• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), including Grade 12 English (C or U), OR
• Grade 12 equivalency certificate obtained through college academic upgrading, OR
• Mature Student Status (19 years of age or older) with Grade 12 English (C or U).

To view alternatives to the above Grade 12 English requirement, please visit Durham College’s English Proficiency Requirement webpage.

• Equivalent secondary school diploma from another province or territory in Canada (Please note: A recognized equivalent to an OSSD may be accepted if you meet the levels, subjects and overall averages required for admission to the college. Generally the requirement is successful completion of a Grade 12 diploma except in Quebec where the equivalent is Secondary V) OR Equivalent secondary school diploma from outside of Canada. Applicants who have been educated outside of Canada must have their documents evaluated by a credential assessment service (ICAS) and submit proof of educational qualifications in order to determine if their level of achievement is equivalent to an OSSD. To obtain a Credential Assessment Report visit either ICAS (1.800.321.6021) or WES (1.866.343.0070)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office recommended.
• Clear Criminal Reference Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening is required for Field Placement. Without this, you may not be accepted for placement by a field placement agency and may be unable to complete the requirements of the program.
• You must maintain an overall average of 60% or a GPA of 2.0 in order to graduate.
• A minimum of 25% of courses must be completed through Durham College.

Effective Tuesday, May 20, 2025, the application process for this program is changing. Applications will be submitted online through OntarioColleges.ca (OCAS), and we will no longer accept emailed program application forms after this date.

• Only original or certified copies of academic records will be accepted. In order for transcripts to be considered official, they must bear an original seal/stamp and/or official signature from an appropriate signatory. We do not accept photocopies or photos as this will make them unofficial as the school seal will not show.
• Official transcripts must be sent by the issuing institution via email or an official credit service such as MyCreds™ – a secure digital credential platform that allows you to access and share the documents from anywhere in the world and at any time.
• You can learn more about MyCreds™, including privacy and security, at MyCreds™.ca
• For more information on admissions click here.

Click to access the Program Application Form

This form must be submitted and an Admission Acceptance Letter received prior to registering for any courses.

Students are required to print or save a copy of the Program of Study when beginning the program. This document contains critical details about program progression and graduation requirements specific to the academic year in which your program was started.

Click to access the Program of Study for the current academic year.

Students who began this program prior to the current academic year may contact the Professional and Part-Time Learning office at ppl@durhamcollege.ca or 905-721-3052 to obtain your Program of Study and graduation requirements.

Program Length

• You will have a maximum of 15 semesters (5 years) from the start date of your first course to complete this program.
• The minimum amount of time to complete a program is unique to each student and based on multiple factors:
• Your capacity: How much time do you have to dedicate to your studies. A person with more time is able to take more courses each semester and complete the program faster then a student that has additional commitments.
• Number of courses in the program: The number of courses in each program differs and this is a key factor when calculating a completion timeline.
• Course pre-requisites: A pre-requisite is a course that must be completed prior to taking another course. The number of course pre-requisites in a program can play a factor in how quickly a program can be completed.
• Course availability: Not every course is offered every semester. In some instances, students may need to wait until the next time a specific course is offered and this may impact their completion timelines.

Program Cost

Professional and Part-Time Learning offers courses individually with no upfront program cost. You pay for each course when you register, and most courses cost between $350 and $400. To see the most up-to-date prices, visit the “Current Course Offerings” section on the program page and select the course of your choice. The cost will be displayed next to the “Add to Cart” button.

This program requires the completion of General Education Elective (GNED) courses in addition to core program courses.

Click to access General Education Elective Course Options.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Some programs may have restrictions on the specific GNED courses that students are able to take to fulfill their program requirements. For Professional and Part-Time Learning students, these restrictions are identified on the link above. For those in full-time, day school programs, please consult your academic school for confirmation of any GNED restrictions for your program before registering.

The Early Childhood Education program contains three field placement courses and one observation course.

Students must visit the Field Placement Page and the ECE Placements & Observing the Young Child FAQs page a minimum of 1-2 terms before they wish to register for a placement or observing course to familiarize themselves with important details, submission deadlines, expectations and specific requirements for placement. Please also be advised of the following:

• Seat availability for field placement courses are limited. Please visit the field placement page for further details.
• Field Placement is available to Ontario residents only.
• You cannot complete your placement where you are also employed, or where you are also a parent.
• Your shifts must be no less than 5 hours in duration and not exceed 9 hours per day.
• Students who have completed the first two ECE field placements via Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) will not be eligible for a specialized setting in the final field placement.
• ECE Field Placement 3 is not eligible for PLAR Challenge.
• Students must complete all prerequisite courses prior to applying for each field placement, and have a minimum 2.0 GPA.
• The prerequisite for the final field placement (ECE Field Placement 3), is successful completion of all other courses in the program and a GPA of 2.0 or higher.

• 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, inter-disciplinary 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.

Potential career and industry options may include:

• Early childhood educator
• Early learning and care supervisor
• Childcare centres
• Ontario Early Years Centres
• Municipal parent/child drop-in programs (arts and fitness)
• Montessori schools
• Private home childcare settings
• School boards (full-day kindergarten classroom)
• Nursery schools

Graduates interested in further professional development may be interested in the following courses/programs:

Programs:

• Early Childhood Resource Consulting
• Educational Support

Courses:

• Advocacy and Professionalism in Early Learning and Care Administration
• Computer Applications and Financial Planning in Early Childhood Education
• Management Leadership Skills and Staff Development for Early Childhood Educators

Please view the ECE Pathways to Degrees Page for a list of this program’s partnership program.

This program is eligible for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). For more information, please visit our OSAP Eligibility page.

The Government of Ontario in partnership with the Government of Canada is offering financial support in the form of Education Grants, Travel Grants and Training Allowances to individuals with six months of experience in licensed childcare settings who want to upgrade their qualifications in order to obtain an Early Childhood Education diploma. For information on how to apply please visit www.ecegrants.on.ca.

Have you completed all your courses and program requirements? If so, please complete an Application for Graduation form and submit the required fee to the Office of the Registrar. For more information, visit the graduation page.