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 an 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 College), and the latter two years completing a degree in Early Childhood Studies at Ryerson University.
While earning your ECE diploma in years one and two, you will learn how to support children as they grow. You will:
study the holistic development of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-aged children
learn how to plan and implement programs that support children’s learning
have an opportunity to engage with families and the broader community
In the final two years of the program as you earn your degree, you will:
study policy, advocacy, and legislation as it relates to the Early Childhood sector
explore the cognitive development of young children as it relates to literacy, creativity, science, technology, and more
engage in a research project
get hands-on experience in the field
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 infants, toddlers, preschool, and school-aged children in a variety of early childhood education settings.
Please note: While George Brown College encourages all members of our college community to get vaccinated, we only require students who will be living in our residence, The George, or who are varsity athletes, to be vaccinated for Fall 2021. Some of our field placement partners may require students to be fully vaccinated prior to being placed with their agency. 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.
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 centers 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.
