Bachelor of Early Learning and Community Development (Entry Level 5) (Honours)
Discover a career supporting children, families and communities.
- Earn a unique credential as this program is the only one of its kind in Canada which combines early learning and community development
- Link theory to the real world through two mentorships and three different and diverse placement opportunities
- Graduates are eligible to apply to become registered members of the College of Early Childhood Educators in Ontario
Program Availability and Schedule
Schedule
Program Summary
Credential
Program Delivery
Program Code
Area of Interest
School
Campus
Work Integrated Learning
Graduates from a two-year Early Childhood Education Ontario College Diploma program with a minimum overall average of 70% who complete with a minimum of a C (63%) in each of the required three degree-level bridging courses are eligible to enter into semester five (Year 3) for this four-year Bachelor of Early Learning and Community Development (Honours) degree.
The Bachelor of Early Learning and Community Development (Honours) program prepares you to work with children and families in both the community development and educational sectors and provides you with a variety of transferable skills....(read more)
Overview
Discover a career supporting children, families and communities.
Graduates from a two-year Early Childhood Education Ontario College Diploma program with a minimum overall average of 70% who complete with a minimum of a C (63%) in each of the required three degree-level bridging courses are eligible to enter into semester five (Year 3) for this four-year Bachelor of Early Learning and Community Development (Honours) degree.
The Bachelor of Early Learning and Community Development (Honours) program prepares you to work with children and families in both the community development and educational sectors and provides you with a variety of transferable skills.
There is an increasing awareness of the importance of early learning in our society. Similarly, there is an ongoing need to develop and support early learning opportunities for children and their families within a variety of settings. The early learning sector is evolving to address these changes. This program is ideal for those who want to play a role in these developments.
This program combines theory and practice, giving you the skills and knowledge you need for engaging with communities, families and children to create and implement community and school based programs that support early learning and development.
Throughout the program, you have three varied field placements within both community and school settings. These give you the chance to apply your skills to real-world settings. With field placements, applied learning and a semester-long work term, graduates are ready for employment in the community development and education sectors.
Graduates may find work in:
- community health agencies
- kindergartens
- early learning programs
- child and family centres
- municipal and provincial government
- non-governmental agencies addressing the needs of families, children, and their communities
SUCCESS FACTORS
This program is well-suited for students who:
- Have strong observational and analytical skills.
- Are willing to work as a member of diverse interprofessional teams.
- Have strong language (oral and written) skills.
- Are self-reliant and enjoy challenges.
- Are interested in child development and teaching children through play.
- Are comfortable using computers and other forms of technology.
- Enjoy working with children and their families.
- Have an appreciation of the importance of research.
Early childhood education is a physically demanding profession. Individuals entering this profession must be able to lift children, materials and equipment (up to 70 pounds). As well, individuals must be able to move quickly/run between areas in the room and outside in order to ensure children`s safety. In addition, educators must constantly observe children to ensure safety and to assess children`s abilities, skills and interest in order to develop meaningful curricula. Entering the program without these abilities may result in unsuccessful field placements and students who fail to successfully complete field placements are not eligible to graduate from the program.
Courses
Programs at Algonquin College are delivered using a variety of instruction modes. Courses may be offered in the classroom or lab, entirely online, or in a hybrid mode which combines classroom sessions with virtual learning activities. Upon registration, each full-time student is provided an Algonquin email account which is used to communicate important information about program or course events.
Code:
EDU4353
Course Name:
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
Course Description:
When working with infants and their families, educators strive to provide welcoming and supportive environments while creating collaborative... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
EDU4354
Course Name:
Cross-Cultural Competencies
Course Description:
As Canada continues to undergo cultural and demographic changes, students are facing the reality of working with diverse children, families ... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
FAM4351
Course Name:
Community Organization
Course Description:
Within the community framework there are a wide variety of social services, healthcare, education and recreational organizations that provid... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
NAT4352
Course Name:
Nature-Based Early Learning
Course Description:
Increasingly, research indicates the importance of the natural environment for the healthy development of young children. The importance of ... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
PHI2004
Course Name:
Foundations of Social Science Research: Principles, Methods, and Actions
Course Description:
Fundamental understanding of research process, including knowledge of theoretical principles, methods and considerations for conducting well... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
EDU4231
Course Name:
Play-Based Pedagogy
Course Description:
When working with infants and their families, educators strive to provide welcoming and supportive environments while creating collaborative... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
EDU4360
Course Name:
Developing Proposals
Course Description:
Many community agencies depend on proposals to access funding and resources. Students examine how funding sources influence the type of prop... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
FAM4362
Course Name:
Group Dynamics and Organizational Behaviour
Course Description:
Educators require a variety of organizational skills to work in the increasingly diverse early learning sector. Using relevant theories, stu... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
FLD4361
Course Name:
Field Placement II
Course Description:
Individuals developing skills to work with children and families within the broader community require practical, as well as academic experie... + Read More
Hours:
189.0
Code:
EDU4478
Course Name:
Early Learning and Community Development Work Term
Course Description:
The work term experience provides an experiential learning opportunity for individual students which are directly related to the field of st... + Read More
Hours:
420.0
Code:
EDU4241
Course Name:
Assessment and Program Evaluation
Course Description:
Educators use assessment and evaluation to support the quality of early learning and community-based programs. Students examine forms of ass... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
EDU4472
Course Name:
Special Studies in Early Learning and Community Development I
Course Description:
Combining acquired skills and knowledge with individual interest areas, students research relevant issues in early learning and community de... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
FLD4474
Course Name:
Field Placement III
Course Description:
Individuals developing the skills to work with children and community partners in the natural environment require practical, as well as acad... + Read More
Hours:
98.0
Code:
NAT4473
Course Name:
Outdoor Learning Environments
Course Description:
The outdoor environment is an integral component to quality education and health in the early years. Students explore international, nationa... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
QUA2001
Course Name:
Statistics for the Social Sciences
Course Description:
Professionals in the social sciences evaluate quantitative evidence to make decisions. In this course, students explore descriptive and infe... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
EDU4400
Course Name:
Global Perspectives of Pedagogy
Course Description:
The early years are widely recognized as a critical part of life that lay the foundation for development and well-being. Early learning peda... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
EDU4480
Course Name:
Special Studies and Research in Early Learning and Community Development II
Course Description:
Increasingly the early learning sector requires individuals with strong analytical and interpretive skills to carry out well-grounded resear... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
FAM4482
Course Name:
Leadership, Community Development and Advocacy
Course Description:
Early Childhood Education is greatly influenced by a community's ability to mobilize and advocate for marginalized and vulnerable population... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
CUL4000
Course Name:
Global Citizenship
Course Description:
Informed citizens in today's world appreciate the meaning of civic life at the local, national and global level. Students reflect on and dev... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
ENL4016
Course Name:
World Literature
Course Description:
Exposure to broad sources of literature promotes an open-minded perspective on today's global society and encourages an appreciation of dive... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
ENL4100
Course Name:
Creative Writing
Course Description:
Whether for personal or public consumption, many people enjoy writing short fiction to express their creative energy while improving upon th... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
ENL4200
Course Name:
New Worlds and Alternative Realities: Speculative Fiction
Course Description:
Speculative fiction gathers together all those works of fiction in which new worlds or alternative realities are envisioned. Within this ca... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
PHI4000
Course Name:
Philosophy and Popular Culture
Course Description:
Many facets of today's popular culture engage, directly or indirectly, with the concerns of a variety of philosophical traditions. Drawing o... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
PHI4002
Course Name:
The Philosophy of Drugs
Course Description:
Drugs are everywhere: professionals prescribe them to us to make us "better"; we take them recreationally; we give them to our children, pet... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
PHI4003
Course Name:
The Philosophy of Love and Sex
Course Description:
Love and sex are central to the human condition, and have been topics of academic inquiry and controversy throughout history. Various practi... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
PHI4004
Course Name:
Technology, Society and the Environment
Course Description:
Environmental issues have come to occupy a central place in the marketplace, politics, policy, and society at large. Owing largely to the ma... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
PHI4100
Course Name:
Survival in the Information Age: Risk and the Media
Course Description:
On an almost daily basis, the media, through its various outlets - television, radio, web sites, RSS, and podcasts - reports on issues that ... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Code:
PHY4000
Course Name:
Black Holes, Big Bangs and the Cosmos
Course Description:
The dynamic and exciting field of Cosmology outlines our current understanding of the Universe from its start, at the so-called Big Bang, th... + Read More
Hours:
42.0
Careers & Pathways
Careers
Graduates of this program are eligible to register with the College of Early Childhood Educators. Graduates may find employment opportunities in community health agencies, Early ON centres, municipal and provincial government and non-government agencies, addressing the needs of families, children, and their communities. Entrepreneurial opportunities (e.g. consulting, marketing of educational toys, etc.) are emerging.
Pathways
Please use our Pathways tool to search for pathway options.
Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Contribute to early learning and community development for children and families using research and evidence-based practice from the fields of psychology, early learning, education, sociology, and social work.
- Communicate professionally, in all modalities to support children, their families and their communities to document research findings and inform the public and profession.
- Use cross cultural competencies and evidence-based practice to initiate and develop supportive, respectful, responsive and professional relationships when working with children, families and the broader community, including Indigenous peoples and Francophone culture.
- Develop inclusive curricula by using observation strategies and applying research and evidence-based practices in early learning and community development pedagogy.
- Design and deliver effective needs assessments, draft action plans, and implement and evaluate community based early learning projects.
- Co-create and evaluate inclusive, equitable, safe and healthy learning environments for children, families, and communities.
- Apply relevant legislation, regulations, standards and the College of Early Childhood Educators Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice to inform the development, implementation and evaluation of programs for children, families and their communities.
- Identify and analyze local, national and international standards, trends and directions in the early learning profession to inform leadership practices.
- Coordinate, implement and lead early learning services and community partners and stakeholders through the assessment and analysis of data on organizational structures and behaviours.
- Develop a personal philosophy of early learning and community development using methodologies of reflective practice and evidence-based theoretical perspectives.
- Apply a variety of leadership skills to work collaboratively with community partners and stakeholders, families and children to advocate for quality early learning programs and services.
- Advocate for the importance of the natural environment in supporting the development of healthy communities for children and their families through the application of current research and knowledge.
- Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.
Tuition & Fees
Get an idea of how much each semester will cost with our Tuition and Fee Estimator.
2023/2024 Academic Year
Tuition and related ancillary fees for this program can be viewed by using the Tuition and Fees Estimator tool at www.algonquincollege.com/fee-estimator.
Further information on fees can be found by visiting the Registrar`s Office website at www.algonquincollege.com/ro.
Fees are subject to change.
Admissions Requirements
All applicants must satisfy both College Eligibility and Program Eligibility requirements.
Program Eligibility
- Graduates from a two-year Early Childhood Education Ontario College Diploma program with a minimum overall average of 70%, and who complete the required three degree-level bridging courses (Foundations of Social Development, Working with Adults, Legislation and Ethics in Family Services) with a minimum of a C (63%) in each course, are eligible to enter into semester five (Year 3) for this four-year Bachelor of Early Learning and Community Development (Honours) degree.
Additional Requirements:
Upon acceptance into the program the following requirements must be met. Valid First Aid and CPR Certification (St. John Ambulance, Red Cross or equivalent) must be completed prior to the commencement of classes. This certificate must be valid for the duration of the program. Students must have Standard First Aid certification. Failure to complete these requirements will prevent students from participating in the field placement and work term components of the program.
Health Requirements:
The physical and emotional health of each applicant to the program must be such that he or she can successfully cope with the program of instruction including the demands of field placement (e.g. stress and time management). Individuals who have concerns about their ability to meet these requirements should contact the coordinator of the program prior to submitting an application.
Police Records Check Documentation:
Students must provide the College with a current Police Records Check for Service with the Vulnerable Sector (PRCSVS) prior to the deadline identified by the department and students are responsible for any associated costs. If this documentation in not submitted on time, students may not be placed and registration in the program will be jeopardized. If you register in the program without a clear PRCSVS and as a result are unable to participate in placement, you will not be able to graduate and will be asked to withdraw.
Experiential Learning, Work Term and Field Placement Eligibility:
To be eligible for placement, you must submit proof of Standard First Aid certification, CPR level C, PRCSVS, and complete immunizations through ParaMed. ParaMed services are the third-party provider who collects all field placement documentation for the Community Studies department.
Mature students are applicants who have not achieved the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or its equivalent and who are at least 19 years of age on or before the commencement of the program in which they intend to enroll. Mature students have demonstrated academic abilities equivalent to those of Ontario high school graduates, verified by successful completion of courses at the postsecondary level.
If you are an International Student:
International students require a work permit issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to authorize the student in completing the essential work component in the three placement courses and work term in the 4-year BELCD degree.
International students must have a work permit in order to participate in the practice teaching courses. This permit should be obtained as soon as possible. At the port of entry to Canada, students should let the customs officer know that they need the work permit and should include a letter issued by the International Admissions office to add support to the request.
Students who wait until they start the program to apply for the permit might not obtain it in time to begin their first practice teaching course.
Current processing times for the work permit are found here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/temp.asp.
Application Information
BACHELOR OF EARLY LEARNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (ENTRY LEVEL 05) (HONOURS)
Program Code 1617B01FWO
Applications to full-time day programs must be submitted with official transcripts showing completion of the academic admission requirements through:
ontariocolleges.ca
60 Corporate Court
Guelph, Ontario N1G 5J3
1-888-892-2228
Students currently enrolled in an Ontario secondary school should notify their Guidance Office prior to their online application at www.ontariocolleges.ca.
Applications for Fall Term and Winter Term admission received by February 1 will be given equal consideration. Applications received after February 1 will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis as long as places are available.
International applicants please visit this link for application process information: https://algonquincollege.force.com/myACint/.
For further information on the admissions process, contact:
Registrar`s Office
Algonquin College
1385 Woodroffe Ave
Ottawa, ON
K2G 1V8
Telephone: 613-727-0002
Toll-free: 1-800-565-4723
TTY: 613-727-7766
Fax:613-727-7632
Contact: https://www.algonquincollege.com/ro
Additional Information
Program Resources
Algonquin College has been granted consent by the Minister of Colleges and Universities to offer this applied degree for a seven-year term, starting May 10, 2022. The College shall ensure that all students admitted to the above-named program during this period of consent have the opportunity to complete the program within a reasonable timeframe.
Students may apply for transfer of academic credits from Algonquin College (internal transfer) or from other institutions (external transfer). College Policies AA09 and AA10 apply to transfer of credits. For more information visit: www.algonquincollege.com/directives.
Students may apply for credit by challenging courses using Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR). College Policy AA06 applies to PLAR. Students pay a fee for each course they wish to be exempt from and, through either a portfolio or challenge examination, a PLAR may lead to the acceptance of work and life experience in lieu of taking certain courses. For more information visit: www.algonquincollege.com/col/plar.html.
ACADEMIC PROBATION:
Students who have two or more F grades in a given term or whose term grade point average falls below C- are considered to be on academic probation (Policy AA14 Grading System). This requires the student to meet with their academic advisor or coordinator to sign a learning contract which identifies the conditions which must be met to continue in the program. Students who do not meet the terms of their learning contract are withdrawn from the program.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS:
Students must achieve a minimum of a 1.7 final G.P.A to meet graduation status.
Contact
Lisa Lalonde
Program Coordinator
Room C230h
Lisa Lalonde is a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE), she is a graduate of Algonquin College’s ECE program, and has a Masters in Educational Leadership and Management from Royal Roads University. She currently is pursuing a PhD in Applied Psychology & Human Development, Early Learning through OISE, University of Toronto.
Lisa has over 15 years of experience working with children, families, and the broader early learning community. She participated in the College of Early Childhood Educators Leadership Project, and is engaged in building professional capacity within the early childhood sector, both locally, Ottawa, and provincially. Her areas of interest are examining the professional identity of ECE’s, and the use of technology in early childhood settings.