The three-semester certificate program includes basic courses in communications, interpersonal relations, child growth and development, working with children, and the early childhood curriculum. Students in the ECE certificate program must maintain semester and cumulative grade point average of at least 2.33 (C+) in order to be awarded the certificate. Students who do not maintain the required cumulative GPA will be placed on Academic Warning for one semester. If they do not attain the required GPA they will need to meet with the program head before continuance in the program, and they may need to withdraw from the program.
After completing this program, graduates can be licensed as early childhood educators by the Provincial Licensing Board, with an additional 500 hours of supervised work and a first aid certificate.
Following completion of the certificate, students who wish to continue their studies can ladder into the following diploma programs:
Early Childhood Education diploma
Special Needs specialty
Infancy specialty
Speech & Language Assistant diploma
Entrance requirements
1. Applicants must be 19 years of age or older before being accepted into the program.
2.
Ability to supply own transportation to field sites.
3. Composition Placement Test score of 48 or more, or ENGL 101 with a minimum of C or higher.
Note: It is important that the CPT be written as early as possible. Late submission of a score may hamper entry into the program.
4. TB (as required per Community Care Facilities Licencing Legislation) and Rubella clearance.
5. Criminal Records check.
6. Satisfactory completion of interview or questionnaire.
Program outline
Semester I
Course
Title
Credits
ECE 100
Human Development
3
ECE 121
Intro. to Early Childhood Education
3
ECE 131
Intro. to Early Childhood Guidance
3
ECE 141
Intro. to Observing and Recording Behaviour of Young Children
3
SSSW 120
Intro. to Interpersonal Communications
3
CMNS/ENGL
one of:
3
CMNS 155
Communications for Human Services
ENGL 105
The Reading & Writing of Prose1
Total
18
Semester II
Course
Title
Credits
ECE 200
Human Development II
3
ECE 221
Early Childhood Programs
3
ECE 241
Introductory Practicum
6
ECE 254
Music in ECE
3
ECE 353
Art in ECE
1.5
Total 16.5
Semester III
Course
Title
Credits
ECE 341
Advanced Practicum
6
ECE 351
Nutrition, Health and Safety
3
ECE 255
Presenting Literature to Children
3
ECE 361
The Process of Curriculum Development
3
CMNS/ENGL
one of:
3
CMNS 250
Report Writing for Business, Information Technologies, Social and Human Services
ENGL 120?170
(one of)1
Total
18