Purpose

The purpose of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Diploma is to prepare graduates to work in licensed infant toddler, preschool, and inclusive childcare settings. The Early Childhood Care and Education Diploma includes three components: the Basic ECCE, and the integrated Post-Basic ECCE Infant Toddler and Special Needs.

The Early Childhood Care and Education Diploma provides graduates with an enriched and comprehensive knowledge of typical and atypical child development and inclusive practices in working with children 0-6. Each course in the post-basic ECCE program will cover integrated competencies from both specialty areas (IT & SN), which will result in an advanced level of professional competence for graduates of the program.

Duration

The maximum time for completion for the Early Childhood Care and Education Diploma is five years.

1)  ECCE Basic Certificate Exit: After successfully completing the courses in the ECCE Certificate program students will have the option of exiting the program with the ECCE Certificate. This credential qualifies for the Early Childhood Educator Certification granted from the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

The duration of this program is two years of part-time or one year of full-time study (960 hours of combined lecture, field observation, and practicum). The maximum time for completion is three years.

2)  Early Childhood Care and Education Diploma Program: Students continuing with advanced, post-basic education (Infant Toddler and Special Needs will graduate with the Early Childhood Care and Education Diploma. This credential additionally qualifies for the Infant Toddler and Special Needs Educator Certifications granted from the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

The duration of the Early Childhood Care and Education diploma program is 15 months, part-time (830 hours of combined lecture, field observation, and practicum). The maximum time for completion is two years.

The maximum time between completion of the ECCE Certificate and enrolling to the Early Childhood Education 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 infants and toddlers and children with exceptionalities.

2. Develop and maintain a warm, caring, and responsive relationship with each child and with groups of children

3. Administer daily experiences that support and promote children’s physical, emotional, social, communication, cognitive, ethical and creative lives

4. Use pedagogical narrations to interpret and respond to every child's skills, abilities, interests and needs with special focus on infants and toddlers and children who need extra support

5. Analyze variations in development among infants and toddlers, ages 0-6

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

7. Establish and maintain inclusive, supportive, collaborative relationships with others working in the early care and learning setting

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. Practice administrative and management skills as related to 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

There are two entry pathways into the Early Childhood Care and Education Diploma.

Year 1 Entry:

• 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

Year 2 Entry:

• Successful completion of VCC's Early Childhood Care and Education Certificate, or other approved training program as per BC Ministry of Children and Family Development Early Childhood Education Registry
• Grade 12 graduation or equivalent
• 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

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
Term Seven
ECCE 2313	Adv Child Growth & Dev IT/SN	2
ECCE 2314	Advanced Field Study IT/SN	1
ECCE 2315	Adv Hlth, Safety & Nutr IT/SN	2
	Credits	5
Term Eight
ECCE 2200	Enhancing Family Relationships	2
ECCE 2300	Childcare Administration	2
	Credits	4
Term Nine
ECCE 2320	Professional Perspectives	2
ECCE 2316	Role of the Caregiver IT	3
ECCE 2317	Role of the Caregiver SN	3
ECCE 2235	Infant Practicum	4
ECCE 2230	Special Needs Practicum 1	4
	Credits	16
Term Ten
ECCE 2330	Special Needs Practicum 2	4
ECCE 2335	Toddler Practicum	4
	Credits	8
	Total Credits	74

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		Incomplete	N/A
W		Withdrawal	N/A
Course Standings
R		Audit. No Credit	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.