UPEI and Holland College Offer New Child and Family Studies Degree
Early childhood educators now have an opportunity to advance their studies and enhance their careers, thanks to the launch of the new Bachelor of Child and Family Studies degree offered jointly by the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) and Holland College.
"In the past, graduates of the Early Childhood Care and Education program at Holland College who wanted to go university, had to start over, since many universities, including UPEI, did not accept college level courses," says Dr. Lori Weeks, Associate Professor of Family and Nutritional Sciences at UPEI and the architect behind the degree. "For many, starting their education over is not realistic, so going to university simply wasn't an option."
Two years ago, Weeks recognized this education gap and set out to make university an option for early childhood educators, 98 per cent of whom are women according to the Organisation of Economic and Co-operative Development.
In January, UPEI will begin accepting students who have graduated from Holland College's Early Childhood Care and Education program to the new two-year university program.
"We're very proud of this partnership with Holland College. Now, students can transfer the entire two-year block of early childhood care and education courses from Holland College to UPEI and finish their degree in two years," says Dr. Vianne Timmons, Vice President of Academic Development at UPEI. "It's an example of the Island community pulling together to meet the changing needs of students and the community."
Students will be admitted on a competitive basis, based on their education and related work experience and can complete the degree either as a full- or part-time student. To further augment the hands-on learning experience in the Holland College program, the degree incorporates real-world experience through a series of applied placements in their last two years with UPEI.
A comprehensive, nationally recognized diploma program with stringent quality standards, Holland College's Early Childhood Care and Education program features content based on National Guidelines for Early Childhood Education programs.
"For many years, the college's early childhood educators have played a significant role in the first educational experiences of Island children," said Dr. Brian McMillan, President of Holland College. "For those educators who wish to pursue it, the degree program is a wonderful opportunity to further their learning."
Graduates from similar college programs other than Holland College will also be considered for acceptance into the degree program.
UPEI and Holland College have other educational partnerships including the Applied Degree in Print Journalism, the Bachelor in Education Degree in Human Resource Development, and various articulation agreements.
