If you are interested in working in Québec as an Early Childhood Educator or Assistant, this program will formally prepare you to begin your career in a daycare, home childcare centre or after-school program. With three years of experience obtained before or after graduating from this 1350-hour program, you will be recognized by law as one of the required two-out-of-three qualified professionals in the setting.
Our graduates have found employment quickly upon graduation. This is a field in high demand. Upon completion, you will receive an Attestation of College Studies that will allow you to work as an early childhood educator in Quebec in a variety of early learning settings such as childcare centres, school age programs, nursery schools to name but a few.
For questions about the profession in Quebec, see here.
We look forward to working with you!
*The College reserves the right not to offer a program due to insufficient registrations.
Attend an online information session to hear more about the program, admission and certification requirements. Information sessions will be held virtually on the first Wednesday of each month during the admission period.
(Course delivery and technical requirements)
This program is delivered in an online synchronous format via MS Teams and you must be present and active in the online classes that run Monday-Friday from 9-12 and 1-3.
Students complete two in-person fieldwork experiences at a childcare setting in their area. The first one takes place in February and the second one occurs in July-August.
Students are expected to attend live sessions remotely using the following equipment:
To apply for admission:
You are eligible to register in a program if you are a:
And you can provide proof of previous studies deemed acceptable by the College, for example:
And you meet one of the following three conditions:
You must demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English.
Language evaluations may be required based on previous studies.
Although not an admission requirement, there is a French Requirement for certification of an AEC program in English. Please review the Frequently Asked Questions related to Law 14 and our Attestation of College Studies (ACS) Programs
In this course, students become acquainted with the early childhood profession. The student will become familiar with the various settings and conditions of the profession as well as with the current terminology. Moreover, the student will learn about other essential aspects in the field of early learning such as: regulations, quality indicators, responsive environments and play-based learning.
Students will acquire skills and knowledge necessary to prevent health and safety hazards and to deal with emergency situations promptly and efficiently. The student will also develop skills to recognize and respond to child abuse and neglect.
Students will become familiar with the principles of effective communication and will develop skills in conveying information in written and oral form. Emphasis will be placed on communication in the workplace.
Students will gain an in-depth understanding or early child development (birth to 5 years) and be introduced to the theory and research in the field of developmental psychology. This course has an interdisciplinary approach using scientific inquiry to study the development of this period in child development and apply this knowledge in a practical setting. Topics covered in this class will include major psychological theories of early human development; basics of developmental research methodology; genetic aspects of human development; prenatal development; birth; theories of biosocial, cognitive and psychosocial development from birth to 5 years.
Students will study the rationale and methodology of child observation as used by professionals in early childhood setting from 0 to 12 years. Through guided observations, students will develop the vocabulary and skills necessary for reporting the development of the young child as an individual and as a member of a group.
Students will learn of child development stages and milestones (primarily during 5-12 years). Cognitive, physical, affective, social, moral, language and sexual development will be studied.
Autonomy in Children
Students will acquire knowledge of the needs of children with respect to the development of autonomy. The students will learn strategies and techniques to intervene with individuals and groups of children, and to evaluate the support given. Students will learn how to support children throughout the daily schedule, with various age groups, based on a need identified by the educator or expressed by the child, in collaboration with parents and coworkers.
Students will develop knowledge and skill in establishing secure, meaningful relationships with children 0-12 based on trust, confidence and respect.
Students will develop an understanding of how to plan, design, modify and implement educational activities for pre-school and kindergarten aged children while promoting their overall development.
Students will develop skills to ensure children’s health in the child care setting with consideration to physical, social and emotional dimensions.
Students will learn about the foundations of healthy eating, and in particular, the nutritional requirements during the early childhood years. Major related issues include menu planning, establishing positive eating habits, and designing nutrition education programs for young children and their families.
Students will develop an understanding of how to plan, design, modify and implement educational activities for pre-school and kindergarten aged children while promoting their overall development.
Students will participate in a 135-hour onsite experience and will work closely with a co-operating educator and a faculty fieldwork supervisor. Students will become familiar with the components of the Fieldwork 1 course: the Manual, the Appendices, the roles and responsibilities of the various participants, reflective practice and journal-writing and developmentally appropriate practice.
Students will study the concept of inclusion and how it impacts their role as an educator. Knowledge will be acquired in the form of lectures, labs, hands-on activities, and fieldtrips. The primary focus will be to create curricula that are developmentally appropriate to all learners. This will include: adaptations to the physical environment, programming based on individual needs and developmental level, in addition to, behaviour guidance strategies.
Students will develop knowledge and skills with regard to behaviour guidance interventions. The student will learn guidance strategies, plan, implement and evaluate intervention plans.
Students will develop an understanding of how to plan, design, modify and implement educational activities for 5-12 year olds while promoting their overall development. Emphasis will be on planning for long-term projects and outings with children.
Students will learn how to establish a partnership with parents and the resource people who intervene with the child. Students are taught appropriate strategies, methods and attitudes to facilitate the welcoming of new parents, to establish cooperation with them and to ensure educational coherence and continuity. The student will also learn how to compose reports on the child's experience using the necessary tools relevant to the situation.
Students will participate in a 240-hour onsite experience and will use theoretical knowledge of early childhood by applying effective communication and educational strategies, planning activities and assuming responsibility for curriculum areas. The student will work closely with a cooperating educator and faculty fieldwork supervisor.
Students will learn to analyze various educational approaches in early years learning and to develop their ability to link theory to practice. Students' programming will demonstrate an understanding of developmentally appropriate practice and sensitivity to diverse groups of children.
This course will help students to recognize the need to develop and maximize skills in creative thinking as an important life skill for educators and children alike. Students will be given the opportunity to practice and develop creative skills using a variety of lateral thinking techniques.
This course is a basic text editing course where students will learn to create and edit documents which are related to Early Childhood Education topics.
Application fee paid to SRAM. This fee is non-refundable.
The following registration fees are paid per semester by Quebec residents to the College:
| Full-time registration fee* | $20.00 |
| Full-time special fees | $95.00 |
| Full-time common education fees | $25.00 |
| Computer user fee | $20.00 |
| Total for Quebec resident = | $160.00 |
Fees are subject to Quebec residency status. Quebec Residency will be checked once students are admitted. For more information on documents required to demonstrate Quebec Residency status please contact the Registrar's Office.
*Non-refundable fee
Non-Quebec residents pay a fee of $1833.00 on top of the standard registration fee. Total registration costs for a non-Quebec resident are: $1993.00.
