Early Childhood General and Special Education Graduate Certificate

This online (asynchronous and partially synchronous) graduate certificate program in Early Childhood General and Special Education prepares educators (with elementary teaching endorsements, specifically ZA [Birth to age 8], ZG [K-5 all subjects and K-8 all subjects self-contained], or ZO [PK-3]) for work in a variety of early care and classroom settings serving infants through kindergarten-age children with and without disabilities. Following completion of the curriculum, graduates can be eligible for an additional Michigan teaching endorsement in Early Childhood General and Special Education: Birth through Kindergarten (ZN). The curriculum integrates graduate courses focused on child development, diverse family and community relationships, early childhood education, special education, and content area knowledge and pedagogy. It prepares educators to teach and work with young learners and their families, to meet the socio-emotional needs of the whole child, and to implement developmentally appropriate practices and intensive interventions in response to both typical and atypical development. 

Student Learning Outcomes

• Program candidates will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions that promote early learning and development across a range of service settings, including early childhood education and early childhood special education settings.
• Program candidates will apply principles and theories of whole child development and human ecological systems in the construction of relationship-based and developmentally appropriate practices, environments, and intensive interventions for young learners.
• Program candidates will implement ethical, reflective, responsive, and collaborative practices informed by the strengths and needs of diverse children and their families across general and special education systems and community settings.

Admission criteria

1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
2. An overall grade point average of at least 3.0 during undergraduate work.
3. A 250-word statement of purpose indicating why you have chosen this program and what you hope to accomplish.
4. Three letters of recommendation
5. Valid Michigan Teaching Certificate with an endorsement in ZA [Birth to age 8], ZG [K-5 all subjects and K-8 all subjects self-contained], or ZO [PK-3]

Required Courses (a minimum of 15-18 credits)