Early Childhood Care & Education Certificate

Admission Requirements

1. C in English 12 or equivalent
      
2. A signed Requisite Skills and Abilities (RSA) document. The RSA document describes the requirements for practice in early childhood care and education. Prospective students need to review these and decide whether they believe they are able to meet them. Should you have concerns about being able to meet the RSA’s, please contact the ECCE Department Chair.

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Indigenous Priority Admissions

North Island College is dedicated to improving its ability to meet the educational needs of Indigenous students. NIC’s Indigenization Plan, “Working Together” outlines our commitment to Indigenization, reconciliation and decolonization.  To further advance these goals, North Island College has reserved seating and priority admissions in many of our program for students of Indigenous ancestry. 

Applicants will be considered on a first-applied, first-qualified basis for all programs with the exception of Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree, where a selective admission process will be used.

To be considered for a priority admission seat, Indigenous students must:

• Self-identify as an Indigenous person
• Complete the Indigenous Priority Admission Request for a Reserved Seat form
• Meet NIC’s general admission requirements, and/or specific program requirements

Before Classes Begin

Once accepted to the program, but before classes begin, the student will be required to:

1. Complete a Solicitor General Consent for Criminal Record Search form. This form will be sent to you from the admissions office once you are offered a seat in the program. Processing costs will be incurred by the student.
2. Hold a current Child Care First Aid certificate OR take the required course offered at North Island College during the first month of the full time program. Students who provide proof of a current equivalent certificate are not required to duplicate this training. It is the responsibility of the student to maintain certification throughout the program.
3. Full-time students will be required to submit a Portfolio containing the following documentation on the first day of class. Note: Part-time students will be required to submit the portfolio and their First Aid certificate to their practicum instructor before beginning their practice placements.
   • Completed Personal Immunization form. This form will be sent to you by the admissions office when you have a seat in the program. It must be validated by a health care professional, ie. a physician or public health nurse at your local health unit.
   • Two (2) character reference letters attesting to your good character, temperament and ability to work with children.
   • A current resume.

Course Requirements

• ECC - 104 Developmental Journey
• ECC - 114 Partnerships - Part I - Child Guidance
• ECC - 116 Partnerships II - Advanced Guiding and Caring
• ECC - 124 The Learning Child - Part I - Play & Curriculum
• ECC - 125 The Learning Child - Part II - Planning for Play & the Environment
• ECC - 136 Foundations of Professional Practice
• ECC - 140 Practice Experience I
• ECC - 141 Practice Experience II
• ECC - 142 Practice Experience III
• ECC - 157 Effective Interpersonal Communications
• ECC - 163 Child, Family and Community
• ECC - 168 Health Safety and Nutrition in Childcare Settings

Completion Requirements

1. Attendance is required in all courses. Students who miss more than 10% of a course may be asked to repeat the course for credit.
    
2. To complete the program, students must successfully complete all courses with an overall average of C (2.0 GPA) and a minimum of C- in each course. A student who fails any course in the program cannot progress until the course is passed.
   In order to repeat a course, the student must reapply to the program in a subsequent offering of the same term in which the failure occurred providing there is an available seat. If in repeating the course, the student fails again, then the student will be removed entirely from the program and can only re-enter by going through the admission process. Please note that the student may be required to begin at Term 1. A student who has failed a course, re-entered the program and successfully repeated the failed course, and then fails another course, will be removed entirely from the program and can only re-enter by through the admission process. Please note that the student may be required to begin at term one of the academic year.
   Re-entering the program under any circumstance is dependent on an available seat and at the discretion of the Early Childhood Care and Education department and in consultation with the Dean. Students who fail a course may be asked to complete a learning assessment prior to being reconsidered for re- admission. These regulations are important to the profession to ensure that graduates have the required skills and knowledge, and are therefore deemed safe to practice.
    
3. Students are required to adhere to the Code of Ethics of the Early Childhood Educators of British Columbia. Failure to adhere to these principles may result in the student being required to leave the program.