Early Childhood Education certificate and diploma

Early Childhood Education

Contact Us

SarahJayne Biglieni
Human Services Enrolment Specialist
780 853 0902
780 853 0902
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International Students

international@lakelandcollege.ca
780 853 8407
If you are an international student or on a work permit, please contact our international department

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LocationVermilion

CredentialDiploma

Program Length2 years

Delivery MethodFace-to-face

On ApplyAlberta, applicants must apply to the diploma for the face-to-face offering of early childhood education. Students who choose to exit the program after successfully completing the 1st-year requirements are eligible to receive a early childhood education certificate.

Are you looking for our online early childhood education program?

Learn everything you need to know to create experiences and environments that enhance young children's development from infancy to school age in an early learning setting.

As you work towards your two-year diploma, you’ll learn how to:

use observation skills to create experiences for young children based on their interests and needs.
design learning environments that invite play and exploration both indoors and outside in our new natural playscape.
develop relationships and support children and their families.
run an early learning program.

Each semester has a field placement. Your third field placement is unique to Lakeland. You and your classmates will set up and host a play program for the community. Together, you’ll:

plan and promote the play program.
hold an open house for families.
create experiences and environments for the children.
guide children's learning and reflect on the experience.

In Alberta, to be recognized as a:

Level 1 Early Childhood Educator, you must successfully complete 1 programming course in our certificate program.
Level 2 Early Childhood Educator, you must graduate with your certificate in early childhood education.
Level 3 Early Childhood Educator, you must graduate with your diploma in early childhood education.

Requirements

1. High school diploma with a minimum of:

50% in English 30-1 or 65% in English 30-2

2. Proof of English language proficiency

Notes:

If you exit the program after successfully completing the 1st-year requirements, you are eligible for an early childhood education certificate.
If you completed high school outside of Alberta, check provincial subject equivalents.
If you don’t have the academic requirements, you may qualify through special admissions.
If you are an International student, check eligible programs.

To be considered for admission to 2nd year of the diploma program, applicants must have successfully completed an early childhood education certificate program, or an equivalent, from a public accredited institution, with a minimum grade point average of 2.0.

After you've been accepted into the program, you must also meet these program requirements.

A clear criminal record check with vulnerable sector check is a legal requirement for some coursework as well as field placements,

Contact your local police department or RCMP detachment for cost and procedure.
You must request and be issued the check within 3 months of your program's start date.
You can't take specific courses where you work with children and youth, or get field placement (practicum) without this official check. If you don't provide the documents, you will be withdrawn from the program.
If you are an international student, you must provide a criminal record check from your home country.

Please note: You must be a minimum of 18 years old to get this criminal record check.

Submit these documents to the Human Services department before August 15 by either:

emailing susanne.martin@lakelandcollege.ca
bringing the original document with you on registration day

As you prepare for your start date, review this important information.

Students must be in good standing with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 to be eligible for their field placement.
Students must be in good health, highly motivated, emotionally mature and stable. A high degree of tolerance and respect for the rights of others is required.
A current First Aid in Childcare Certificate may be required.
A Child Intervention Record Check (IRC) may be required.
Students must be prepared to relocate to larger centres for work-integrated learning field placements.

Enrolment is the final step after you've been accepted, paid your tuition deposit, and the timetable has been set.

You will be automatically enrolled in your courses.
You can expect to be enrolled approximately 1 month before the program start date.
Once you've been enrolled, your schedule will be available in My Lakeland.

If you completed relevant courses at another post-secondary institution, you may be eligible for transfer credit. Apply for transfer credit at least 2 months before classes start by completing the transfer credit form.

Review all of the other ways Lakeland does prior learning assessments.

When you complete the requirements with a minimum 2.0 grade point average, you'll be awarded a diploma.

If you decide to exit the program after successfully completing the 1st-year requirements, you are eligible for a certificate.

More program details

2025-26 tuition and fees

Year	Tuition and program fees	Estimated books, supplies and field trips	Mandatory fees
1	$5,870	$1,000	$942
2	$5,870	$1,000	$942

2025-26 tuition and fees

Year	Tuition and program fees	Estimated books, supplies and field trips	Mandatory fees
1	$17,930	$1,000	$1,200
2	$17,930	$1,000	$1,200

Remember that studying includes other expenses than tuition and fees - you should also be budgeting for your accommodation and living expenses. Alberta student loan guidelines recommends $1,153/month.

You can also find a list of Human Services textbooks.

If you are looking to take individual courses, and aren't registered in our program, please go to our human services continuing education page.

Below is the list of the required certificate and diploma courses. Face-to-face courses are delivered over 2 semesters.

Certificate

Diploma

About field placement

You need a minimum 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) to be eligible for your field placement.

You must have completed or be in the process of successfully completing:

4 certificate courses including HS 180 to be eligible to register for ED 109 ECE Field Placement I
8 certificate courses to register for ED 110 ECE Field Placement II
4 diploma courses including ED 243 to be eligible to register for ED 230 ECE Field Placement III
8 diploma courses to register for ED 231 ECE Field Placement IV

Your weekly class schedule can be found on your My Lakeland student portal when available. This is usually one month prior to the program start date.

Important dates found below include your tuition due date, your program registration/start date, events and holidays.

Dates are subject to change. We recommend you check here regularly for any updates.

Note: Dates are subject to change.

2025 Fall term/semester

Date	Event
Aug 11	Fees due, fall term
Sep 2	Registration Day
Sep 3	First day of classes
Sep 10	Last day to add fall term courses
Sep 23	Last day to drop fall term courses. Last day to withdraw with full refund of fees less tuition deposit.
Sep 30	National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, college closed
Oct 13	Thanksgiving, college closed
Nov 3	Last day to withdraw from fall term courses with W grade or change from credit to audit
Nov 10-11	Fall break for students
Nov 11	Remembrance Day, college closed
Dec 1	Fees due, winter term
Dec 12	Last day of classes
Dec 13 - Jan 5	Christmas break for students

2026 Winter term/semester

Date	Event
Jan 6	First day of classes
Jan 13	Last day to add winter term courses
Jan 27	Last day to drop winter term courses. Last day to withdraw with 100% refund of winter term fees.
Feb 16-20	Reading week/spring break
Mar 13	Last day to withdraw from winter term courses with W grade or change from credit to audit.
Apr 3-6	Easter Break, college closed
Apr 24	Last day classes
Jun 5	Vermilion campus Convocation

Note: Dates are subject to change.

2026 Fall term/semester

Date	Event
Aug 12	Fees due, fall term
Sep 1	Registration Day
Sep 2	First day of classes
Sep 7	Labor Day, college closed
Sep 9	Last day to add fall term courses
Sep 22	Last day to drop fall term courses. Last day to withdraw with full refund of fees less tuition deposit.
Sep 30	National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, college closed
Oct 12	Thanksgiving, college closed
Nov 2	Last day to withdraw from fall term courses with W grade or change from credit to audit
Nov 9-13	Fall break for students
Nov 11	Remembrance Day, college closed
Dec 1	Fees due, winter term
Dec 18	Last day of classes
Dec 21 - Jan4	Christmas break for students

2027 Winter term/semester

Date	Event
Jan 5	First day of classes
Jan 12	Last day to add winter term courses
Jan 25	Last day to drop winter term courses. Last day to withdraw with 100% refund of winter term fees.
Feb 15	Family Day, college closed
Feb 15-29	Reading week/spring break
Mar 12	Last day to withdraw from winter term courses with W grade or change from credit to audit.
Mar 26-29	Easter Break, college closed
Apr 23	Last day classes
Jun 4	Vermilion campus Convocation

Continue your learning

If you are in Saskatchewan, check out our professional development option to earn Saskatchewan ECE I online. Our certificate will lead you to an ECE II designation and our diploma graduates are recognized as ECE IIIs.

At Lakeland College:

Animal Assisted Wellness
Community Mental Health

After the certificate

This one year certificate program qualifies graduates as an Early Childhood Educator Level 2.

Apply to take another year and earn a diploma. A diploma also opens doors to a number of degree options.

After the diploma

The two year diploma program qualifies graduates as an Early Childhood Educator Level 3.

Do you want to take your education to the next level?

Lakeland has transfer agreements with the following institutions:

Athabasca University offers a Bachelor of Professional Arts: Human Services.

Note: up to 30 credits transfer

Options at MacEwan University include Bachelor of Applied Human Services Administration, Bachelor of Child & Youth Care and Bachelor of Early Childhood Curriculum Studies.

Note: up to 60 credits transfer for B. Early Childhood Curriculum Studies.

Mount Royal University offers a Bachelor of Child Studies.

Note: up to 60 credits transfer

Students who have completed Early Childhood Education Certificate can transfer to Medicine Hat for Early Learning Child Care Diploma, year 2.

Students who have completed Early Childhood Education Diploma can transfer to the U of L for Bachelor of Health Services.

Students who have completed Early Childhood Education Certificate can transfer to Northwestern Polytechnic for Early Learning Child Care, year 2.

University of Alberta offers a Bachelor of Elementary Education.

Note: up to 30 credits transfer

University of Saskatchewan offers a Bachelor of Arts: Indigenous Studies.

University of Victoria offers a Bachelor of Arts: Child & Youth Care.

Note: up to 60 credits transfer

Students who have completed Early Childhood Education Certificate can transfer to Keyano for Early Learning Child Care Diploma, year 2.

Students who have completed Early Childhood Education Certificate can transfer to Lethbridge for Early Childhood Education Diploma, year 2.

Students who have completed Early Childhood Education can transfer to the U of R for Bachelor of Education.

up to 15 credits for Early Childhood Education Certificate
Up to 30 credits for Early Childhood Education

Lakeland student playing games with students in a classroom

Your studies begin not just with a textbook but by also stepping into our communities through your field placements. Combine professional work experiences with classroom learning and you'll see why Lakeland is so special.

Learning in action

Studying early childhood education at Lakeland starts you on a rewarding path teaching and mentoring children. Graduates typically work in a variety of learning environments, both in classrooms and managing roles.

Jobs and careers

Related programs

Child and Youth Care Counsellor

Community Mental Health

Animal Assisted Wellness

Early Childhood Education