Bachelor of Early Learning and Community Development (Honours)

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.

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.

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.

What You’ll Learn

• 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.