Early Childhood Educators

Make the world better a place, one child at a time

When children receive an excellent early childhood education it has a ripple effect, helping to improve the surrounding community. And a great early childhood education starts with excellent teachers, just like you.

Our programs in Early Childhood Education (ECE) are dedicated to professional excellence. Our curriculum, developed in cooperation with UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, is designed to meet the needs of both supervisors and teachers, and offers a stimulating blend of practical methodology and current research.

Many of our courses are offered online to accommodate busy professionals, and are taught by instructors who are early childhood subject matter experts, bringing real world experience to the classroom in a dynamic and creative way.

Certificate Programs

We offer three certificate programs specifically designed to meet Title 5 and Title 22 Professional Growth Activities, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) permit requirements, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) guidelines for early childhood education teachers.

ECE Associate Teacher Certificate: Meets the 12 ECE/CD semester units required for CTC Associate Teacher permit. Units also count toward Transitional Kindergarten requirements for teachers who already have a Multiple Subjects’ teaching credential.
ECE Lead Teacher Advanced Courses Certificate: When combined with the certificate above, meets the 24 ECE/CD semester units required for CTC Lead Teacher and Master Teacher permitting and beyond, plus Transitional Kindergarten requirements.

Note regarding Transitional Kindergarten (TK) units: The California Department of Education TK units can be satisfied upon completion of both the ECE Associate Teacher Certificate and the ECE Lead Teacher Advance Courses Certificate. Educators must also hold their Multiple Subject Credential. Learn more about our TK Teacher Training.

ECE Administration Certificate: Prepares students with administrative coursework requirements for CTC Site supervisor and Program Director permits.

Individual Courses

Choose from a variety of ECE courses to fulfill permit and professional growth requirements and to become a better teacher or supervisor. From foundational child development to childhood center administration, our courses combine the latest in developmental theory and appropriate practice.