International Master in Early Childhood Education and Care (IMEC) is a two-year international Master Programme (120 ECTS) in Early Childhood Education and Care. All students will follow a given structure, spending at least one semester at all three partner institutions.

IMEC is offered in cooperation between Oslo University College (Norway), University of Malta (Malta), and Dublin Institute of Technology (Ireland).

Learning objectives
The aim of the programme is to integrate research, professional development and wareness and knowledge of key policy issues at an advanced level by increasing mobility, shared learning and thinking, thus contributing to achieve the goal of a unified teaching, learning and research environment, strengthening the Bologna process.

• To integrate research, professional development and policy at an advanced level within the field of early childhood education and care.
• To gain knowledge of the tension between general policy targets, the increasing diversity of family structures and the need to strengthen children's right as citizens.
• To bridge the gap between quality provision and the lack of higher education and research within the field of early childhood education and care.
• To explore the increasing pressure on early education and care systems arising from socio-economic and socio-cultural transformations, to focus not only on educational institutions but on children's early learning in a broad variety of formal and informal learning contexts.
• To foster critical awareness of cultural and individual diversity from a political and professional perspective.

What does the course qualify for?
On successful completion of International Master in Early Childhood Education and Care, the students will be awarded a joint Master degree in Early Childhood Education and Care. (120 ECTS credits) signed and recognized by all three partners: Oslo University College (Norway), Dublin Institute of Technology (Ireland) and University of Malta (Malta).

The course qualifies for teaching, research and leadership within the educational sector and for work involving early childhood educational issues in public or private institutions. Potential professional or academic careers are decision-making and policy making functions in public administration bodies such as ministries and municipalities, leading positions within child care and primary school systems, social service, develop bachelor programmes in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in target countries, teach bachelor programmes in ECEC, work with children’s rights organizations, carry out research consulting assignments (mostly for NGOs).

Target groups The target groups are teachers, educators, counselors, leaders or other groups who work with education and development issues in preschool and primary school, within central or local government or in private enterprises.

Scholarship

For the year 2010-2012, there are 10 scholarships available for third country students, 8 scholarships for students from the EU/EEA-EFTA states and 2 scholarships for students from the area of Western Balkans and Turkey.

It is not possible to apply for a scholarship without a place on IMEC. Once you have been accepted to as a student on IMEC, the IMEC consortia will apply for a scholarship on your behalf. The scholarships will cover travel, participation cost, housing, insurance and a monthly allowance.

Definition of eligible third-country applicants:

• Citizens coming from all countries other than:
• a) The 27 EU Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The UK)
• b) The EEA-EFTA states (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway)
• Applicants cannot have been residents of, or carried out their main activities (studies, work, etc.) in, any of the above countries for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years.

Application deadline for none-EU applicants: 1st November 2010          
Application deadline for EU applicants: 15th December 2010

Application forms
For the study year starting August 2011:
Deadline for application is 1st November 2010 for third-country applicants. Fora definition of who falls under the third-country applicant definition, please see the left menu "prospective students" and then "admission".

Click here to download the Application to International Master in Early Childhood Education and Care 2010

Contact
If you have any questions about the IMEC Master Programme or comments about the information on this web site, please send an e-mail to imec@hio.no

The IMEC postal adress is:

Oslo University College
IMEC Administration
Faculty of Education and International Studies
Pilestredet 52
0167 Oslo Norway

For more information, visit: www.imec.hio.no