Brock University’s BECE program builds national partnerships

Brock’s Bachelor of Early Childhood Education program (BECE) has partnered with two out-of-province colleges to provide transfer pathways for graduates of their Early Childhood Education diploma programs.

The articulation agreements signed in 2022 with Assiniboine Community College in Manitoba and Holland College in Prince Edward Island are the first since the BECE program moved online in 2022.

The BECE program is a part-time or full-time Honours degree that builds on a two-year Early Childhood Education diploma program or equivalent, allowing students to complete their degree in as little as two academic years.

Traditionally, the program’s students have come from Ontario communities. With the move online and partnerships across Canada, the program is broadening its impact on early childhood educators and the early childhood education (ECE) field across the country.

“New agreements from educational institutions at the national and international level contribute to moving the field forward,” says Sandra Della Porta, Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Studies and BECE Program Director. “The online BECE program offers students from across Canada and around the world an opportunity to advance not only their specialization in ECE, but also the field by moving their ideas forward. These highly skilled professionals gain confidence and develop deeper understanding of the processes that influence children’s learning and development. With this, BECE students are well prepared to become leaders in the field.”

As well as streamlining admissions processes for Holland College and Assiniboine Community College graduates, the agreements help to expand the program’s student body and build national and international networks for students to share support and best practices.

“Early childhood educators are at the heart of early learning contexts, where they provide rich learning experiences and safe, inclusive places for children to thrive,” says Della Porta. “These foundational experiences help to shape the trajectory of children’s learning and development.”