Early Childhood Education, Advanced
- Career Studies Certificate (C.S.C.)
Program Snapshot
Your Learning Options
In-person, Hybrid, Online
18 Credit Hours
Estimated Time to Complete
1 year (2 full-time semesters)
In-State Tuition Per Credit Hour
$176.00 | Calculate your costs
Why Advanced Early Childhood Education?
Discover skills and knowledge necessary to excel in the care, education, and development of young children from birth to age 12.
- Upgrade your career with our advanced career studies certificate program featuring engaged hands-on, applied learning experiences that allow you to apply advanced skills, theories, and models in real-world childcare settings.
- Parents can unlock the secrets of child development and become a parenting pro through our well-organized course of study.
- Earn stackable credentials that pave the way for further education and career advancement, ultimately leading to an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree.
Paying for College
We are committed to using all of the available funds to help you gain access to a college education. In fact, more than 91% of our students graduate without any educational debt. In 2023, Reynolds Community College students received over $21 million dollars in grants, loans, work-study and scholarships with the average aid awarded totaling over $4,000 per student.
Payment plans are offered to break down tuition payments. Textbook Assistance and Laptop Lending Programs are also available. Be sure to explore all the types of financial aid available as well!
Get a Skill. Get a Job. Get Ahead.
G3 financial assistance at Reynolds can help cover tuition for select programs like this one! Starting something new or changing a career path can be scary, but if you want to earn workplace certifications or an academic degree that leads to a career, G3 tuition assistance can help remove the financial barrier of going to college.
Why Reynolds?
We are more than a community college.
Reynolds is the key that unlocks the door to your academic and professional success. Here you will find a safe place to start. We will help you explore, dream, succeed, try, and try again. Our amazing faculty and highly personalized advisors, your Reynolds Navigators, are well known for guiding you to discover that "aha moment.” That means an outstanding college experience, less debt, more freedom, and a solid start on your future.
Experience an accelerated program that propels your career forward by providing advanced skills and knowledge in early childhood education. Our streamlined curriculum ensures you acquire essential competencies efficiently, saving you time and accelerating your career progression.
Take advantage of scholarship opportunities such as the Virginia Department of Education Child Care Provider Scholarship and Virginia Early Childhood Foundation's Project Pathfinders Scholarship. These scholarships alleviate financial barriers and support your educational journey by covering tuition and books, enabling you to focus on your professional growth.
Enter a field with a national shortage of early childhood education teachers and caregivers, where your advanced skills and qualifications are in high demand. Prepare for diverse employment opportunities in childcare centers, nursery schools, family day care homes, Head Start programs, and more, where you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of young children and families.
The only secret is to keep going… If you fall 100 times then you get up 101 times.
Keya Wingfield
Class Highlights
CHD 165 - Observation and Participation in Early Childhood/Primary Settings
Focus on observation as the primary method for gathering information about children in early childhood settings.
CHD 166 - Infant and Toddler Programs
Examine child growth and development from birth to 36 months including development in the physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and language domains.
CHD 145 - Teaching Art, Music, and Movement to Children
Investigate children’s exploration, play, and creative expression in the areas of art, music, and movement.
Program Roadmap
Get all the details on our Advanced Early Childhood Education program, including class sequences, admission requirements, financial considerations, and more.
Additional Program Information
PURPOSE: This program is designed to provide students with the additional early childhood skills needed in the care and development of young children in a variety of child care settings. The program provides training appropriate for persons presently working in the field who wish to continue to upgrade their knowledge and skills in child development and care. The program also offers a well-organized course of study for parents who wish to increase their understanding of child development.
OCCUPATIONAL OBJECTIVES: Employment opportunities include preparation or upgrading skills for positions as childcare center assistant directors, teachers or assistant teachers, aides, playroom attendants, home-based providers or daycare workers, camp directors, and before- and after-schoolteachers in the following types of facilities: child day care centers, nursery schools, family day care homes, Head Start programs, recreational before- and after-school programs, hospital-based child care programs, pre-school at-risk programs, and pre-kindergarten church-sponsored programs.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS: General college curricular admission.
PROGRAM NOTES: In addition to the general college curricular admission requirements, those interested in entering the Early Childhood Education - Advanced Career Studies Certificate should hold the Early Childhood Education Career Studies Certificate or be approved by the program head. A personal interview with the program head is recommended. Students must attain a grade of “C” or higher in all courses with CHD and PSY prefixes.
COMPUTER COMPETENCY REQUIREMENT: Students in this program will meet the college’s computer competency requirement by successfully completing ITE 152 or EDU 280 (Introduction to Instructional Technologies). Students can also meet this requirement by passing the college’s computer competency exam, administered in the testing centers on each campus, in which case they will receive college credit for ITE 152. Students not passing the computer competency exam may retake the exam only once.
