Early Education and Care

Early education and care prepares you to work with young children from birth to eight years old outside the public school system. Students can focus on becoming a lead preschool teacher or administrator, preparing to be an early intervention specialist, building the skills to open an at-home child care, or advancing in their current careers.

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Program Requirements

Early Education and Care Program Overview

The early education and care (EEC) program is specifically designed to support students who wish to work with young children aged 0-8 outside the public school system.

The EEC has multiple pathways for students to choose from depending on their career goals.

Early Education and Care Pathways

Early Childhood Professions in EEC

This concentration in early education and care allows students to focus on the early education profession of their choice. It is also the pathway to choose for students who want to go on to the MEd in early childhood education to earn their public school teaching license in preschool to second grade. 

Career Options

  • infant/toddler teacher
  • private preschool teacher
  • out-of-school programming coordinator
  • early interventionist
  • child care director

Leadership and Advocacy in EEC

Students who already hold lead teacher certification and are interested in advancing within their field will find this pathway the best fit. This concentration is designed for students who are already working in the field and class offerings are primarily online as well as scheduled around most EEC working hours.

 

Early Childhood Educators Scholarship

Students currently working in early education and care are strongly encouraged to apply for the EEC scholarship. Applications are available annually on April 1.

Applicants are required to complete a FASFA, but this is not an income-based scholarship. Check your eligibility and apply for the Early Childhood Educators (ECE) scholarship.

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