Early Childhood Studies - BA
Full-time formats:
• 4 Year
• Direct Entry to Third Year
Part-time format:
• Direct Entry to Third Year
Requirements:
Grades-Only
Grade range:
Low 70s
Faculty:
Faculty of Community Services
Experiential learning:
Placement mandatory
On this page
Is this degree for you?
Gain in-depth knowledge and practical skills working with children from birth to age 8, their families and professionals. In the Early Childhood Studies degree program, you’ll study physiological, psychological and social perspectives. You’ll develop understanding and practical skills related to family support, early learning and child care, curriculum design and disabilities in young children.
Experiential learning opportunities: Placement mandatory
You’ll gain experience through annual field education, research opportunities and mandatory placements. With over 275 national and international placement settings including schools, childcare centres, family support programs and more, you can apply your studies to a practice-related environment.
Graduates are eligible to register with the College of Early Childhood Educators. You’ll also have the opportunity to apply to our 16-month consecutive BA/BEd program with York University after you graduate, to work as a teacher.
Accreditation:
- College of Early Childhood Educators (Ontario)
The following is a preview of first-year courses based on the available current academic undergraduate calendar for this program.
Career possibilities:
- Childcare consultant
- Curriculum coordinator
- Early intervention specialist
- Early literacy consultant
- Family support specialist
Employer possibilities:
- City of Toronto
- Community Living Toronto
- Kerry's Place
- Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
- Toronto District School Board (TDSB)
Further education:
- Early Childhood Studies (MA)
- Education
- Paediatric psychosocial care
- Policy
Gaining experience at diverse placements
“I felt like the placement pushed me out of my comfort zone. Under the guidance of my field educator, I began designing activities based on children’s interests and my confidence started to increase slowly. Eventually, one of my activities was selected to be on the centre’s poster board and that recognition gave me a wonderful sense of accomplishment.”
Claire, Early Childhood Studies, Student
Read more: Exploring new sectors through diverse placements
This is a Grades-Only program. Admission decisions for Grades-Only programs are based on academic performance.
To be considered for admission, Ontario high school students must meet the following requirements:
- Completion of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
- Completion of 6 Grade 12 U or M courses with a minimum overall average of 70%
- Completion of the following required courses (minimum grade of 70% in each):
- Grade 12 U English/anglais (ENG4U/EAE4U preferred)
- One Grade 11 U or M or Grade 12 U or M mathematics or science course (one of MCF3M, MCR3U, SCH3U, SPH3U, SBI3U, SNC3M, MHF4U, MCV4U, MDM4U, PSE4U/PSK4U, SBI4U, SCH4U, SPH4U, SES4U, SNC4M, SVN3M)
An overall average of 70% is required for consideration. Due to competition, the average needed for admission can fluctuate each year (it depends on the number of applications received and the number of spaces available). The grade range at the top of this page represents the average required in previous years.
Academic admission requirements for all other applicants are available on the admission requirements page. If you haven’t been educated in Ontario, you may be considered with the equivalent of the Ontario requirements. TMU reserves the right to determine equivalency at its sole discretion.
- Early Childhood Education Diploma from a public Ontario college with a minimum 3.0/B/70% cumulative GPA
PLUS - All applicants must have completed 3 lower-level one-term (or equivalent) liberal studies courses at the university level with minimum B- (70%) grades. Please note the following liberal studies restrictions:
- College General Education courses cannot be used as substitutions for university-level liberal studies courses
- One of the lower-level liberal studies courses must be an English subject
- These courses cannot be part of the ECE diploma studies
- These courses cannot be an introductory-level psychology or sociology
- Note: Graduates of 2-year Early Childhood Education diploma programs from outside Ontario will be assessed on an individual basis
Tuition and fees range 2025-2026
For detailed fees info, visit tuition and fees by program and costs to expect.
Full-time format:
Ontario: $7,387 - $7,860
Out-of-province: $8,955 - $9,548
International: $36,806 - $38,169
Part-time format:
(One to 8 or more courses)
Ontario: $1,016 - $5,517
Out-of-province: $1,173 - $6,772
International: $3,879 - $28,419
Explore financial assistance
Learn more about government financial aid programs like OSAP, out-of-province student loans and U.S. student loans.
Apply for financial assistance.
Over $20M across all levels of study
We award more than $20M in awards, scholarships and bursaries throughout all years of study. Find scholarships for you.
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)'s Faculty of Community Services offers diverse programs that focus on making a positive impact in the community. The rich curriculum of multi-disciplinary programs in health, education, social justice and community development is closely connected to the spirit and the dynamism of the community.
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Disclaimer:
While every effort is made to ensure accuracy on this site, in the event of a discrepancy, TMU's current Undergraduate Calendar is the official reference.