Early Childhood Education Diploma

Program Overview

Early Childhood Education is a two-year diploma program. As an early childhood educator, you will support children as they learn through play. Your role will be to create developmentally appropriate curriculum and design inviting and effective quality learning environments. You will learn how to develop holistic programs that include early literacy and language, creative arts, numeracy, and open-ended play experiences both indoors and outdoors. Your responsibilities will include working alongside your colleagues to build relationships with children and families, community partners and other professionals.

It is a highly respected program that integrates the most current research on early childhood education. Topics of study will include:

• observation, assessment and documentation
• learning through play
• children with diverse abilities
• child guidance techniques
• family and community relationships
• play environments and program planning
• programming for infants, toddlers, pre-school and school-age children
• administration and child care regulations
• communication and employability skills

Throughout the two years, you will have opportunities to work with children through four 4-week practicums in a variety of early learning and child care programs.

Through practical experience, you’ll get the feedback you need to develop best practices, recognize stages of development, plan curriculum based on children’s interests and needs and understand the impact of the environment on behaviour.

Courses

Year 1

Year 2

Your Career

Your diploma allows you to work in group early learning and care settings with children from birth to age 12. Career options could include working with children with diverse needs, working as a frontline educator in an early learning and child care centre, working in a preschool or elementary school setting, a Kids First or Aboriginal Head Start program, early childhood intervention programs (ECIP), or a family day home or private home as a nanny.

Become a Level III Early Childhood Educator

When you graduate from the ECE diploma you are eligible to apply to become a licensed Level III Early Childhood Educator (ECE) through the Ministry of Education of Saskatchewan. If you plan on becoming a child care centre director, you must have your ECE III. If you are interested in going further, you will be able to transfer some of your credits to the University of Regina’s Bachelor of Education degree program in Elementary Education.

Admission Requirements

• Grade 12 with English Language Arts A30 and English Language Arts B30
• English language requirements

Note:

• Accepted students are required to provide evidence of a Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check prior to entering required course work with children. At the discretion of the practicum agency, you may be declined access to a clinical or work placement based on the contents of the Criminal Record Check. If you do not complete the practicum, you will not graduate from the program.  Cost of the Criminal Record Check is the students responsibility.

*In order to ensure prompt acceptance into our program, applicants should make every effort to ensure that applicable transcripts have been received by our Registrar’s office within 5-7 business days of program application*

*Please note that our program capacity is limited and seats are subject to availability. Applying and paying the application fee does not guarantee your admission. If a program is full, we will do our best to defer applied applicants to next available intakes*

How to Contact a Southeast College Student Services Advisor

Students who require additional assistance or require more information are encouraged to make an appointment with their closest available Student Services Advisor. Appointments can be made online at: www.southeastcollege.org/students/student-advisor-online-booking/ or by calling toll free 1-866-999-7372