Early Childhood Certificate

School: Business and Professional Careers
Academic Dept: Education and Human Services
HEGIS: 5503

Important Note about Program Requirements

The requirements listed below are for students entering into this program from Fall 2024 to Summer 2025. Students who entered the program during a prior semester will find their specific requirements listed in the Catalog under which they entered. Archived Catalogs are accessible through the dropdown menu above.

Program Description

The Early Childhood Certificate program is a 25-credit program that serves multiple purposes (birth – second grade). Public school professionals seeking additional credits in order to teach in the lower grades or to become a head teacher or director can use these credits to expand their current certification. In addition, these credits can be utilized to prepare for the State Education exam to become an Assistant Teacher in any Early Childhood class. These credits can also be used to prepare for the nationally recognized Child Development Association (CDA) credential and applied Toward the AAS degree in Early Childhood.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, a student will:

Demonstrate the ability to build a philosophy of teaching based on valuing children’s strengths and ways of knowing to guide daily practice and inform curriculum choices in early childhood settings.
Demonstrate knowledge of how to support each child’s strengths and ways of knowing in early childhood settings.
Demonstrate the ability to recognize the diverse and complex characteristics of children’s families and communities as a foundation for building relationships with them in early childhood settings.
Demonstrate the ability to work effectively in early childhood settings.

Program Note

Students are encouraged to apply early due to an extraordinary demand.

Program Requirements

Required Courses - 24 credits

Program Map

The program map is a recommended semester-by-semester schedule of courses based on degree requirements and serve as a general guideline to help students complete their program in two years. Although designed for full-time enrollment, these are easily adaptable for part-time study. For additional, individualized guidance, students should review Degree Works and consult an Academic Counselor or Faculty Advisor to ensure they are on track to complete their program.

Semester 1

Course	Credits
ECE 170 - Early Childhood Development	3
ECE 171 - Foundations of Early Childhood	3
ECE 270 - Observation and Assessment	4
ECE 271 - Early Childhood Field 1	2
Semester Total Credits	12

Semester 2

Course	Credits
ECE 280 - The Exceptional Child	3
ECE Course + Field Course: ECE 272 - Infant/Toddler Environments and ECE 273 - Early Childhood Field 2 OR ECE 274 - Early Childhood Curriculum and ECE 275 - Early Childhood Field 3	5
ENG 101 - Writing and Research	3
PE 116 - First Aid/CPR/AED	1
Semester Total Credits	12

Minimum Total Credits: 24

Gainful Employment Disclosure

For information about graduation rates, the median debt of students who have completed this program, and other important information please visit Early Childhood Certificate - GE Disclosure. For an overview of all gainful employment disclosures at Westchester Community College, visit www.sunywcc.edu/gainfulemployment.

Career Opportunities

Visit Career Coach to explore career paths, job descriptions, salary trends, and job trends.

Visit the Career Services page for more career resources.