BA/BS in Child Studies - Early Learning and Child Care is a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education programme taught at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada. The programme runs for 4 years. Tuition for international students is CAD 2,428 per credit (CAD 704 per credit for local students).
The Bachelor of Child Studies, Early Learning and Child Care stream, is a four-year degree delivered in Calgary covering child development, curriculum planning, family partnerships, advocacy, inclusion and leadership, rooted in social justice, equity and Indigenous perspectives. Students learn to design and lead play-based learning experiences for children from birth to age 12 and gain skills in supporting children with differing abilities through inclusive practices. The program includes practicum placements in preschools, child care centres and inclusive early learning environments, work-integrated learning, and study abroad or field school experiences. Graduates qualify to work as early childhood educators. It suits students who want to work closely with young children and families across educational and care settings, in roles such as preschool teacher, family support worker, child care director or licensing officer.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Direct entry from Alberta high school requires five Grade 12 courses, including English Language Arts 30-1 (minimum 60%), plus four further courses from Groups A, B or C. Post-secondary transfer applicants are assessed on GPA, which varies by program, and mature applicants need at least two Grade 12 courses, with some programs requiring more. Applicants whose first language is not English must complete any English course required for the program and meet Mount Royal's institution-wide English Language Proficiency requirement, met by, among other options, IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 per band, TOEFL iBT 86 overall with at least 20 per section (4.5 overall with at least 4.0 per band for tests taken from January 21, 2026), PTE Academic 58 with at least 55 per area, CAEL 70 with at least 60 per band, or Duolingo English Test 120. All students must provide a current Police Information Check and Intervention Record Check before practicum, at their own expense. The Fall 2026 early admission period ran October 1, 2025 to February 1, 2026, with ongoing admission based on program space through August 31, 2026.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply directly to MRU: for the Fall 2026 cycle (the most recently published, as MRU had not yet posted Fall 2027 dates) the early-admission window ran 1 October 2025 to 1 February 2026, ongoing admission by space continued to 31 August 2026, and final transcripts were due 1 August 2026; Winter 2026 entry closed 15 December 2025 and Spring 2026 opened 1 October 2025 with documents due 15 April 2026. International applicants must apply by 1 May 2026, with documents due 15 May 2026. Competitive programs such as Nursing, Midwifery and Interior Design fill within the early-admission window and effectively close by 1 February. Admission runs first-qualified, space-available after the early window rather than on one fixed date, and is not described as rolling indefinitely. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
