Individuals can complete a certificate or diploma without having to come onto the LCC campus. Distance education is convenient way to meet educational goals while maintaining full or part-time employment.

Distance education involves correspondence study through the mailing of learning packages to students who then complete the assisgnments and return them via mail, fax or e-mail to their instructors for marking and evaluation. Ongoing contact between the instructors and students is maintained throughout the course.

Visit our website at: lethbridgec.ab.ca/ece/ece.html for further information, or call (403) 382-6943 or (403) 320-3395 or toll-free (in Canada) 1-800-572-0103.

E-mail inquiries to: [email protected] or [email protected]

• IMPORTANT DATES
• ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
• PROGRAM FEES
• PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT
• GRADUATION
• EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
• TRANSFER AGREEMENTS
• CURRICULUM
• COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

• TO THE PROGRAM / DEPARTMENT SITE

• BACK TO THE ON-LINE CALENDAR

IMPORTANT DATES

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Not applicable

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

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New students are accepted on a year round basis, with the first day of every month as the start date for a new session. Students can study full time or part time. Applicants must complete the Application for Admission form and pay the non-refundable $40.00 application processing fee.

CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Academic Requirements
Applicants are required to have an Alberta High School Diploma or equivalent, with a minimum of 60% in English 30 or 65% in English 33, and 60% in a Social Science 30 or 33 (eg. Psychology, Sociology or Social Studies).

Individuals who do not have formal admission requirements can apply as an Alternate Admission Candidate. To provide the basis for acceptance one or more of the following may be requested: official documents to verify academic history, a personal telephone interview, an admission test or a writing sample. An applicant may be asked to register as an Occasional student, enroll in an ECE distance course and receive a grade of C or better before being admitted into the ECE program. Acceptance as an Alternate Admission Applicant is not automatic.
If an admission test is required, applicants may be required to achieve a minimum 60th percentile in Reading Comprehension and Sentence Skill sections of the Computerized Placement Test or equivalent.

Professional Suitability:
Applicants are requested to submit a questionnaire with background information of previous work and academic history.

Occasional Student:
Individuals wishing to register in an ECE distance course without making a commitment to the program must register as an Occasional Student. They will be required to complete an Application for Admission and submit it to the Registrar’s Office along with the $40.00 non-refundable application processing fee, prior to registration in credit courses. For admission as an Occasional Student, no other documentation (transcripts etc.) is required. Occasional Students may enroll in a maximum of two credit courses in any one term. Upon the completion of four credit courses, any further registration as an Occasional Student will require the permission of the Registrar.

Occasional Students may also apply for admission to the ECE program through the regular Application for Admission process. Attendance as an Occasional Student does not guarantee acceptance into the program.

DIPLOMA PROGRAM
Academic Requirements:
Applicants are required to have successfully completed a one-year Early Childhood Education Certificate or equivalent.

FIELD PLACEMENT
Students are required to complete field placements and seminars in the Certificate and Diploma programs. They can be completed in a day care centre, nursery school or kindergarten. Students are encouraged to complete field placements and seminars in a variety of licensed settings.

All field placements and seminars can be completed in the student’s place of employment if it is a licensed facility. If students choose to be placed in another setting, every effort is made to provide placements within your town, however, some placements may occur in the outlying communities There is a three month lead requirement for setting up a field placement starting from the time a student registers and pays course fees.

When a student has the appropriate prerequisites and is ready for field placement and seminar, please phone Early Childhood Distance Education toll free at 1-800-572-0103 or directly at (403) 329-7272 for the procedure.

CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK
A criminal record check prior to practicum placement is needed. Most practicum sites require a criminal record check. Call your local police station for the details of obtaining a criminal record check.

PROGRAM FEES

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The tuition rate for distance education courses is $88 per credit (plus book and supply costs). This rate is subject to change without notice. Please contact Distributed Learning Services for information regarding fees.

STUDENT LOANS
For those qualifying, Early Childhood Education distance students have been able to obtain Canada Students Loans on a full or part-time basis or an Alberta students may be able to obtain a part-time bursary from the Alberta Students¹ Finance Board. More information on student awards, bursaries and loans is available from the LCC Student Awards office: (toll-free in Canada) 1-800-572-0103 or (403) 320-3367.

PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT

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Students accepted into this program have the opportunity to apply related employment, volunteer, educational or training experiences toward the completion of the program. For information on Prior Learning Assessment, students should contact the Registrar¹s Office.

GRADUATION

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Upon successful completion of the first year program requirements, students are awarded a Certificate in Early Childhood Education. Upon successful completion of the second year program requirements, students are awarded a Diploma in Early Childhood Education.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

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TRANSFER AGREEMENTS

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University of Victoria
LCC’s Early Childhood Education program is also part of a collaborative transfer agreement between five Alberta colleges and the School of Child and Youth Care, University of Victoria, British Columbia.

University of Manitoba
The program also offers course by course transfer with the University of Manitoba, Human Ecology/Families Studies program. Graduates of the LCC program should contact the University of Manitoba for the details.

University of Calgary
Negotiations are currently underway for LCC Early Childhood Education diploma graduates to receive up to two years credit toward the University of Calgary’s Bachelor of Coimmunity Rehabilitation degree.

Athabasca University
Diploma graduates may receive up to two years credit toward the Athabasca University Bachelor of Administration degree.

CURRICULUM

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CERTIFICATE DISTANCE
(All of these courses are needed for the ECE Certificate)
ECE 155 Introduction to Early Childhood (3-0) 3
ECE 162 Creative Experiences I (2-1) 3
COM 162 Interpersonal Relationships and Communication (3-0) 3
ECE 180 Field Placement I (18 days) 3
ECE 190 Integrative Seminar I (0-1) 3
ENG 150 Composition (3-0) 3
ECE 154 Guiding Children’s Behaviour (3-0) 3
*ECE 156 Development Through Play (2-1) 3
ECE 158 Health, Safety and Nutrition (2-0) 2
ECE 160 Observation and Recording (2-0) 2
ECE 181 Field Placement II (31 days) 5
ECE 191 Integration Seminar II (0-1) 1
PSY 170 Human Development Across the Lifespan (3-0) 3
PSY 171 Child Growth and Development (3-0) 3
* available on-line

DIPLOMA DISTANCE
(These courses are needed for the ECE Diploma)
ECE 252 Child and Family (2-0) 2
ECE 253 Family and Community (2-0) 2
ECE 257 Organization and Administration (3-0) 3
ECE 259 Children With Special Needs (3-0) 3
ECE 260 Infant and Toddler Programming (3-0) 3
ECE 262 Creative Experiences II (3-0) 3
ECE 263 Creative Experiences III (3-0) 3
ECE 264 Preschool Programming (3-0) 3
ECE 265 Interpersonal Relations and Communication Skills II (2-0) 2
ECE 266 Interpersonal Relations and Communications III (2-0) 2
ECE 280 Field Placement III (24 days) 4
ECE 281 Field Placement IV (25 days) 4
ECE 290 Integration Seminar III (0-1) 1
ECE 291 Integration Seminar IV (0-1) 1

Additional Courses
ECE 250 Independent Study (3-0) 3
PSY 150 Child Growth and Development I (4-0) 4
PSY 151 Child Growth and Development II (3-0) 3
Note 2: ECE 270 or RSP 256 or ECE 250 may be taken in lieu of ECE 257.