Western Education's MPEd | Field of Early Childhood Education

The MPEd in the Field of Early Childhood Education is the first program in Canada dedicated to the education of pedagogists. As vital provocateurs, pedagogists enact situated, dialogical and transformative pedagogical projects, and co-construct curriculum with educators and children in early childhood programs. Graduates of the program are at the forefront of the field of early childhood education.

The MPEd in the Field of Early Childhood Education provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to confidently enter the new role of pedagogist in British Columbia and Ontario, as well as work in leadership positions in early childhood education across the globe.

The MPEd in the Field of Early Childhood Education is an online professional graduate degree program which culminates in an internship. The intership includes 5 days of intensive instruction (either on campus in London, ON or online) followed by working as a pedagogist alongside other educators in your chosen early childhood centre.

MPEd ECE Bursary now available!

Up to $1,500 per term for domestic MPEd ECE students
Eligibility based on financial need
Apply via your Student Center (click on "Apply for Financial Assistance" link, Finances section)
Fall applications open August 15 and close September 30 (visit Graduate Bursary Assistance for winter and summer timelines/deadlines)

Support the efforts of educators

Invent and think otherwise

Work at the intersections of pedagogy & other disciplines

Engage & support pedagogical projects

What I like about my program is that it is structured for success. This program gave me the tools to prepare for the demands in the classroom today. Learning from educators, principals, guest speakers, students, etc. made my program worthwhile!

My degree program helped me prepare for teaching today. Through coursework and practicum experiences, I was able to learn about current teaching practices and relevant pedagogy. I feel qualified with the necessary knowledge and skills to help students learn and grow.

- Belinda Berberi, Graduated 2019

Beyond the program details

Admissions

Required:

A four-year degree (20 full courses or equivalent) from an accredited university.
Minimum "B" standing (70%) or equivalent in the final two years of study.

Notes & Exceptions:

Bachelor of Education and Additional Qualification course grades aren’t used in calculating admission averages.
Applicants with three-year degrees will be considered on a case-by-case basis if seats are available in programs. Successful experience as an educator in a professional setting may be considered in the selection process.
Probationary status: If an applicant doesn’t meet all of the minimum admission requirements (e.g. average below 70% and/or has only a three-year degree plus B.Ed.) the applicant may be offered admission as a Probationary Student with Conditions.
Conditions: Applicants will be required to maintain a 75% average in each of these courses to clear conditions.
The successful completion of a Master of Professional degree doesn’t lead to certification with the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) or the College of ECE.

Tuition

Tuition amounts are set each year by Senate and then published on the Office of the Registrar's Fees Schedules web page. Fees are assessed once each term (Fall, Winter, Summer).

Current students can access fee information by logging into the Student Centre (use your Western email log in and password). Students are notified each term once fee amounts have been posted in the Student Centre; it is each student's responsibility to log into the Student Centre and pay fees by the due date indicated. Failure to do so may result in a late payment fee or deregistration.

For questions about fees, including how to pay fees and the methods of payment that are accepted, students should go to the Student Financial Services pages of the Office of the Registrar's web site or contact Student Financial Services (Office of the Registrar) at 519-661-2100.

The Graduate Student Affordability Calculator was designed for you to get a better estimate of what it will cost to attend one of Western's graduate programs for one year. The calculator is not a promise of funding or a place to access scholarship support or financial aid; rather, it is intended to provide you with an accurate estimate of how much money you will need to pay for your tuition, fees, housing, food, and many other necessities for a 12-month (three-term) academic year.

Funding

The Faculty of Education recognizes the financial commitment required to pursue professional graduate studies.

As the majority of our programs are fully online, we offer students flexible learning that allows them to fund their education by remaining in their current employment. Some employers offer subsidization or time release opportunities for the professional learning of their employees. As a result, internal funding is not available for these programs.

There are also many external funding opportunities for competitive candidates in our professional programs. Download this PDF file for an additional list of over 30 external awards (see more information below). Also, visit online sites that contain numerous award opportunities.

Please note that students must apply for these awards individually. Read the qualifications carefully, and contact the award provider for more criteria and award information. Some application support is available from the Research Office for research-based awards only.

Many private financial institutions offer financing options (with particular rates and payment plans) to full-time students. Please contact a representative of your preferred financial institution for more information.

Provincial governments offer a variety of loan programs to help students finance their studies. Ontario residents may be eligible to apply for OSAP.

The Government of Canada's CanLearn website provides a listing of contact information for the offices of all government student financial assistance programs. Please visit CanLearn to find your province or territory listing. The Government of Canada implemented the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) to encourage higher education and training. The LLP allows you to withdraw up to $10,000 a year from your registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance training or education for you or your spouse or common-law partner. For further information on this plan, visit the government's LLP website

Technology

Instructors of onsite courses use the Sakai OWL platform, although it is not required. Access to a course in Sakai OWL is typically opened the first business day of each term. Please note that although your own access may be granted prior to the first business day, course content may not be posted until closer to the scheduled term start. Your Western University login and password is required to access the course (your Western email without the @uwo.ca and its accompanying password). Access to the learning management system is found here: Sakai OWL.

For online courses, students are required to have access to the following:

High speed Internet access
Access to a computer that enables connection to outside websites (flexible firewall restrictions)
Multimedia playback capabilities (video/audio)
WebCam
Computer capable of running a recent version of Internet Explorer, Safari, or Firefox; and/or Cisco MOVI client for PC or Mac
Audio headset and microphone for computer

Program information

Description

The MPEd in the Field of Early Childhood Education is professional graduate degree program. All of your courses are taken online. In your final term, your internship will include a combination of onsite (at your internship site) and online work. Additional internship details are available in the 'Courses' section below.

The MPEd in the Field of Early Childhood Education is the first program in Canada dedicated to the education of pedagogists . As vital provocateurs, pedagogists enact situated, dialogical and transformative pedagogical projects, and co-construct curriculum with educators and children in early childhood programs. Graduates of the program are at the forefront of the field of early childhood education.

Important Note

The successful completion of a Master of Professional degree does not lead to certification with the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) or the College of ECE.

Objectives

Graduates will acquire advanced, critical understandings of historically-situated and contemporary curricular and pedagogical knowledge, will be able to identify and think with problems of praxis, and will be able to co-produce new insights in ECE curriculum and pedagogy. Graduates of the program are at the forefront of the field and may call themselves pedagogists (see the ECPN site).

At the end of the program, students will demonstrate:

A working comprehension of how established and innovative techniques of curriculum research and dissemination are used to create and interpret knowledge in the practice of ECE such that students may be critical readers and consumers of research.
The ability to critically appraise established and innovative forms of research and scholarship in ECE curriculum relative to professional practice.
The ability to critically analyze and evaluate complex curricular and pedagogical problems of praxis through established and/or innovative principles, techniques, and approaches pertinent to the field.
Effective application of knowledge of ECE curriculum to critical analyses of problems of praxis as shown through the production of a sustained argument in written form and through other multimodal means pertinent to genres of dissemination accepted by the domain(s) of students’ professional practice.
Knowledge, skills, and subjectivities necessary for advocacy and leadership relative to ECE curriculum in professional practice which calls for:
- i) initiative and professional responsibility in ECE curricular endeavours;
- ii) critical decision-making and problem solving in ECE curriculum practice;
- iii) intellectual independence and curiosity required for continuing professional learning;
- iv) ethical behaviour consistent with academic and professional integrity and the use of appropriate academic and professional guidelines and procedures for responsible conduct of inquiry, research and scholarship; and
- v) the ability to critically appreciate the broad implications of ECE curriculum and pedagogy.
The ability to effectively communicate ideas, concepts, issues, and arguments about ECE curriculum through multiple modes, media, and genres pertinent to their professional context(s), including with educators, families, and children.
Cognizance of the complexities and implications of ECE curriculum and pedagogy, including the potential affordances, constraints, and effects of a diversity of interpretations, methods, disciplines, philosophies, and theoretical frameworks relative to the field.

Timing and Delivery

The MPEd is designated as a 2-year, full-time program. Full-time status requires that students complete four half-courses per year. MPEd students will complete one course per semester (fall, winter, intersession, summer) for two years. Full-time students have access to all student services at Western. See SGPS for details.

This program of study is a course-based cohort model. Approximately 20 students will be admitted to each cohort. This cohort structure will provide ongoing support within the course work, enabling students to develop a professional community of practice. To ensure the integrity of the cohort model, continuous enrollment is required, and will necessitate that students complete all the required courses within the timeframe stipulated.

The MPEd in the Field of Early Childhood Education includes a culminating internship in your final term. Additional internship details are available in the 'Courses' section below.

Courses

All courses are online and will primarily be delivered in an asynchronous format. Some may have synchronous components depending on the topic and Instructor. Please refer to the course outline for additional information about such details.

The internship (Summer Term of second year) will include a combination of onsite (at your internship site) and online work.

Students beginning September 2022 and later:

Year 1 Fall
ED 9400 Discourses on Childhoods

Critical examination of discourses on childhood. Critical analysis of the dominance of child development in early childhood education. Considers historical, philosophical, and contemporary debates and innovations in the field (e.g., children in colonial and neoliberal contexts) with implications for pedagogists.

Year 1 Winter
ED 9407 Pedagogy and Curriculum in Early Childhood Education

Critical examination of curriculum and its relation to pedagogy in early childhood education, with special focus on curriculum-making. Considers historical, philosophical, and contemporary debates with implications for pedagogists.

Year 1 Summer - Intersession
ED 9408 Pedagogical Documentation and Narrations

Historical and contemporary study of pedagogical documentation and pedagogical narrations. Emphasis on thinking documentation and narrations as processes of curriculum making and evaluation.

Year 1 Summer - Summer Session
ED 9409 Discourses of the Early Childhood Educator

Critical examination of the role of the early childhood educator. Analysis of the role of educators in relation to the purpose of early education. Considers historical, philosophical, and contemporary debates and innovations in the field (e.g., education in colonial and capitalist contexts) with implications for pedagogists.

Year 2 Fall
ED 9429 Research in Early Childhood Education Pedagogy

A critical introduction to research as an innovative process. Emphasis on transformative research involving young children, educators, community members, and/or others. Provides opportunities for developing pedagogical inquiries, and interpreting research.

Year 2 Winter
ED 9439 The Pedagogist in Early Childhood Education

Focus on pedagogists leading the development and enactment of pedagogical projects. Emphasis on pedagogical leadership to promote livable worlds for all. Gives students opportunities to engage in the transformation of early childhood programs.

Year 2 Summer - Intersession
Year 2 Summer - Summer Session
ED 9495 Pegagogist Internship

The completion of an internship placement in an early childhood education organization that allows students to lead a pedagogical project. The internship entails:

5 days of instruction, in-person (London, Ontario) or virtual, for 3 hours/day, followed by
10 weeks working as a pedagogist, alongside other educators, in an early childhood centre chosen by you and approved by your internship instructor
the internship requires 10 hours/week, divided between time spent at the centre and work done online
it is preferred that your internship not be done at your place of employment

Students who started in September 2021:

Year 1

ED 9400A Understanding the Young Child

ED 9407B Understanding Early Childhood Education Curriculum

ED 9408L Understanding Assessment and Evaluation in Early Childhood Settings

ED 9409L Understanding the Early Childhood Educator

Year 2

ED 9429A Research in Early Childhood Education Pedagogy

ED 9439B The Pedagogist in Early Childhood Education

ED 9495 Capstone, ECE

Students who started prior to September 2021:

Year 1