Understanding the Child in Early Childhood Education Certificate

What you will study

Understanding the Child focuses on children’s brain development and what influences and enhances a child’s ability to learn. You’ll learn evidence-based strategies that you can use to support young children in your own classroom. Designed for both seasoned early childhood education teachers and those looking to enter the ECE field, this undergraduate certificate focuses on providing developmentally appropriate instruction for children up to age 8.

As part of the Understanding the Child Early Childhood Education certificate, you’ll take courses such as:  

• Development and Learning Through Play
• Early Childhood Principles and Observation
• Child and Adolescent Development

 

 

Unique learning opportunities in early childhood education

Throughout UCM’s Understanding the Child in Early Childhood Education certificate program, you’ll work with faculty, peers and educators in your school to explore new learning strategies and put your knowledge to work. Draw upon your own classroom experiences to make connections between your learning and your teaching practice:

• Use your own classroom as a lab: Practicing teachers can work with their leadership to apply what they’re learning in this undergraduate certificate program. Use the intervention strategies you’re learning in class to impact student learning in your own classroom.
• Learn within a cohort: Develop strong relationships, share best practices and reflect on your undergraduate studies with your peers as you progress.
• Receive tailored career advising: Work with a faculty mentor who will help you advance in your career, prepare you for interviews and assist you when you’re ready to apply for admission to one of UCM bachelor’s degree programs.

 

What can you do with an undergraduate certificate in Understanding the Child in Early Childhood Education from UCM?

UCM’s Understanding the Child in Early Education certificate can open the door to a number of careers. Whether you’re ready to advance your career, start a new job or prepare for becoming a certified early childhood teacher or your next degree, this certificate will demonstrate your knowledge to future employers. 

The skills you’ll acquire at UCM prepare you for success in settings such as:

• Child care centers
• Preschools
• Elementary schools (grades PK–3; requires teacher certification)
• Youth facilities

Careers in early childhood education

Use the tool below to explore career paths, salary expectations, job openings, projected job growth and more in the early childhood education field.

 

 

Financial assistance options for your Understanding the Child in Early Childhood Education certificate

Learn more, spend less. At the University of Central Missouri, we make earning an undergraduate certificate affordable. In addition to university scholarships, grants and loans, partnerships with community organizations may help offset student tuition costs for qualifying working teachers enrolled in our Understanding the Child Early Childhood Education certificate program.

Beyond UCM’s university-wide funding options, the College of Education offers numerous scholarships reserved for undergraduate students in our Early Childhood Education program, including:

• Merle C. and Lillian J. Rider Scholarship in Early Childhood Education
• Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education Scholarship

Learn more about program-specific scholarships using the UCM Scholarship Finder.