Early Childhood Education (Microcredential)
The Early Childhood Education Microcredential was created due to a growing need for high quality education for children before reaching a PK-12 school. One way to increase the quality of early childhood programs is to offer courses to practicing day care directors and educators through a microcredential. This microcredential consists of early childhood courses that use Project Construct, a constructivist framework that encourages children to pose questions, explore, investigate, and defend their ideas through hands on experiences.
Students who choose this microcredential program will have no more than 3 years from admission or subsequent declaration to meet the requirements listed below. If certification, accreditation or statutory requirements change and additional requirements become effective during this time, the new requirements take precedence.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Coursework | ||
| EDU 300 | Introduction to Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| EDU 334 | Play-Based Instruction | 3 |
| EDU 314 | Issues & Trends in the Education of Young Children and the Management of Programs for Young Children | 3 |
| or EDU 316 | Organizing, Developing, and Managing Environments for Young Children | |
| Optional Course: | ||
| EDU 379 | Project Construct Coaching Practicum | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours | 9-10 | |
Note: Admission to the Education Department, EDU 202 Introduction to Education and EDU 203 Participation in Teaching I will be waived as prerequisites for microcredential courses.
Program Requirements
- A grade of C or higher in all courses.
University Requirements
- Earn a minimum of 9 credit hours (transfer coursework will not be accepted).
- Earn a GPA of at least 2.0 in the required coursework.
- Transfer coursework will not be accepted for a microcredential.
- Degree-seeking students cannot earn a microcredential in the same area as their major, emphasis, or concentration.
- Degree-seeking students must earn a minimum of 3 credit hours beyond their major, emphasis, concentration, and general studies requirements.
- Participate in required departmental and campus-wide assessments.