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Quality early childhood education (ECE) is critical in preparing children for future learning. As an early childhood educator, you will have an integral role in promoting children’s development from birth to age 12 within the following five domains: cognitive, social, emotional, language and physical. In the ECE program, you will engage in theoretical studies along with practical applications. Moreover, professional practice and ethics will guide you in working with families, understanding pedagogy and fostering belonging and well-being in children. Upon completion of your program, you will apply to the College of Early Childhood Educators, the provincial regulatory body, to become a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) in Ontario.
Compressed Program Format The Ontario government is investing over $4 million to train up to 210 new RECEs to meet the growing demand for skilled caregivers in today’s child care settings. This opportunity is funded in partnership with the City of Toronto, The Region of Peel, The Region of Durham, The Region of Halton, 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.
The compressed program will cover students’ tuition and compulsory ancillary fees and allows participants to graduate with full credentials within 14 months; the standard ECE program at DC takes two years to complete.
Using a hybrid model that combines synchronous and asynchronous delivery components, this intensive program will include approximately 1,645 hours of training over 14 consecutive months. Students will have the opportunity to participate in online and in-person learning and complete practicum at a variety of community settings. Throughout this compressed program, students will develop the knowledge, skills, competence and practical experience to enter the workforce and apply to become a Registered Early Childhood Educator.
Students in the ECE Compressed program are required to respond to surveys during the program, as well as post-graduation surveys.
IMPORTANT DEADLINE INFORMATION
The accelerated program will cover students' tuition and compulsory ancillary fees.*
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To help students succeed in programs with remote learning requirements, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified minimum technology recommendations. While these are not program requirements, these suggestions will help ensure students have the right tools to support a quality remote learning experience.
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This program will prepare you to meet the diverse needs of the early childhood education profession. You will acquire the knowledge and practical skills necessary to foster social, emotional, cognitive and physical development in children from infancy to age 12.
The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.
Courses and course descriptions are subject to change. Please note that as a result of COVID-19 the 2022-23 program of study may be modified to accommodate program delivery changes.
Your learning experience will be complemented by three field placements, under the supervision of a Registered ECE. These field placement opportunities will be chosen from a variety of early learning settings that serve young children and their families.
Please note: There are costs associated with Electronic Student Permit Checking (ESPC), immunizations, lab tests and certifications. Be sure to keep all of your receipts for income tax purposes. These costs include:
It is required that students have completed the ESPC with Verified to be eligible for the field placement component of this program. You must (at your expense) provide:
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Qualified graduates can apply to Durham College’s Communicative Disorders Assistant and Youth Justice and Interventions graduate certificate programs.
Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.
To help students have the best remote learning experience possible, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified technology recommendations for each program based on course needs and software requirements. While not required, students may want to consider these suggestions if they are purchasing a computer or laptop for the upcoming academic year.
Processor: i3 RAM: 4GB Storage: 256GB SSD Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Education x64 SP1 Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (newest version) Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter Camera: Webcam/built-in camera Internet connection
Questions regarding technology recommendations can be directed to the IT Service Desk or the school office.
No, Durham College will receive the funding that covers your tuition, books and supplies and will apply these funds to your student account to pay your assessed tuition, book, and supplies fees.
No, students who begin this specialized program are expected to complete within the timelines provided.
Yes, the ECE Compressed program is an OSAP eligible program, therefore, you can apply for OSAP if you are registered in the ECE Compressed program.
Classes start on July 4, 2022. Placement takes place in Sem 2 October 26th – February 2nd , Sem 3 February 22nd – May 18th and Sem 4 July 17th – Sept 1st
The School of Health and Community Services will register you in the program timetable. Following registration, you will receive an email notification from Enrolment Services. You will be registered into your theory and placement during registration.
Placements are scheduled in semesters 2, 3 and 4.
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