Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care

The Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Program at Northern Lights College (NLC) provides opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to work with young children and their families in early learning settings in British Columbia. A variety of delivery methods enables students to remain in their home communities and to integrate theoretical and practical experiences through full- or part-time studies. The program prepares students to apply for various BC ECE Registry certificates to practice.

Important Notes

• Students may complete practica in their home communities and/or worksites provided options exist for acceptable placements and opportunities to explore diverse experiences and philosophies can be achieved. Students unable to locate suitable practica placements in their home community may need to relocate to another community for one or more of the practica.
• The duration of study for the program will vary in length due to course offering schedules, student course selection, and student start dates, but may generally be completed in four semesters (2 years) of full-time studies.
• Students planning on transferring to further post-secondary programs are encouraged to complete ENGL 100 in addition to the Diploma requirements.
• NLC’s Early Childhood Education and Care Diploma is available in French. For more information on delivery of the program in French, see Éducation à la petite enfance - Collège Éducacentre (educacentre.com).
• Program graduates of NLC's English version of the ECEC Diploma are eligible for direct admission into the Justice Institute of British Columbia’s Advanced Specialty Certificate in Community Care Licensing. Advanced standing is granted for HDEC 104.
• Completion of the ECEC program as described meets the educational requirements of the Ministry of Children and Family’s Early Childhood Educator Registry. However, additional profession-related requirements may apply. For more information and how to apply for ECE Registry certificates to practice, please visit: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/early-learning/teach/training-and-professional-development/become-an-early-childhood-educator

Term 1

• HDEC100 (Essential Skills for Human Service Workers)
• HDEC101 (Human Development 1)
• HDEC102 (Health, Safety, and Nutrition)
• HDEC103 (Guiding and Caring)
• ECED109A (Practicum 1)

Term 2

• ECEC100 (Curriculum 1)
• ECED101 (Principles and Practices I)
• ECED110 (Practicum 2)
• HDEC121 (Interpersonal Communications)
• HDEC104 (Human Development II)

Term 3

• ECEC200 (Curriculum 2)
• ECEC201 (Building Professional-Family Partnerships)
• ECEC202 (Administration and Leadership in Early Childhood Education)
• ECED111 (Practicum 3)
• ECED150 (The Early Childhood Education Professional)

Term 4

• ECEC203 (Current Perspectives on Practice)
• ECED203A (Development 3 Infants and Toddlers)
• ECED207 (Curriculum III: Infants and Toddlers)
• ECED215 (Curriculum IV: Working with Children with Diverse Abilities)

One of the following:

• ECED208 (Practicum -- Infants and Toddlers)
• ECED210 (Practicum -- Diverse Abilities)

Note: An NLC Education Assistant (EA) Certificate graduate who applies to NLC’s ECEC Diploma Program will have the following notation placed on their transcript: “Exemption from ECED109A and ECED150 based on completion of the NLC EA Certificate.”

• After successful completion of one of HDEC 101, 102, or 103 with a minimum grade of “C,” students may apply to the BC ECE Registry for an Early Childhood Educator Assistant (ECEA) Certificate.
• After completing the first 15 courses listed under “Required Courses” below, students may apply to the BC ECE Registry for an Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Certificate.
• Students who complete the full NLC ECEC Diploma will be eligible to apply to the BC ECE Registry for both an Early Childhood Educator Certificate and an Infant and Toddler Educator (ITE) Certificate or a Special Needs Educator (SNE) Certificate depending on their selection of a final practicum course.
• NLC diploma graduates may complete the alternate final practicum course as ongoing professional development in order to apply for the remaining BC ECE Registry certificate to practice.
• Early Childhood Educators with BC ECE Registry certificates to practice may be employed as educators, supervisors, managers, directors, or administrators of licensed group childcare centers; in Aboriginal early care and learning programs; or in strong start programs, young parent programs, drop-in programs, home visit programs, licensed family centers, out of school care, or preschool programs.
• Early Childhood Educators have also found employment as supported child development workers, holiday destination children's program workers, nannies, and respite providers.
• With additional relevant education (e.g., a Child and Youth Care Degree, Social Work Degree, or an Early Childhood Education graduate degree), Early Childhood Educators may find work as child development counselors, family resource center coordinators, child care resource and referral consultants/coordinators, licensing officers, ECE researchers, or ECE instructors.