Early Childhood Education: Associate Teacher
The youngest minds teach us the most
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certificate Description
Teach our youngest to love learning.
Preschool teachers and child care center operators in the Early Childhood Education Associate Teacher program gain the academic preparation and field experience needed to work in preschools, day care facilities, infant and toddler centers and other programs serving young children. You will study the latest instructional techniques that promote intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and creative growth in children.
Key focus areas
- Child growth and development
- Strategies for effective classroom teaching
- Developmentally based curriculum
- Current research and trends in this field
ECE Associate Teacher Learning Outcomes
- Develop daily schedules and implement age-appropriate curriculum for a center or classroom.
- Identify social, intellectual, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of infants through middle childhood.
- Distinguish differences in major learning theories and curriculum models relating to early childhood education center philosophies.
- Communicate effectively with families, staff, and communities about the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional needs of children.
- Decode healthcare policies and procedures that relate to child care setting licensure.
- Develop positive guidance strategies to work with diverse groups of children including those with special needs.
Program Overview
Estimated Cost: Starts at $2,880. (You pay only for courses you enroll in.) | International Tuition Cost
Program Requirements: 5 courses (20 quarter units).
Minimum Hours of Instruction: 200 hours of instruction.
Estimated Duration: A full-time student can complete the certificate in 9–12 months.
Special Programs: None
Courses
1. Required Course(s):
2. Completion Review:
3. Related Course(s): These Courses Are Not Part of The Certificate Program
Meet Our Instructors
What students are saying
"She’s really inspired me to do a lot of things I was not doing with the kids. It helps you think differently about your role. It helped me a lot with teaching art and creativity. If they want to color a heart blue, we let them do it."
— Vandana Gupta
International Student
Child Care Teacher
Certificate Inquiry Form
Recommended Course Sequence
Flexible course sequence
Courses may be taken in any order provided the prerequisites are met.
Substitutions
To receive your certificate
Professional Development
Child Development Permit
Here's what you need to apply for the Child Development Associate Teacher Permit:
- Coursework completion of coursework.
- Complete 50 days of experience in an instructional capacity in a child care and development program, working at least three hours per day.
- Instructional experience needs to have occurred in the last two years.
Please visit the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing for more information.
Licensure and Certification Policy
Professional licensure or certification is mandatory to practice in this field of instruction.
Please see our Licensure and Certification Policy to learn more.
Requisite Knowledge
There are no requirements to join the program.
Advisory Board
MELISSA LE, B.A, Multi-Subject Teaching Credential (MSTC), has more than 23 years of experience working with infants, preschoolers, and children in K-6 classrooms. She has worked in public and private school settings and examined a variety of learning programs such as Challenger, Montessori, High Scope, and college-run preschools including De Anza College, San Jose State University, and Stanford University. As a K-6, afterschool program supervisor, she developed lesson plans and curriculum to meet the needs of diverse populations and students with special needs. Le has extensive experience mentoring emerging teachers in the SJSU and Stanford student-teacher programs, as well as beginning teachers completing their two-year BTSA programs. Her expertise is in identifying the needs of her students, both children, and adults, and helping them reach their full potential. She currently serves as chair of the Early Childhood Education Associate Certificate Program for UCSC Extension.
Establish Candidacy
Who should establish candidacy?
- People who are pursuing a certificate (and have enrolled in a course in the program).
- People who want to lock in the current requirements of a certificate or specialization.
4 Simple Steps to a Certificate or Specialization
- Complete a course in your selected program.
- Establish candidacy. Click on the Establish Candidacy button on your program page.
- Take all required courses for certificate completion.
- Once your grades are posted on your final course, enroll in the certificate review fee.
A Benefit of Establishing Candidacy
Program requirements may change. Once you commit to a program by establish your candidacy, you will not have to change your plans to meet new requirements. They are locked in for you. Timeline: 4 years to get it done (or 3 for a specialization) You must complete all the necessary units in a certificate within a four-year window. The clock begins on the first day of your first course in the certificate program. For example, if you started a course on Sept. 5, 2023, you would have to finish by Sept. 4, 2027.
Note: Establishing candidacy does not trigger the beginning of the four-year window. It begins the first day of the first course in your chosen certificate program. The Certificate Completion Review process does not have to occur within the four-year timeframe.
Exceptions to the four-year requirement
- If you Established candidacy prior to Jan. 1, 2024, you will have five years to complete a program.
- Students participating in a special program, such as workforce, international, or our curriculum partner programs, such as the Legal Studies courses (CLS by Barbri) and sales and business courses (Ziplines Education) have shorter completion requirements.
Grade Requirements
Please note that only letter grades of C or higher may be applied to a certificate, and in some programs, students may have more stringent requirements. Students in most employer- and government-sponsored payment programs, such as workforce development, as well as international students on F-1 visas, need to maintain a B average to meet their requirements. Personal Financial Planning students have additional grade requirements for individual courses to attain a certificate.
See Grading and Credits Policy for further information.