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Online Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education Policy

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Program Overview

he 12-credit graduate certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education Policy supports the development of a robust cadre of early childhood leaders and policymakers equipped to effectively serve young children. With fully online coursework covering leadership, policy advocacy, theory and analysis, the certificate provides the training needed to effectively lead organizations, contribute to policy-making, and analyze early childhood policy at the local, state, and federal level.

The graduate certificate is offered through collaboration across UF Centers and Schools, providing students with access to leading scholars in early childhood, education policy, and leadership. As part of a national network of universities advancing early childhood policy, the graduate certificate prepares candidates with the latest in research-based approaches to effective policy-making for young children.

The certificate can be pursued as a standalone credential by working professionals as well as integrated into the academic program of master’s and doctoral students from across the university.

Program Highlights

Local Collaboration and a National Network in Early Childhood Policy

The graduate certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education Policy is a collaborative program offering between faculty in UF’s Education Policy Research Center and the Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies. With courses taught by faculty from Early Childhood Education and Educational Leadership, students are prepared to be leaders in early childhood policy.

This collaborative environment is formalized in UF’s Early Childhood Policy Centers Collaborative, a working group of faculty from across university centers and departments with a commitment to teaching, research, and service that improves the field of early childhood policy. The Early Childhood Policy Centers Collaborative is part of a national network of institutions of higher education who are advancing the field of early childhood policy. Inclusion in the Early Childhood Policy in Institutions of Higher Education (ECPIHE) places UF among a select group of universities nationwide who are the national leaders in early childhood policy.  Graduate certificate coursework and other opportunities are based on this national model, providing the latest in evidence-based approaches to early childhood policy.

Course Work

Complete the following four courses with grades of B or higher:

  • EEC 6636 Examining Practices, Policies, and Key Issues in Early Childhood Policy (3 credit hours – Spring Semester Only)
    • Provides a thorough overview of the pedagogy, practices, policies, and issues framing the design and delivery of contemporary ECEC. Central to such formulations, the role of parents and families is addressed as a critical contouring variable. Designed in three units, the course addresses: (i) understanding early childhood education and care practice and policy in the US; (ii) identifying critical policy challenges; and (iii) addressing critical policy challenges.
  • EEC 6665 History, Child Development, and Equity in Early Childhood Policy (3 credit hours – Fall Semester Only)
    • Provides an overview of the developmental science that informs policy and program development; social, political and economic forces that shape the study of young children and contribute to developmental trajectories with an emphasis on equity; changing roles of families; and implications of these issues for policies affecting young children.
  • EEC 6667 Theory and Analysis in Early Childhood Policy (3 credit hours – Summer Semester Only)
    • Provides an interdisciplinary perspective on early childhood education and care (ECEC) policy, focusing on the systematic study, analysis, and interpretation of policy. Designed to help students understand the role of policy analysis in the policy process, and to explore theoretical frames used in ECEC policy discourse.
  • EEC 7056: Early Childhood Policy and Advocacy (3 credit hours – Spring Semester Only)
    • Focuses on understanding, analyzing, and evaluating early childhood policies at federal, state, and local levels and internationally. Analyzes relationships among early childhood policies, research, and practices.
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    Program Requirements

    • A minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a degree deemed equivalent by the University Of Florida Office Of Admission.
    • A minimum grade point average of 3.0 upper-division (last 60 credits) undergraduate work.
    • An acceptable grade point average for previous graduate work.
    • A score submission for the Graduate Records Examination (GRE), both the verbal and quantitative sections.

    Program Highlights

    Entry: Spring/Summer/Fall
    Typical Course Load: 3-6 credit hours
    Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-time or Part-time
    Average Class Size: 20
    Application Deadline: February 15 (Summer), June 15 (Fall), October 15 (Spring)
    Program Completion: 1 academic year or 3 semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer) if Full-Time

    Program of Study (PDF)