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

Career Options

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

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.

To learn about the George Brown College student experience in the Early Childhood Education (C100) diploma program, watch this short testimonial.

Kevin Kelo (Student, Early Childhood Education)
Ontario College Diploma

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Early Childhood Education Program (C100)

Program 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

Future Study Options

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 towards 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.

To learn about the George Brown College student experience in the Early Childhood Education (C100) diploma program, watch this short testimonial.

Kevin Kelo (Student, Early Childhood Education)
Ontario College Diploma

Visit and discover life in our campus

Book campus tour

Sign up to receive tailored resources to make your application, your way.

Sign up and learn more about your options, our programs, and life at George Brown.

CAPTCHA