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Early Childhood Education – DEC

Register online now to begin in the Winter 2024 semester > Apply Online

Beginning in Fall 2022, students in this program will be eligible to apply for the Québec Perspective Scholarship Program . This incentive scholarship will provide students in eligible programs with $1,500 for each full-time session successfully completed and up to $9,000 in total. More details will be available on the Quebec government website .

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The DEC in Early Childhood Education is a three-year university or workforce training program that prepares and qualifies students to assist, guide and educate children aged 0 to 12. Graduates from this program will have the competencies to take part in the management or ownership of a daycare center.

The three-year DEC program also satisfies the same program-specific skills and competencies that are targeted by the two-year AEC program in Early Childhood Education. However, note that different admission requirements apply for AEC programs.

WHAT DO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS DO?

The main function of an early childhood educator (ECE) is to create an environment that promotes the healthy physical, motor, cognitive, language, socio-affective and moral development of a child by establishing a caring relationship. In addition, the educator’s role is to develop, organize, lead and evaluate educational activities that promote the overall development of the children under their care.

The ECE must not only ensure the health, security, and well-being of the children under their care but also, their own health. Students in this program learn to self-regulate by organizing a secure daycare environment, where daily activities are not overwhelming, using stress management techniques. In this respect, learning to balance and renew one’s energies through a healthy lifestyle represents an essential competency that an ECE must master in order to assume numerous responsibilities and tasks. Additionally, the ECE must develop their ability to reflect on their own practice within the context of their life-long development. A reflection on one’s practice is considered a useful means of personal and professional development in the field of education.

UNIVERSITY OPTIONS

Graduates of the Early Childhood Education DEC program have the option of advancing to university-level studies. The program fully prepares students to apply to higher education in:

  • Child Studies
  • Elementary Education
  • Educational Psychology
  • Psychology
  • Education
  • And more!

 

Job with a promising future

Qualified professionals and skilled technicians within the Education and Early Childhood Education sectors in the province of Quebec are currently in high demand leading to jobs with excellent compensation and benefits.

Learn more

PROGRAM TYPE

Technical DEC

LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION

English or French

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Nov 30* (Winter)

            May 1* (Fall)

            *Late applications

DURATION

3 Years

PROGRAM CAPACITY

120

APPLICATION DEADLINES FOR
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Jan 20* (Winter)

May 15* (Fall)

*Late applications

PROGRAM CODE

322.A0

COMPLETION COMPETENCY

Internship + Synthesis Project

ADMISSION PROCESS

Apply online

IS THIS FOR YOU?

The Early Childhood Education DEC program is the ideal choice for the student who is interested in working with children to assist them in developing, physically and mentally, while also teaching children about the world around them. If you are someone who enjoys working with children, you are patient and you have a natural instinct to take charge of a situation, then this program may be for you.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

Graduates will be well prepared to do the following:

  • Analyze the work function
  • Observe the behavior of the child and identify developmental needs
  • Conduct their work safely in the workplace
  • Establish a significant emotional relationship with children
  • Intervene with regard to child health
  • Understand nutrition for children
  • Communicate in the workplace
  • Analyze the family and social context of a child to determine their effects on behavior
  • Analyze the needs or provide assistance to a child
  • Make use of creativity in professional interventions
  • Define the pedagogical approach to adopt
  • Design global development activities
  • Organize and facilitate educational activities
  • Work in a team
  • Establish a partnership with parents and resource persons
  • Take appropriate action with respect to the behavior of children
  • Develop and revise curriculums
  • Arrange private child care
  • Provide educational services to a group of children

 

early-childhood-education-dec-program-montreal

GOALS OF THE GENERAL EDUCATION COMPONENT

The general education components are common to all pre-university programs and contribute to the development of twelve competencies that are associated with the three aims of college education:

  • To educate students to live responsibly in society:
    • Demonstrate independence and creativity in thought and action
    • Demonstrate rational, critical and ethical thinking
    • Develop strategies that promote reflection on their knowledge and actions
    • Pursue the development of a healthy and active lifestyle
    • Assume their social responsibilities
  • To help students integrate cultural knowledge into their studies:
    • Recognize the influence of culture and lifestyle on the practice of physical activity and sports
    • Recognize the influence of the media, sciences or technology on culture and lifestyle
    • Analyse works in philosophy or the humanities emanating from different historical periods and movements
    • Appreciate literary and non-literary works of other artistic expressions emanating from different historical periods and movementsTo help students integrate cultural knowledge into their studies:
  • To help students master language as a tool for thought, communication and openness to the world:
    • Improve communication in the second language
    • Master the basic rules of discourse and argumentation
    • Refine oral and written communication in the language of instruction
daycare-teacher-program-montreal

UNIVERSITY STUDIES

Graduates of the Early Childhood Education DEC program have the option of advancing to university-level studies. The program fully prepares students to apply to higher education programs such as:

  • Child Studies
  • Elementary Education
  • Educational Psychology
  • Psychology
  • Education

 

The teachers were very well prepared, with great experience in the field of Early Childhood Education, so it was not so much the theory but their life experiences that gave me more knowledge. When I finished my DEC in Early Childhood Education, I felt very well prepared to start my professional career as a daycare educator.

GABRIELA

CLICK HERE TO READ GABRIELA'S FULL STORY

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE DEC AND AEC PROGRAMS?

The difference between an AEC and DEC in Early Childhood Education

The main differences between obtaining an AEC and a DEC in Early Childhood Education in Quebec are the following:

AEC

  • Takes 24 months to complete.
  • Students are only required to complete program-specific courses.
  • There is no Ministerial Exit Exam.
  • AEC graduates must accumulate three years of experience before being recognized as qualified educators for the purposes of satisfying the requirements set by the Ministère de la Famille.
  • AEC graduates are paid as per the pay scale for the profession.
  • Graduates do not obtain the credits needed to advance to university.

DEC

  • Takes 36 months to complete.
  • Students are required to complete a general education component of their studies in addition to program-specific courses.
  • Students must pass the Ministerial Exit Exam in order to graduate.
  • DEC graduates are immediately recognized as qualified educators who have satisfied the requirements set by the Quebec Ministry of Family.
  • While equally qualified, DEC graduates are paid at a higher rate than AEC graduates due to the additional year of study.
  • Graduates may advance to university.

 

Updated: January 18, 2023

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