Early Childhood Education Program
(Consecutive Diploma/Degree)
(C118)
-
Program Name:
Early Childhood Education
- Code: C118
-
Credential:
Ontario College DiplomaRyerson University Bachelor's Degree
-
Method of Study:
Full-time
-
Duration:
4 years (8 semesters)
- Centre:
- School:
- Location: George Brown College at Ryerson University
- Starting Months: September
-
Domestic Tuition:
$3,971.00 * †
-
Experiential Learning:
Field Placement
-
Fall 2020 Delivery Method:
Online (on-campus activities will resume as soon as it is safe to do so)
Compare up to 3 programs
Overview
Program Overview
Early Childhood Education (Consecutive Diploma/Degree) is a joint program with Ryerson University that offers many distinct advantages, including the ability to graduate with both an Early Childhood Education diploma from George Brown College and a Bachelor of Arts Early Childhood Studies degree from Ryerson University.
Full Description
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the planned delivery of this program starting in September 2020 will be online with limited access to field experiences.
PLEASE NOTE: In response to this evolving situation, the delivery, learning activities and evaluation methods may be further modified mid-semester.
Learners will require access to high-speed internet, a web camera, a microphone and Google Chrome or Firefox as a web browser.
Early Childhood Education (Consecutive Diploma/Degree) is a four-year program that leads to both an Early Childhood Education (ECE) diploma from George Brown College and a Bachelor of Arts Early Childhood Studies degree from Ryerson University.
As a student in this program, you will spend the first two years earning your ECE diploma at the Sally Horsfall Eaton Centre for Studies in Community Health, located at George Brown's Ryerson Campus (co-operatively managed with George Brown), and the latter two years completing your Early Childhood Studies degree at Ryerson University.
This program offers some distinct advantages:
- college-level tuition fees for the first two years, rather than higher university fees
- classes with George Brown College faculty who are national leaders in applied ECE
- practical training at one of George Brown’s 12 child care lab schools located across the Greater Toronto Area
- direct entry into the third year of the Ryerson degree program
- expanded career scope and direction by earning both a diploma and degree in ECE
Our system of alternating blocks of classroom theory and field practice will give you the knowledge and skills you need to work with with infants, toddlers, preschool and school-aged children in a variety of early childhood education settings.
Your Field Education Options
Field placement plays a significant role in this program by providing students the opportunity to integrate and apply classroom theory to practice. Placements are offered in Semesters 1, 2, 3 and 4 for three days per week, seven weeks per semester. During this time, students will have the chance to work with children of different age groups in a variety of settings.
To support student learning outcomes and ensure that our students 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.
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.
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 |
| ECE2045 | Applied Curriculum |
| ECL1205 | Composition and Rhetoric |
| LSSC1211 | Introduction to Sociology |
| ECE1076 | Observation, Planning and Evaluation |
| ECE1000 | Professional Development Workshop I |
| GNED | General Education – Liberal Arts Elective* |
SEMESTER 2
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| PSY1075 | Infant and Child Development |
| ECE2045 | Applied Curriculum |
| LSSC1212 | Introduction to Psychology |
| ECE1000 | Professional Development Workshop 1 |
| ECE1076 | Observation, Planning and Evaluation |
| ECE1024 | Field Practice I |
| ECE1181 | Integrated Seminar I |
| LSSC1211 | Introduction to Sociology |
| GNED | General Education – Liberal Arts Elective* |
SEMESTER 3
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| ECE1080 | Professional Development Workshop 2 |
| ECE2056 | Creative Curriculum |
| ECE2048 | Policy, Advocacy and Legislation |
| ECE2049 | Inclusion in Early Childhood |
| ECE2050 | Working with Families |
| ECE2053 | Curriculum Theory |
| ECE2054 | Competent Learner – Reflective Practitioner |
| ECE1026 | Field Practice II |
| ECE1182 | Integrated Seminar II |
| GNED | General Education Elective |
SEMESTER 4
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| ECE1080 | Professional Development Workshop 2 |
| ECE1201 | Language Development |
| ECE2048 | Policy, Advocacy and Legislation |
| ECE2049 | Inclusion in Early Childhood |
| ECE2050 | Working with Families |
| ECE2053 | Curriculum Theory |
| ECE2014 | Field Practice III |
| ECE1183 | Integrated Seminar III |
| ECE2057 | Current Issues |
| GNED | General Education – Liberal Arts Elective* |
*Students take one additional university-level course per semester and will be invoiced and required to pay for the one course each semester.
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
Upon successful completion of the ECE diploma, graduates are eligible for entrance to Ontario’s College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE).
Tuition and Fees
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 2019. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2020 and at later dates.
† In addition, students in C118 are required to take a university-level general education course for which an extra fee will be charged (semester 1, 2, 3, 4).
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.
How to Qualify and Apply
Admission Requirements
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma with six Grade 12 University (U) or University/College (M) courses, with a combined average of 65% or higher
- Grade 12 English (U) with a grade of 65% or higher
- Grade 11 Mathematics (M or U) or Science (M or U) or Grade 12 Mathematics (U) or Grade 12 Science (M or U)
OR
Mature student status: 21 years or older and must be out of school for 2 years:
- Grade 12 English (U) with a grade of 65% or higher
- Grade 11 Mathematics (M or U) or Science (M or U) or Grade 12 Mathematics (U) or Grade 12 Science (M or U)
- English and Math/ Science with a combined average higher than 65%
- Postsecondary credits in English and Math/Science will also be considered (certain courses only)
- Mandatory Information session – Only applicants who receive a conditional offer will be required to attend an information session, as indicated in the offer letter. Other arrangements will be made for applicants who live outside the Greater Toronto Area and/or are unable to attend the information session.
Please note: Subject to competition, applicants may be required to have grades/averages above the minimum.
There is no admissions assessment (testing) for this program.** There is no mature student testing in the required credits for degree programs. Mature applicants must have the English and Math credits required.
Mature student applicants, who require Grade 12 University (U-level) credits for their application to a George Brown degree program, may consider completing our on-campus Degree Preparation (U-level) Courses at no extra cost. Additional information on where and how to upgrade can be found on the English and Math upgrading pages
English language proficiency:
George Brown College ESL Level 9; TOEFL 84 overall and 21 in each skill band (Online); IELTS 6.5 overall and 6.0 in each skill band; MELAB 85; CAEL overall 70 (writing 60).
Please visit georgebrown.ca/englishproficiency for more details.
Course Exemptions
College or university credits may qualify you for course exemptions. Please visit georgebrown.ca/transferguide for more information.
International (Visa) Students
Visit the International Admissions page for more information.
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
Student Success
Narmin Pirani was finishing her bachelor’s degree in sociology when she took a job in a hospital child care centre to help pay her bills. That’s where she found her true calling.
"I discovered that I loved working with little kids. It came naturally to me, and I knew it was the kind of job that I’d look forward to every day," she remembers.
Narmin knew she'd need training if she wanted to get serious. When she looked at the options, George Brown College's Early Childhood Education program interested her right away, particularly the seven weeks of in-class followed by the seven weeks of field placement.
"The courses at George Brown sounded more academic compared to the other ECE programs I was considering, but the main thing that appealed [to me] was the amount of field placement," says Narmin. "We learned how to handle every possible situation in the classroom, but then when you have to use that information for real, you discover all the things that can't be taught in a book. There’s no better way to learn."
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.
Sign up and learn more about your options, our programs, and life at George Brown.
Early Childhood Education Program
(Consecutive Diploma/Degree)
(C118)
-
Program Name:
Early Childhood Education
- Code: C118
-
Credential:
Ontario College DiplomaRyerson University Bachelor's Degree
-
Method of Study:
Full-time
-
Duration:
4 years (8 semesters)
- Centre:
- School:
- Location: George Brown College at Ryerson University
- Starting Months: September
-
Domestic Tuition:
$4,158.00 * †
-
Experiential Learning:
Field Placement
Compare up to 3 programs
Overview
Program Overview
Full Description
Early Childhood Education (Consecutive Diploma/Degree) is a four-year program that leads to both an Early Childhood Education (ECE) diploma from George Brown College and a Bachelor of Arts Early Childhood Studies degree from Ryerson University.
As a student in this program, you will spend the first two years earning your ECE diploma at the Sally Horsfall Eaton Centre for Studies in Community Health, located at George Brown's Ryerson Campus (co-operatively managed with George Brown), and the latter two years completing your ECE degree at Ryerson University.
This program offers some distinct advantages:
- college-level tuition fees for the first two years, rather than higher university fees
- classes with George Brown College faculty who are national leaders in applied ECE
- practical training at one of George Brown’s 12 child care lab schools located across the Greater Toronto Area
- direct entry into the third year of the Ryerson degree program
- expanded career scope and direction by earning both a diploma and degree in ECE
Our system of alternating blocks of classroom theory and field practice will give you the knowledge and skills you need to work with with infants, toddlers, preschool and school-aged children in a variety of early childhood education settings.
Your Field Education Options
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.
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.
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 |
| ECE1024 | Field Practice I for ECE |
| ECE1181 | Integrated Seminar I |
| ECE2045 | Applied Curriculum |
| ECL1205 | Composition and Rhetoric |
| LSSC1211 | Introduction to Sociology |
| GNED | General Education – Liberal Arts Elective* |
SEMESTER 2
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| ECE1075 | Foundations of ECE |
| PSY1075 | Infant and Child Development |
| ECE1069 | Health, Safety and Nutrition |
| ECE1070 | Interpersonal Communication |
| ECE1089 | Observation, Planning and Evaluation |
| ECE1026 | Field Practice II |
| ECE1182 | Integrated Seminar II |
| ECE2045 | Applied Curriculum |
| LSSC1212 | Introduction to Psychology |
| ECE1000 | Professional Development Workshop 1 |
| GNED | General Education – Liberal Arts Elective* |
SEMESTER 3
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| ECE1080 | Professional Development Workshop 2 |
| ECE2056 | Creative Curriculum |
| ECE2048 | Policy, Advocacy and Legislation |
| ECE2049 | Inclusion in Early Childhood |
| ECE2050 | Working with Families |
| ECE2014 | Field Practice III |
| ECE1183 | Integrated Seminar III |
| ECE2053 | Curriculum Theory |
| ECE2054 | Competent Learner – Reflective Practitioner |
| GNED | General Education Elective |
SEMESTER 4
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| ECE1080 | Professional Development Workshop 2 |
| ECE1201 | Language Development |
| ECE2048 | Policy, Advocacy and Legislation |
| ECE2049 | Inclusion in Early Childhood |
| ECE2050 | Working with Families |
| ECE2017 | Field Practice IV |
| ECE1184 | Integrated Seminar IV |
| ECE2053 | Curriculum Theory |
| GNED | General Education – Liberal Arts Elective* |
*Students take one additional university-level course per semester and will be invoiced and required to pay for the one course each semester.
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
Upon successful completion of the ECE diploma, graduates are eligible for entrance to Ontario’s College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE).
Tuition and Fees
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.
† In addition, students in C118 are required to take a university-level general education course for which an extra fee will be charged (semester 1, 2, 3, 4).
International students: Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
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.
How to Qualify and Apply
Admission Requirements
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma with six Grade 12 University (U) or University/College (M) courses, with a combined average of 65% or higher
- Grade 12 English (U) with a grade of 65% or higher
- Grade 11 Mathematics (M or U) or Science (M or U) or Grade 12 Mathematics (U) or Grade 12 Science (M or U)
- Mandatory Information session - Only applicants who receive a conditional offer will be required to attend an information session, as indicated in the offer letter. Other arrangements will be made for applicants who live outside the Greater Toronto Area and/or are unable to attend the information session.
OR
Mature student status: 21 years or older and must be out of school for 2 years:
- Grade 12 English (U) with a grade of 65% or higher
- Grade 11 Mathematics (M or U) or Science (M or U) or Grade 12 Mathematics (U) or Grade 12 Science (M or U)
- English and Math/ Science with a combined average higher than 65%
- Postsecondary credits in English and Math/Science will also be considered (certain courses only)
- Mandatory Information session – Only applicants who receive a conditional offer will be required to attend an information session, as indicated in the offer letter. Other arrangements will be made for applicants who live outside the Greater Toronto Area and/or are unable to attend the information session.
Please note: Subject to competition, applicants may be required to have grades/averages above the minimum.
There is no admissions assessment (testing) for this program.** There is no mature student testing in the required credits for degree programs. Mature applicants must have the English and Math credits required.
Mature student applicants, who require Grade 12 University (U-level) credits for their application to a George Brown degree program, may consider completing our on-campus Degree Preparation (U-level) Courses at no extra cost. Additional information on where and how to upgrade can be found on the English and Math upgrading pages
English language proficiency:
George Brown College ESL Level 9; TOEFL 84 overall and 21 in each skill band (Online); IELTS 6.5 overall and 6.0 in each skill band; MELAB 85; CAEL overall 70 (writing 60).
Please visit georgebrown.ca/englishproficiency for more details.
Course Exemptions
College or university credits may qualify you for course exemptions. Please visit georgebrown.ca/transferguide for more information.
International (Visa) Students
Visit the International Admissions page for more information.
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
Student Success
Narmin Pirani was finishing her bachelor’s degree in sociology when she took a job in a hospital child care centre to help pay her bills. That’s where she found her true calling.
"I discovered that I loved working with little kids. It came naturally to me, and I knew it was the kind of job that I’d look forward to every day," she remembers.
Narmin knew she'd need training if she wanted to get serious. When she looked at the options, George Brown College's Early Childhood Education program interested her right away, particularly the seven weeks of in-class followed by the seven weeks of field placement.
"The courses at George Brown sounded more academic compared to the other ECE programs I was considering, but the main thing that appealed [to me] was the amount of field placement," says Narmin. "We learned how to handle every possible situation in the classroom, but then when you have to use that information for real, you discover all the things that can't be taught in a book. There’s no better way to learn."
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.