A career teaching young children is highly rewarding. By focusing on the early childhood education field, you’ll have a direct influence on the formative lives of young learners. Entry-level opportunities to enter this field are available to those with a two-year degree or less; however growth opportunities and earning potential expand as you advance your education, and an online bachelor’s degree is valuable for those who are passionate about a career focused on the early childhood education setting.
Credit Hours: 120 | Transfer: Up to 90 Credits | Tuition Cost
What is Early Childhood Education?
This program is designed for individuals seeking career options in early childhood care settings. Courses in this program prepare individuals to be qualified early childhood education and child care providers. This major offers a model curriculum which addresses standards set by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The completion of this degree qualifies individuals for the Early Childhood credential through the New Hampshire Child Development Bureau, Department of Health and Human Services. This degree does not lead to public school teacher certification through the Department of Education.
Why study Early Childhood Education at UNH College of Professional Studies?
A career teaching young children is highly rewarding. By focusing on the early childhood education field, you’ll have a direct influence on the formative lives of young learners. Entry-level opportunities to enter this field are available to those with a two-year degree or less; however growth opportunities and earning potential expand as you advance your education, and a bachelor’s degree is valuable for those who are committed to growth in a career focused on early childhood education.
The UNH College of Professional Studies offers two bachelor’s degree options in Early Childhood Education:
- A pathway that leads to New Hampshire Department of Education certification in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education.
- A non-certification pathway focused on Department of Health and Human Services credentialing coursework.
This program is available to new students in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. See Availability in Your State for more details.
Potential Career Areas
- Lead Teacher, Child Care Center
- Child Care Center Director
- Childcare Worker
- Preschool Teacher
- Kindergarten Teacher
- Elementary School Teacher
- Teaching Assistant for Preschool, Elementary School, or Middle School
- Education and Childcare Administrator
- Child, Family, and School Social Worker
- Instructional Coordinator
- Lead Teacher, Child Care Center
- Child Care Center Director
About this Program
The UNH College of Professional Studies offers two bachelor’s degree options in Early Childhood Education:
- A pathway that leads to New Hampshire Department of Education certification in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education.
- A non-certification pathway focused on Department of Health and Human Services credentialing coursework.
This program is available to new students in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont. See Availability in Your State for more details.
Early Childhood Education Options
CERTIFICATION
The Early Childhood certification will prepare individuals to teach children in public schools beginning at the nursery school level to Grade 3, and Early Childhood Special Education certification will prepare individuals to work with infants, toddlers, and children who are at risk of being identified as needing special education services or who are already identified as needing special education services.
This is a field-based program for qualified participants working or volunteering in an approved program or education setting. The key components of this program include mentorship of the teacher candidates with highly skilled professionals in the field, the hands-on experience of working with children in educational settings, and the opportunity to build your teaching capacity over time.
View the full course requirements:
Certification in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education
NON-CERTIFICATION
This program is designed for individuals seeking career options in early childhood care settings. Courses in this program prepare individuals to be qualified early childhood education and child care providers. This major offers a model curriculum which addresses standards set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
The completion of this degree qualifies individuals for the Early Childhood credential through the New Hampshire Child Development Bureau, Department of Health and Human Services.
This degree does not lead to public school teacher certification through the New Hampshire Department of Education.
Course Highlights
- Foundations of Early Childhood Education
- Child Development
- Young Children with Exceptionalities, Birth-Age 8
…and more!
Why UNH CPS?
- Regionally accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education, Inc. (NECHE).
- Available fully online with select on-campus courses.
- Affordable tuition.
- Nationally ranked online programs.
- About 89% of our students are transfer students. Making the most of your transfer credits is our specialty.
- Career advising is available to all students and alumni. We also extend this service to those considering their college options.
- Faculty who are subject matter experts and share their real-world expertise, helping you apply what you learn to your personal goals and career.
- We’re experts at assessing credit toward your undergraduate degree – not only from previous college coursework, but also for other college-level knowledge demonstrated outside the traditional classroom.
Whether you completed your associate degree or took a few courses, we have experience working with community college students nationwide and we are experts at maximizing your transfer credits. We are proud of our formal partnerships to support community college graduates through our Transfer Pathways.
Students pursuing an associate degree at a New Hampshire community college are encouraged to explore our Transfer Pathway below.
- Completion of our free, online application for admission
- High school diploma, completion of a high school education in a homeschool setting under state law, or demonstrate high school equivalency.
- Successful completion of one of the following exams will be required for demonstrating high school equivalency: the GED, HiSET, or TASC
Programs leading to teacher certification or licensure are available to new students in New Hampshire, Maine*, Massachusetts, and Vermont.
*Maine teacher candidates must complete clinical work in placements located in York, Cumberland or Oxford county.
Eligible individuals can apply for tuition assistance through the Early Childhood Tuition Assistance (ECTA) which is funded by the NH Bureau of Child Development and Head Start Collaboration! 100% of tuition is covered for up to two classes per term.
Eligible individuals include childcare workers, preschool teachers, and elementary school paraprofessionals.
Curriculum & Requirements
This degree plan is a sample and does not reflect the impact of transfer credit or current course offerings. UNH CPS Online undergraduate students should develop individual academic plans with their academic advisor during their first year at UNH.
Sample Course Sequence
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| EDC 501 | Foundations of Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| ENG 420 | The Writing Process | 4 |
| PSY 470 | Child Development | 4 |
| General Education Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| COM 460 | Interpersonal Communication and Group Dynamics | 4 |
| CRIT 501 | Introduction to Critical Inquiry | 4 |
| EDC 502 | Creative Arts in Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| MTH 402 or MTH 504 or MTH 510 | Math for Our World or Statistics or Pre-Calculus | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| COM 480 | Visual Communication | 4 |
| EDC 503 | Language and Literacy Development | 4 |
| EDC 504 | Health, Safety & Nutrition in Early Childhood Settings | 4 |
| General Education Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDC 505 | Mathematics and Science in Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| EDC 506 | Young Children with Exceptionalities in Early Childhood Settings | 4 |
| EDC 507 | Early Childhood Program Administration | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CRIT 602 | Advanced Critical Analysis and Strategic Thinking | 4 |
| EDC 601 | Positive Behavior Guidance in Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| PSY 480 | Infant and Toddler Development | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDC 602 | Learning and Early Childhood Environments | 4 |
| SOCI 675 | Child Abuse and Neglect | 4 |
| General Education Course | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| IDIS 601 | Interdisciplinary Seminar | 4 |
| EDC 712 | Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| EDC 713 | Family and Community Relations in Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDC 797 | Practicum: Professionalism in Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Degree Requirements
General Education Program Requirements
A minimum grade of D- is required in all General Education coursework. Students are allowed a maximum of two course overlaps. Overlaps can be used between Major, Minor and General Education requirements with only 8 credits overlapped between the Major and Minor.
All General Education requirements, including CRIT 602 Advanced Critical Analysis and Strategic Thinking and IDIS 601 Interdisciplinary Seminar, must be taken prior to the capstone.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 420 | The Writing Process | 4 |
| COM 460 | Interpersonal Communication and Group Dynamics | 4 |
| COM 480 | Visual Communication | 4 |
| CRIT 501 | Introduction to Critical Inquiry | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
MTH 402 | Math for Our World | |
MTH 504 | Statistics | |
MTH 510 | Pre-Calculus | |
| Knowledge of Human Behavior & Social Systems | 4 | |
| Knowledge of the Physical & Natural World | 4 | |
| Knowledge of Human Thought & Expression | 4 | |
| CRIT 602 | Advanced Critical Analysis and Strategic Thinking | 4 |
| IDIS 601 | Interdisciplinary Seminar | 4 |
| Total Credits | 40 | |
Writing Program Requirements
All bachelor's degree candidates are required to complete four writing intensive courses as part of the University Writing Program Requirements as follows:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
ENG 420 | The Writing Process | |
One Writing Intensive course in the Major | ||
One Writing Intensive course at the 600-level or above | ||
One Additional Writing Intensive Course | ||
Writing Intensive courses are identified with the label "Writing Intensive Course" in the "Attributes" section of the course description and/or a W following the course number.
Major Requirements
Prior to capstone enrollment, students are expected to complete the majority of their required major courses along with CRIT 602 Advanced Critical Analysis and Strategic Thinking and IDIS 601 Interdisciplinary Seminar. Students should consult with their advisor regarding specific major courses that may be completed with their capstone. Academic Advisor approval is required for registration to be processed.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major in Early Childhood Education | ||
| Foundational Courses | ||
| PSY 470 | Child Development | 4 |
| EDC 501 | Foundations of Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| EDC 502 | Creative Arts in Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| EDC 503 | Language and Literacy Development | 4 |
| EDC 504 | Health, Safety & Nutrition in Early Childhood Settings | 4 |
| EDC 505 | Mathematics and Science in Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| EDC 506 | Young Children with Exceptionalities in Early Childhood Settings | 4 |
| EDC 507 | Early Childhood Program Administration | 4 |
| Intermediate Courses | ||
| PSY 480 | Infant and Toddler Development | 4 |
| EDC 601 | Positive Behavior Guidance in Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| EDC 602 | Learning and Early Childhood Environments | 4 |
| Advanced Courses | ||
| EDC 712 | Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| EDC 713 | Family and Community Relations in Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| SOCI 675 | Child Abuse and Neglect | 4 |
| Integrative Capstone | ||
| EDC 797 | Practicum: Professionalism in Early Childhood Education | 4 |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
Electives
Open electives are courses students will need to take in addition to their general education and major requirements in order to satisfy the remaining credit totals for their programs. Open electives are defined as any credit course offered by the College not already included in the student's general education, major, option or minor. Students will need 120 credits total to graduate with a bachelor's degree from the Online Division of the College of Professional Studies.
- Develop knowledge and skills in promoting child development with an understanding and application of developmentally appropriate practice.
- Develop knowledge and skills to develop, implement, and evaluate meaningful curriculum for all children.
- Develop knowledge and skills to communicate and collaborate with children, families, and professionals.
Your Prior and Current Learning Counts
Many of our students can demonstrate college-level knowledge gained from military, workplace and volunteer-based training, and experiences. We are experts at helping students demonstrate learning and earning academic credit.
iSocial and the Pyramid Model
UNH CPS is proud to support the New Hampshire Department of Education and their iSocial State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG). The goal of this grant is to improve social-emotional outcomes of infants, toddlers and young children with disabilities (birth to age 5) through the implementation of the evidence-based Pyramid Model Framework.
Attend a Teacher Prep Info Session
We have online Information Sessions regularly scheduled, which give you valuable insights into our teacher certification options.
Career Outcomes
Talk with your advisor to discuss how your program, experience, and goals align.