The Online Early Childhood Education certificate of completion develops your practice as an early childhood professional with in-depth, research-based, and innovative professional practices. It is a unique, interdisciplinary, early childhood series and develops the strength and expertise needed to expand your knowledge of children, birth to eight years. Engage in early childhood courses reflecting an inquiry-based, constructivist approach to teaching and learning, framed by the pursuit of equity.
Complete 12 credits in less than a year fully online. Classes begin every quarter; take courses in any order. Open to degree and non-degree students, at graduate or undergraduate levels. Take courses that may be used as credit toward a bachelor’s or master’s degree or count towards your Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) or required upper division credits on the Oregon Registry (Steps 9–10).
Program benefits:
- Enhance your knowledge and skills in working with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and young children through research-based practice
- Choose a specialization or choose your own courses
- Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood
- Equity and Inclusive Education
- Infants and Toddlers
- Inquiry Based Curriculum
- Leading in Early Childhood
- Trauma Informed Early Childhood
- Learn from experienced teachers who have scholarly expertise and advanced degrees—and do so fully online and at an accessible price
PSU’s individual support resources and real-world applications incorporate the needs of the whole person. This nurtures the strong convictions and confidence critical to academic success. PSU is also the public research university for the Portland metro area.
The Online Early Childhood Education certificate program draws on the practice of early childhood researchers and the educators at the PSU laboratory school, the Helen Gordon Child Development Center. We have an anti-bias and inquiry-based education focus.
Our program serves regional, national and international communities who are creative and engaged with colleagues outside Portland, Oregon, and the Pacific Northwest—with online learning, your work becomes part of a global collaboration. Our online classes have a strengths-based approach to learning with real-world applications. In coming together as a community of learners, you will share a deeper understanding of the topic with your classmates. We are passionate about early childhood education and are committed to supporting equity and inclusion in education.
Earning the 12-credit certificate will guide and support you in your work with children, prenatal through age eight, and their families. Focus on the skills needed for your work as educators, parents, home visitors, administrators, and other early childhood professionals. Our graduates become better prepared in their roles as:
- Child care educators and teachers
- Family child care professionals
- Head Start and Early Head Start professionals
- Program directors and administrators
- Early intervention and special education specialists
- Home visitors
- Parents