Purpose

The purpose of the part-time Early Childhood Education and Care Program, offered through VCC Continuing Studies, is to prepare graduates to work in licensed preschool and childcare centres with children three to five years of age. Our program offers students the knowledge and skills to provide high quality service for young children and their families.

On completion of the ECCE Certificate Program, students may continue their studies to obtain the ECCE Diploma.

Duration

Two years of part-time or one year of full-time study. Students have a maximum of three years to complete the program.

Successful graduates are eligible to apply for the Early Childhood Educator Certification from the Ministry for Children and Family Development, Early Childhood Education Registry.

Graduates who decide to upgrade their education can continue into the ECCE Post-Basic Diploma Program. The maximum time between completion of the ECCE Certificate and enrolling to the ECCE Post Basic Diploma is five years.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

1. Protect and promote the psychological and physical safety, health, and well-being of each child

2. Develop and maintain a warm, caring, and responsive relationship with each child and with groups of children modeling effective problem solving skills

3. Plan and provide daily experiences that support and promote each child’s physical, emotional, social, communication, cognitive, ethical, and creative lives

4. Use pedagogical narrations to interpret and respond to children’s skills, abilities, interests, and needs

5. Integrate knowledge of current child growth and development theory and research into work and child care settings

6. Establish and maintain an open, cooperative relationship with each child’s family

7. Establish and maintain supportive, collaborative relationships with others working in the early care and learning setting promoting team work and professional communication

8. Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with other community service providers working with the child

9. Reflect on one’s own knowledge, attitudes, and skills and take appropriate action for change

10. Contribute to the effective management and administration of early care and learning settings

11. Practice ethical and professional behaviour when working in the early childhood and education industry

12. Advocate for high-quality, accessible, and comprehensive early care and learning settings

Admission Requirements

• Grade 12 graduation or equivalent
• Minimum 18 years of age
• English Language Proficiency assessed at English 12 with a minimum ‘C’
• Interview with Selection Committee, in person or by video conference
• Two letters of recommendation, indicating suitability for the program
• 40 hours of volunteering work in a licensed childcare facility in BC

Upon Acceptance:

• Criminal Record Check (CRC)
  • Students in this program are required to complete a CRC. The CRC must be completed according to VCC's Criminal Record Check instructions. Students whose CRC results indicate they pose a risk to vulnerable populations will not be able to complete the requirements of the program (e.g. practicums) or graduate. 
• TB Screening
  • Students must submit a negative Tuberculosis (TB) skin test. If the TB skin test is positive, a negative TB chest x-ray is required.
• Immunizations
  • A VCC Immunization Record must be completed. Immunizations in the following are strongly recommended and in some cases may be required for practicum placements:
    • Diphtheria/Tetanus
    • Polio
    • Measles, Mumps & Rubella
    • Varicella (chicken pox)
    • Hepatitis B
    • Influenza

Program Requirements

Plan of Study Grid

Term One		Credits
ECCE 1301	Foundations in ECCE	2.5
ECCE 1302	Field Study 1	1
ECCE 1303	Communications	1.5
ECCE 1304	Observing and Recording	2
	Credits	7
Term Two
ECCE 1305	Child Growth 1	2
ECCE 1306	Field Study 2	1
ECCE 1307	The Learning Child	2
ECCE 1308	Field Study 3	1
	Credits	6
Term Three
ECCE 1104	Child Growth 2	2
ECCE 1107	Guiding And Caring	2
ECCE 2305	Practicum 1	2.5
	Credits	6.5
Term Four
ECCE 2301	Creative Art	2
ECCE 2302	Explore Learning Environments	2
ECCE 2303	Field Study 4	1
ECCE 2304	Integrated Program Planning	1
ECCE 2306	Practicum 2	2.5
	Credits	8.5
Term Five
ECCE 2102	Music and Movement	2
ECCE 2309	Ecology of Family	2
	Credits	4
Term Six
ECCE 2308	Language and Literature	2
ECCE 2106	Field Study 5	1
ECCE 2115	Health, Safety & Nutrition	2
ECCE 2307	Practicum 3	4
	Credits	9
	Total Credits	41

Evaluation of Student Learning

Students are evaluated through a variety of methods including: quizzes, tests, essays, assignments, projects, presentations, participation, and group work. 

Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 1.67 (55-59%) 'C-'. Students failing to maintain a minimum GPA in each semester may be required to withdraw from the ECCE program, or may be prevented from registering for the following term.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)

Prior learning assessment and recognition is not available for this program.

Transcript of Achievement

The evaluation of learning outcomes for each student is prepared by the instructor and reported to the Student Records Department at the completion of semesters.

The transcript typically shows a letter grade for each course. The grade point equivalent for a course is obtained from letter grades as follows:

Grading Standard

Transcript of Achievement

Grade	Percentage	Description	Grade Point Equivalency
A+	90-100		4.33
A	85-89		4.00
A-	80-84		3.67
B+	76-79		3.33
B	72-75		3.00
B-	68-71		2.67
C+	64-67		2.33
C	60-63		2.00
C-	55-59	Minimum Pass	1.67
D	50-54		1.00
F	0-49	Failing Grade	0.00
S	70 or greater	Satisfactory – student has met and mastered a clearly defined body of skills and performances to required standards	N/A
U		Unsatisfactory – student has not met and mastered a clearly defined body of skills and performances to required standards	N/A
I		Incomplete	N/A
IP		Course in Progress	N/A
W		Withdrawal	N/A
Course Standings
R		Audit. No Credits	N/A
EX		Exempt. Credit Granted	N/A
TC		Transfer Credit	N/A

Grade Point Average (GPA)

1. The course grade points shall be calculated as the product of the course credit value and the grade value.

2. The GPA shall be calculated by dividing the total number of achieved course grade points by the total number of assigned course credit values. This cumulative GPA shall be determined and stated on the Transcript at the end of each Program level or semester.

3. Grades shall be assigned to repeated courses in the same manner as courses taken only once. For the purpose of GPA calculation of grades for repeated courses, they will be included in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.