Early Childhood Educator Level 3, Certificate
Certificate—27 credit hours
Curriculum Code 1476
This program prepares students for a career in early childhood education with children ages three to eight years old. It provides opportunities for students to build on the skills established in the Early Childhood Educator Level 2 certificate and to develop the additional necessary skills and theoretical practice to work in a variety of educational settings in schools, families, and communities from ages three to eight years old.
Required General Education Courses
9 credit hours as follows:
| COM-101 | Composition I | 3 |
| - | | |
| MTH-102 | Mathematics for Paraprofessionals | 3 |
| OR- | | |
| MTH-121 | Math for Teachers I | 3 |
| - | | |
| PSY or SOC-___ | PSY or SOC 100-level Course | 3 |
COM-101: This course is a prerequisite for
ECE-101. It is assumed that if the student has taken
COM-101 previously the student will take
ECE-101 during semester one.
(Note: Students who wish to pursue the Early Childhood Educator AAS degree should take
PSY-101 or
PSY-104)
Required Career Courses
18 credit hours as follows:
| ECE-101 | Introduction to Early Childhood | 3 |
| ECE-105 | Health, Safety and Nutrition | 3 |
| ECE-109 | Child, Family and Community | 3 |
| ECE-202 | Growth and Development/Young Child | 3 |
| EDU-103 | Observation/Clinical Experience | 3 |
| EDU-111 | Intro to the Exceptional Child | 3 |
Note:
Students who successfully complete the coursework for this certificate will be eligible to apply for IL ECE Credential-Level 3. See ilgateways.com/en/credentials.
Suggested Schedule
Semester 1 (12 credit hours)
| COM-101 | Composition I | 3 |
| ECE-101 | Introduction to Early Childhood | 3 |
| ECE-105 | Health, Safety and Nutrition | 3 |
| PSY or SOC-___ | PSY or SOC 100-level Course | 3 |
(Note: Students who wish to pursue the Early Childhood Educator AAS degree should take
PSY-101 or
PSY-104)
Semester 2 (9 credit hours)
| ECE-109 | Child, Family and Community | 3 |
| ECE-202 | Growth and Development/Young Child | 3 |
| - | | |
| MTH-102 | Mathematics for Paraprofessionals | 3 |
| OR- | | |
| MTH-121 | Math for Teachers I | 3 |
Semester 3 (6 credit hours)
| EDU-103 | Observation/Clinical Experience | 3 |
| EDU-111 | Intro to the Exceptional Child | 3 |