Policy in Canada |
ECE1080 | Professional Development Workshop 2 |
ECE2053 | Curriculum Theory |
ECE2056 | Creative Curriculum |
ECE1183 | Integrated Seminar III |
GNED | General Education Elective |
SEMESTER 4
Code | Course Name |
---|---|
ECE2048 | Policy, Advocacy and Legislation |
ECE2049 | Inclusion In Early Childhood |
ECE2050 | Working with Families |
ECE2017 | Field Practice IV |
GHUM1041 | History of Social Policy in Canada |
ECE1080 | Professional Development Workshop 2 |
ECE2053 | Curriculum Theory |
ECE1184 | Integrated Seminar IV |
ECE2057 | Current Issues |
GNED | General Education Elective |
**Based on the results of your placement test, you may be required to take COMM1003 (English Skills)*** or CESL1003 (English Skills – ESL)*** before progressing to COMM1007. COMM1003/CESL1003*** does not count as a course required for graduation, and you will be charged for this extra course. Please visit Assessment Centre for more information.
***COMM1003/CESL1003 courses will be replaced by COMM1000 Introduction to College Communication starting with Winter 2022 intake.
Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Create learning contexts to enable, build and maintain caring, responsive relationships in partnerships with children, families and communities that value and respect social, cultural and linguistic diversity including Indigenous peoples' worldviews and Francophone identity.
- Co-create, facilitate and reflect upon inquiry and play-based early years and child care programs and pedagogical approaches to support children's learning, holistic development and well-being following children's capabilities, interests, ideas and experiences.
- Co-design and maintain inclusive early learning environments to value and support equitable, accessible and meaningful learning opportunities for all children, their families and communities in a range of early years and child care settings.
- Collaborate with children, families, colleagues, agencies and community partners to create, maintain, evaluate and promote safe and healthy early learning environments to support independence, reasonable risk-taking and healthy development and well-being.
- Use observation strategies to identify children's strengths and challenges and to ascertain when children and families might benefit from additional support or community resources.
- Use professional communication in interactions with children, families, colleagues, employers, the regulatory body, government authorities and children's service agencies to meet legal and ethical standards of the early years sector.
- Act in accordance with relevant legislation, regulations, College of Early Childhood Educators Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, agency policies and procedures and principles of evidence-informed practice and reflect upon their impact on one's own role in early years and child care settings.
- Identify, report and document when a child is in a situation of perceived risk for, or actual neglect or abuse, in accordance with legislation, the College of Early Childhood Educators Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, policies and procedures.
- Create and engage in partnerships with families, communities, colleagues, interdisciplinary professionals, authorities and child service agencies to advocate for quality early years and child care programs and services.
- Engage in reflective practice and continuous professional learning in accordance with principles of lifelong learning, evidence-informed practices in the early years sector and requirements of the College of Early Childhood Educators.
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 2020. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2021 and at later dates.
International Students
Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
Financial Assistance
This program is approved for OSAP funding, provided the applicant meets OSAP eligibility criteria.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is subject to change without notice. It should not be viewed as a representation, offer or warranty. Students are responsible for verifying George Brown College fee requirements.
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***
** 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.
*** Grade 11 English (ENG3C) cannot be used toward meeting one of the additional 3 credits 12 C, U, M or grade 11 C, U or M credits
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 Transfer Guide 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
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 College 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.
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