Early Childhood Education (ECE)

Start in January, May, September

PGWP-eligible Program

Study Option

Full-time & Part-time

Credential

Ontario College Diploma

School

School of Early Childhood Education

About the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program

In the Early Childhood Education diploma program, you will learn about the physical, cognitive, social and emotional needs of children. You will understand how to develop and implement inclusive programming in order to support the healthy development of children ranging in age from infancy to school-age.

Your studies will include courses in child development, curriculum, philosophy of education, communication, working with families and administration.

As a graduate of this program who meets GPA requirements, you are eligible to pursue internal pathway opportunities at Seneca, including the Honours Bachelor of Child Development and Honours Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies.

Skills

Throughout this program you will develop the following skills:

Design healthy, safe, inclusive and engaging environments for children from infancy to school age.
Plan and implement inclusive programming to support children’s development using current theories.
Build positive relationships with children, families, colleagues and other professionals

Program Duration

Study at your own pace: In this program you’ll have the flexibility to choose how many courses you want to take each term. Students who study full-time can complete this program in as little as two years. Duration will depend on the number of courses taken each term. If you choose to study in the summer, you’ll have the option to earn your Early Childhood Education (ECE) diploma in 16 months. See courses for more information.

Maximum completion time: In accordance with ministry requirements, all students must complete the program within four years of being admitted.

Work Experience

Field Placement

Field placement is central to the learning experience. You will obtain over 500 field placement hours in a variety of Childcare and Early Years professional settings. These experiences will provide you with the opportunity to integrate classroom learning into practice with groups of children within the community.

The field placement must be completed in person.

Start in	Study Option	Location	Availability
Jan. 2027	Full-time	King	Open
Jan. 2027	Full-time	Newnham	Open
Jan. 2027	Full-time	Online	Open
Jan. 2027	Part-time	Newnham	Open
May 2027	Full-time	King	Open
May 2027	Full-time	Newnham	Open
May 2027	Full-time	Online	Open
May 2027	Part-time	Newnham	Open
Sept. 2027	Full-time	King	Open
Sept. 2027	Full-time	Newnham	Open
Sept. 2027	Full-time	Online	Open
Sept. 2027	Part-time	Newnham	Open

Availability is subject to change and a seat is not guaranteed.

Start in	Study Option	Location	Availability
Sept. 2026	Full-time	King	Closed
Sept. 2026	Full-time	Newnham	Closed
Jan. 2027	Full-time	King	Limited
Jan. 2027	Full-time	Newnham	Closed
May 2027	Full-time	King	Limited
May 2027	Full-time	Newnham	Limited

Availability is subject to change and a seat is not guaranteed.

This program meets Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility requirements for students who apply for a study permit or PGWP before Nov 1, 2024 or on or after Dec 17, 2024. View Seneca’s current PGWP-eligible programs. (CIP code: 19.0709)

International students: Studying part-time is not an available option as this will impact your study permit and PGWP eligibility. Review the requirements before choosing your program and study option.

Program and Course Delivery

This program is offered online and is also available in person for students at Newnham Campus or King Campus. Students choosing in-person delivery at Newnham Campus or King Campus are required to come on campus. Please note that you must attend field placement in person and reside in Ontario for its duration to complete the ECE program.

Learn more: Seneca’s program delivery options and how courses in this program will be delivered each term.

International students planning to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP): If you are in a flexible delivery course, you must attend classes in person. Review the PGWP requirements before choosing your program delivery options as studying online may affect your PGWP eligibility as per IRCC policy.

Your Career

When you graduate from this program, these are the types of career options you can explore:

Child care centres
Family resource programs
Settlement centres
EarlyON centres
After-school programs
Nursery schools
Parent co-operative centres
Private home child care
Centres for children with special needs
Kindergarten in the elementary school system

Affiliations/Associations

Upon graduation you will qualify to join the following affiliations and associations:

Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario (AECEO)
The Canadian Association for Young Children (CAYC)
Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF)
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
The College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE)

Frequently Asked Questions

ECE Online Delivery (Full-time only)

The online program follows the same structure and curriculum as the in-person program, including a cohort model. The main difference is your learning style—online learning requires comfort with virtual engagement and independent study habits. Please note that your field placement must be completed in person within Ontario to be recognized by The College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE).

No. The online cohort is considered its own campus (ONL) and students are not advised to switch between delivery formats.

Courses may include a mix of synchronous (scheduled class time) and asynchronous (on your own time) learning, depending on the course and professor. However, the program is not fully asynchronous, so active participation is expected.

Classes for the full-time online program can be scheduled Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Some instructors may record or pre-record lectures, but this varies by course and professor.

Yes, exams are conducted online and follow strict protocols to maintain academic integrity.

You’re encouraged to complete the Online Learning Readiness Questionnaire to help determine if this format suits your learning style.

Field Placement

Yes, field placements are a mandatory part of the program and must be completed in person within Ontario.

Yes, you need to meet clearance requirements before beginning field placement.

No. Placement courses are co-requisites with specific academic courses and are also prerequisites for future semesters, so they must be completed in sequence.

You will be placed within reasonable distance of your home campus and/or your local home address. You must have your local mailing address (where you are living while in school) accurate and up-to-date on Student Home. This is the information that is used when assigning field placements. Please note that you are expected to commute to placement each semester.

If you are studying part-time and do not secure a field placement by the specified deadline, you must drop the field placement course for that semester. Please note that this may result in non-refundable fees.

Other FAQs

You may wish to explore the Child Development Practitioner program.

Yes — there is support to guide you through the registration process. After graduation, you will apply directly to the College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE). You can request to have your Seneca transcript sent electronically through Student Home. From there, share your digital transcript with the College of ECE by emailing applications@college-ece.ca. You can choose to apply after graduating or in your final semester.

The Seneca Polytechnic Difference

This is where university meets college. Where theory meets practice. Where ambition meets flexibility.

ECE Labs

You will gain hands-on, practical experience in our state-of-the-art ECE Labs, preparing you for your in-demand career.

Experiential Learning

Graduate career ready and world ready. This program has a field placement to help you hone essential skills for the workplace.

Degree Pathways

Every Seneca diploma has a degree pathway. You have the opportunity to continue your studies and complete a degree at Seneca or a partner institution.

Prior Experience

Earn credit for previous studies, work experience or training through Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition and transfer credits.

Student Works and Experiences

What does Seneca have to offer?

Hear from Valedictorian, Arif Karedia, about his experience as a Seneca student and preparing for a career in early childhood learning and care.

Landed the Job

ECE valedictorian Shakira Sinclair turned her vision into impact. As the founder of Reading for Kids, she’s championing literacy and empowerment for young learners.

What Our Graduates Say

Shakira Sinclair

Graduate and 2022 Valedictorian, Early Childhood Education

"One of the most memorable experiences I had at Seneca was exploring the innovative environment in ECE labs. It was there that I discovered the power of play being driven by curiosity. This experience truly solidified my belief that our role as educators is truly to engage with children as co-learners. I currently work as Assistant Supervisor for an early learning centre which specializes in Infant and Early Mental Health. I plan to pursue becoming a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) specializing in disability studies."

Fumiko Fujikawa

Graduate, Early Childhood Education

After completing Seneca’s ECE diploma program, Fumiko Fujikawa returned to Japan in 2007 and began working for an international kindergarten. She then became an English teacher and implemented her newly found ECE techniques in her classes, which became a great success among students and their parents. By 2011, Fumiko opened her own school in Japan, FLAT English School, which teaches the English language to children and adults. The school has also created space for Seneca ECE and Bachelor of Child Development (BCD) students to work there virtually in field placements.

Learn more about Fumiko

“I'm extremely proud of what I’ve learned through Seneca and am trying to prove that the philosophy and theory of ECE, ‘Learning Through Play’ is the best way for children to learn English,” says Fumiko, who also conducts workshops for educators and parents, promoting ECE and play-based learning. She inspires and influences others with her methods and is the organizer, translator and driver of these workshops and lectures.

Fumiko’s goal is to change English education in Japan.

“I love Seneca and that’s why I keep going back every year,” says Fumiko. “My whole ECE experience made me realize that I was born to be a teacher.”

Penny Siskopoulos

Graduate, Early Childhood Education

“If it weren't for the ECE program at Seneca and the incredibly passionate professors, I would not understand how crucial the early years in a child’s life are. ECE helped set a solid foundation for always making sure I create a positive, motivating, safe and stimulating environment for every child I work with. So much so, that it drove me to want to work one-on-one with children with special needs - helping them improve their learning, communication and social skills. I can confidently say that I cannot picture myself doing anything other than working with young children and helping them flourish in their early years.”

Learn more about Penny

Penny currently works at the Geneva Centre for Autism as an Instructor Therapist. As an Instructor therapist, she observes behaviour and provides intensive behavioural intervention in a one-on-one setting. She is responsible for preparing, delivering and presenting teaching materials for individualized programs for children with Autism; as well as monitoring the progress and effectiveness of the individual programs.

Sue O’Neill

Graduate, Early Childhood Education and Honours Bachelor of Child Development

"My program included a co-op term which was foundational to developing the skills and research interests I currently am pursuing in my PhD research project. In my co-op term I was able to be a research assistant on a project regarding the impact of therapy dogs on children's literacy development. This interest in the human-animal bond has continued through my research."

Sheryl Stoppenbrink

Graduate, Early Childhood Education and Honours Bachelor of Child Development, 2025 Valedictorian

"The combination of core courses and electives, especially those focused on child development and human behaviour, directly prepared me for my master's program in counselling psychology. This preparation has allowed me to enter my advanced studies with confidence, clarity, and a solid understanding of the field."