Early Childhood Care and Education - Certificate (Major Code - ECEC)

The Early Childhood Care and Education Certificate provides early childhood teacher training for those seeking to provide care and education to young children. Upon completion, students may apply for national Child Development Associate (CDA) credentialing. Completion of this certificate does not guarantee state licensure or certification. 

Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to do the following:

• Design developmentally appropriate curricula and strategies that promote the advancement of physical, intellectual, communicative, and creativity in young children.
• Analyze, examine, and explain the multiple historical, philosophical, and social foundations as well as the contemporary trends in early childhood.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the need to plan for and provide a learning environment that is responsive to each child’s individual physical health, intellectual and emotional well-being, and nutritional safety needs.
• Design programs and strategies to support the social and emotional development of young children with diverse abilities using positive guidance techniques and developmentally appropriate practices.
• Explain the importance of establishing a positive, productive, and reciprocal relationship with families.
• Develop inclusive programs that identify and relate child observation assessment tools and how they are used to guide developmentally appropriate decisions.
• Examine issues of linguistic and multi-cultural diversity, and ethics while maintaining professionalism in the early childhood field.

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