Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Intervention

NOTE: This program, approved by McGill Senate in October 2025, will be available in the 2026-27 Course Catalogue, not yet published. In the interim, please find further details below:

Program Description:

The Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Intervention will provide advanced training to practitioners in support of young children (ages 3-8) with neurodivergences. The program will support young children's development through a holistic lens and focus on designing and implementing interventions that address cognitive, social, and emotional development. Content will cover human development theories, focusing on growth, learning, and individual differences, and include applied intervention strategies. The courses will offer evidence-based methods to support children with diverse needs, ensuring inclusive educational practices, and will emphasize literacy development through the science of reading.

Required Courses

EDPI 614 Early Intervention Practices

Prerequisites: EDPE 623, EDPI 665

Assessing and designing inclusive interventions for young children with developmental needs. Emphasis on multidisciplinary approaches focusing on speech and language development, behaviour therapy, play-based approaches, and support for motor skills.

EDPI 612 Reggio Emilia Approach and Praxis

Exploration of the theoretical foundations and practical applications of the early childhood Reggio Emilia approach, emphasizing its philosophy of neurodiverse children as children with special rights. Principles of the image of the child, child-centered inquiry, arts-based expression, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics), and project-based learning in support of inclusive education including professional pedagogical documentation, community and family engagement as central to agency.

EDPE 623 Social-Emotional Development

Prerequisites: EDPE 616, or EDPE 620

Social-emotional development including temperament, attachment, gender identity, and peer relations. Biological and environmental influences, continuity and change, and qualitative versus quantitative variables.

EDPE 502 Theories of Human Development

Life course developmental theories to form a foundation for policy and for empirical and applied work with diverse groups, including disability and other equity-seeking groups.

EDPI 665 Teaching of Reading

Reviews contemporary research on reading acquisition and associated language development with a focus on research and theory as the basis for examining current evidence-based practices for supporting learning in diverse classrooms.

Applicants should meet the following requirements:

1. Possess an undergraduate degree in a related field (e.g. B.Ed., B.A. in psychology, B.A. in Sociology, B.A. in Child Studies, B.A. in Teacher Education, B.A. in Social Work, etc.)
2. A minimum CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0, or a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 out of 4.0 in the last two years of full-time studies. International applicants can review grade equivalencies on McGill’s Future Graduate Students website.
3. Formal or informal teaching experience, or experience working with neurodiverse children
4. Proficiency in English. Applicants to graduate studies whose mother tongue is not English and who have not obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized foreign institution where English is the language of instruction, or from a recognized institution in Canada or the US (anglophone or francophone), must submit documented proof of proficiency in oral and written English.

• IELTS with a minimum overall band of 7.0; (with a minimum writing score of 7.0); or
• TOEFL:iBT (Internet-based test) – total score of 92 with a minimum score of 22 each for the Writing and Speaking sections and a minimum of 20 each for the Reading and Listening sections and PBT (paper-based test) – 580

(The Department reserves the right to evaluate the applicant's language proficiency before initial registration and at the time of application.)

All applications are done through McGill's Graduate Applicant Portal. The application steps and instructional video are on the University's Future Graduate Students website. The following documents must be part of your application: (Note that all uploaded documents to the portal must be in PDF format.)

1. A complete application form (accompanied by your application fee payment).
2. A current working academic CV/resume.
3. A copy of your unofficial transcripts from all previous university-level studies (undergraduate and graduate).  Official transcripts are required to be submitted by those who gain admission to the program. (Instructions on sending official transcripts will be sent upon acceptance.)
4.  Letters of Reference: Within the online application, applicants must provide valid institutional e-mail addresses for two (2) references (past or current); one from a university-level instructor and the second from a professional who has supervised you in a formal or informal education or youth sector position. If you have experience working in a formal school setting, one letter must be from a school or school board administrator qualified to assess your professional abilities. McGill University will contact the referees directly to submit their letters of reference.
5. Personal Statement (2-page maximum, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12pt font, 1-inch margins). Applicants should demonstrate a clear motivation for pursuing this graduate certificate in early childhood intervention. Moreover, this letter of intent should specify your relevant academic and professional experience.
6. English Language Proficiency Test Score (if applicable): Please arrange for test scores (TOEFL, IELTS) to be sent to McGill directly from the testing agency. You must indicate the McGill University institution code: 0935.

• Fall Admission:
  • International applicants: January 15
  • Canadian applicants: April 1

Recommended candidates will receive a "Recommendation of Acceptance" email according to the schedule below, confirming that their application has been reviewed and is being transmitted to McGill's Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS). Successful candidates will be contacted via email with an official offer of admission. Candidates are then required to confirm their acceptance via their Graduate Applicant Portal. Fall Semester admissions can expect a confirmation in July.