Post-Baccalaureate
Certificate in Early
Childhood Education
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Overview
Nothing is more rewarding than helping children get off to the best start possible on their educational journey. This specialization is designed for teachers who want to work with young children through their first years of life, when social, physical, cognitive, and emotional development are so critical.
You’ll learn how to create an environment that serves as a foundation for a child’s health and well-being, and the best tools and strategies for developing early literacy skills. You’ll also explore and engage with the diversity of cultures and identities that influence early childhood.
Admission Requirements
A baccalaureate degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
Courses
For the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Early Childhood Education, you must complete four courses and 12 credit hours. The estimated time needed to complete this certificate is 9 months.
Course Details
Course Listings
In this foundational course, you’ll explore early childhood education from multiple perspectives. These roles will include the role of the contemporary early childhood educator and social, economic, and political factors influencing the field, particularly diversity, equity, and inclusion. You’ll examine theories, research, and internationally recognized standards of quality in early childhood education, and emerge from the course equipped with a useful overview with which to pursue the remaining courses in the specialization
Students enrolled in this course will explore theories and research related to the education of young children. The intellectual, social, emotional, and physical growth and development of infants, toddlers, and young children will be examined. Implications for the construction of developmentally appropriate early childhood education instructional programs will be a resulting focus.
In this course, you’ll analyze strategies for engaging and communicating with diverse families, guardians, and caregivers of the young child. You’ll also investigate the development of identity in early childhood and explore culturally responsive, anti-bias attitudes and beliefs in early childhood settings. Through this exploration, you’ll evaluate relevant resources and apply strategies for addressing and eliminating stereotyping and discrimination.
In this course, you’ll examine effective strategies for using literature to support emergent literacy skills. You’ll consider a variety of criteria for selecting high-quality literature in all genres for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and primary age children. You’ll also explore how families and communities support literacy acquisition. Upon completion, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of high-quality children’s literature and its use as a teaching tool for literacy development in educational settings from infancy to Age 8.
Learning Outcomes
Students earning the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Early Childhood Education will learn to:
- Apply the concepts and practices of early childhood education
- Effectively communicate and conduct sound, open-minded research
- Address educational issues critically and reflectively
- Create solutions to problems based on knowledge, research, critical thinking skills, and collaboration
- Respect diverse cultures and backgrounds
- Demonstrate a commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards through accreditation
- Foster effective discussion of theoretical problems within the educational profession
- Nurture a commitment to life-long learning
Why Choose National University
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Program Disclosure
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