The Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) graduate certificate is a 12 credit hour program designed to provide educators and others with specialty coursework focused on young children birth to age 5 years who have developmental disabilities.

This graduate certificate does not result in a teaching endorsement in ECSE.

The graduate certificate program is well-suited for educators who desire additional training for their current jobs as well as graduate students in related fields whose professions serve young children with disabilities. Non-teachers in fields such as physical, occupational or speech therapy, and psychology can enhance their work with young children and their families, further developing their professional skills and improving their marketability.

Teachers interested in adding ECSE specialization to their current teaching certificate should contact the ECSE Certificate Advisor who can provide information on an appropriate program of study leading to an ECSE endorsement.

Courses

• Resume/CV: Preferred qualification: previous experience working in schools or community settings with young children or students with disabilities of any age.
• Personal Statement:  This statement should include your rationale for pursuing this Graduate Certificate, your interest and specific experiences with individuals in the associated population, and the reasons why you are interested in working with this population.  There are no specific length requirements for the personal statement.
• Faculty:  Identify the faculty member(s) with whom you have discussed or will discuss this program.
• Three letters of recommendation
• Academic Eligibility: Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher (undergraduate and/or graduate). Completion of at least one course in special education with a grade of B or better.