Play, Learn, Teach
As research consistently shows, the early years of a child’s life are foundational for cognitive, social-emotional, linguistic, and physical development. Early learning experiences not only shape school readiness but also have a long-term impact on academic achievement, behavior, and overall well-being.
Despite the importance of early childhood education, many communities face a shortage of well-prepared, licensed early childhood educators. This gap disproportionately affects children from underserved and marginalized backgrounds, limiting their access to enriching early learning environments that are essential for closing opportunity gaps before they widen.
This certificate program will prepare teachers to specialize and become licensed in educating young learners from birth to age eight. Participants will explore early childhood development theories and educational approaches, gain awareness of cognitive, physical, social, emotional, linguistic, and cultural development in young learners, and be able to plan and implement developmentally appropriate instruction, practice, and assessment that promotes language and literacy development. This program will provide the necessary coursework for licensed teachers to add Early Childhood Education to a state teaching license. In the state of Indiana, this program also meets coursework requirements to additionally add the Early Literacy Endorsement to an Indiana state teaching license.
Once teachers have completed the certificate coursework necessary for licensure, a master’s degree is just a few more courses away. For those who want to dig deeper into topics like curriculum design, assessment, and differentiation, our Master of Education degree is a convenient and affordable option. This degree builds on the certificate coursework and opens doors for more job opportunities, particularly in higher education or at the administrative level, often at a higher pay scale. Just six more courses and eight more months leads to dozens of new possibilities!
Course Curriculum
The following courses earn the Early Childhood Certificate and the Early Literacy Certificate. They also fulfill the first portion of the M.Ed. with Exceptional Needs – Intense Intervention Concentration. See "Master of Education Core Courses" below for the second portion of the M.Ed. requirements.
Fall
- ED533: Foundations of Early Childhood Development
- ED542: Early Childhood Language and Literacy Development
Spring
- ED572: Early Childhood Methods and Materials
- ED588: Managing and Meeting Diverse Needs in the Early Childhood Environment
- ED595: Early Childhood Practicum (certificate students only)
The following courses fulfill the requirements for the second portion of the Master of Education in Early Childhood. All MEd students take these courses regardless of concentration.
Summer
- TBA - Critical Perspectives on Education
- ED525 - Differentiated Instruction and Assessment
- ED599 - Research Methods
- One Elective from the following:
- ED522 - Intercultural Communication
- ED654 - Curriculum Design
- ED577 - Technology Integration
Fall
- ED655a – Research Proposal Writing
- ED655b – Field-based Research
Why Study Early Childhood at HU?
- Program is completely online with no residential requirements
- Convenience and flexibility of online format with multiple live class options in each course
- High level of interactivity with classmates and professors
- Seven-week courses, taken one at a time
- Certificate can be completed in eight months
- Certificate coursework leads to dual licensure in Early Literacy and Early Childhood
- All courses follow a similar format and structure so they are easy to follow
- All assignments are discussions, papers, or projects. There are no tests or quizzes.
- The 15-credit hour Early Childhood Certificate leads seamlessly into the Master of Education in Early Childhood Education program
