Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Special Education

Lead Faculty: Dr. Lucinda K. Kramer

This certificate is designed for individuals who have completed Level II coursework in special education and hold a Professional Specialist Credential, Mild/Moderate or Moderate/Severe disabilities. Completion of the certificate extends teaching authorization from birth through 22. Although designed for those with credentials in Mild/Moderate or Moderate/Severe disabilities, it can also be added to credentials in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, Physical and Health Impairments, and Visual Impairments for professional growth. In addition, persons with Learning, Handicapped, or Severely Handicapped credentials may add this certificate.

Professionals in other fields, such as social work, nursing, and child development can also complete the coursework for professional growth units or a National University certificate.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate the knowledge, application, and analysis of several theoretical bases supported by research upon which early intervention and instructional techniques are developed.
• Demonstrate the use of information literacy skills to make researched -based decisions to modify child and family outcomes and intervention priorities.
• Demonstrate an understanding of current federal and state laws and regulations governing and/or impacting programs and assessment of young children with special needs and their families.
• Demonstrate and affirm cultural and linguistic responsiveness to support home language.
• Demonstrate expertise in administering and interpreting various assessment tools across developmental domains.
• Demonstrate competence to translate assessment information into written functional long-term goals and short-term objectives and effectively communicate the results to the family.
• Demonstrate competence to translate assessment information into functional long-term goals and short-term objectives and effectively communicate the results to the family and appropriate professionals.

Requirements

Prerequisites
Completion of Level II coursework in either Mild/Moderate, Moderate/Severe Education Specialist credential, Learning, Handicapped or Severely Handicapped credentials and experience in early childhood development with a concentration in infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Professionals in other fields should schedule an appointment with lead regional faculty in special education for admission.

Certificate Requirements (6 courses; 27 quarter units)
EXC 603 - Dev. EC Spec Needs
EXC 605 - Assessment ECSE
EXC 606 - ECSE Family & Partnership
EXC 607 - IFSP Process
EXC 608 - ECSE Interventions
EXC 609 - ECSE Field Experience (Must be the last course in the sequence)

Additional Requirements for the Certificate and Application Information
After completing their coursework successfully, students must meet with a Credential Advisor to complete and submit to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing application for the certificate.

Program Information

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• Careers in Early Childhood Education