Early Childhood Education Program (Fast-Track) (C130)

The Early Childhood Education (Fast-Track) program, designed for graduates with a diploma or degree in a related field, prepares you for a rewarding career working with children from six weeks to 12 years of age in a variety of early childhood education settings.

Full Description

The Early Childhood Education (Fast-Track) (C130) program is designed for graduates with a diploma or degree in a related field and provides the theory and practical experience needed to support children’s learning as they grow. Study the developmental stages of infants (from six weeks), toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children (to 12 years) and learn how to design educational programming and respond to a child’s unique needs and interests.

You will also engage with families and the broader community.

This two-semester (10 months, plus two weeks) program alternates between in-class learning and field placement to help you develop confidence in your skills as you apply concepts from the classroom to a real-world setting. This approach prepares graduates to hit the ground running as soon as they enter the workforce.

This program starts in August and ends in June.

The structure of this Fast-Track program is as follows:

• August: Program starts with a two-week orientation course
• September – December: Semester 3 (includes one seven-week field placement)
• January – April: Semester 4 (includes one seven-week field placement)
• May/June: program concludes with one seven-week field placement

Your Field Education Options

As a student in this Early Childhood Education (Fast-Track) program you will complete three seven-week field placement experiences. The first will take place in Semester 3, the second will take place during Semester 4,  and the third will start in May after your classroom studies have been completed. During this time, you will have the opportunity to work with children of different age groups in a variety of settings.

Field placement plays an important role in this ECE program as it provides a continuum of experience that gives you the chance to progressively build on your learning as you develop new skills and progress through the program.

To support student learning outcomes and ensure you have access to facilities that model the best practices we consider essential, we operate Ontario’s largest network of college-run lab school child care centres that serve over 1,000 children and their families each year. These 12 child care centres, located across Toronto, will expose you to the kinds of environments where you will eventually work and provide valuable services to the families and communities that they serve.

Please note: Some field placement partners may require students to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 (a person is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after the second dose). As such, students not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 may be unable to complete their program’s required field placement component in the regularly scheduled time frame.

Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities

Career Options

Graduates of this ECE program may find employment in:

• child care centres
• early years centres
• parent resource centres
• pediatric playrooms
• special education settings
• integrated kindergartens
• therapeutic nursery programs
• in-home care