Early Childhood Education Introductory Teacher Certificate

Bedford Campus - Evening • Lowell Campus - Day

Program Description:

This program is recommended for candidates who are just entering the field of Early Childhood Education (ECE) or those who do not wish to seek an Associate degree at this time. This certificate meets MA Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) foundational certificate requirements.

Career and Transfer Outlook:

This certificate meets MA Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) foundational certificate requirements. Students will be able to transfer all 16 credits from this certificate program toward MCC’s Early Childhood Education Associate and Transfer Degree. Successful completion of this certificate qualifies students to serve in the role of Teacher under MA DEEC credentialing. (See MA DEEC educator certification requirements and positions).

Helpful Hints:

Candidates will need to apply for teacher credentialing (certification) directly through the MA Department of EEC.

EDU 122 is a prerequisite of EDU 101 & EDU 102. EDU 101 & EDU 102 must be taken either before or within the same semester as EDU 109.

Program Outcomes:

This program is designed for candidates who wish to work directly with children to provide quality classroom support for children and other educational professionals, such as lead educators and specialists. This program provides students with coursework and experiences in alignment with MA EEC Professional Qualifications, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators, and the guidelines put forth by the NAEYC Unifying Framework for the Early Childhood Education Profession in the following areas:

Child Development and Learning in Context
Family-Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections
Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment
Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices
Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum
Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator

Required Courses

Semester 1
EDU 122 - Child Growth and Development 3
EDU 100 - Introduction To Early Childhood Education 3
Total Credits: 6
Semester 2
EDU 101 - Curriculum In Early Childhood Programs 3
EDU 102 - Child Guidance and Classroom Management 3
EDU 109 - Early Childhood Education Supervised Practicum and Seminar I 4
Total Credits: 10

Total Credits:16

Note:In order for a student to be eligible to participate in an academic, community or clinical program that involves potential unsupervised contact with children, the disabled, the elderly, or other vulnerable populations, the student may be required to undergo a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check and/or a Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI) .