Early Childhood Education Leadership

The Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree is a non-licensure, online program that builds on the foundations of early childhood education principles while preparing graduates with in-demand leadership skills. Graduates of this program will be prepared to enrich their careers by gaining a deeper knowledge in early childhood development while acquiring the leadership and administration skills necessary to pursue leadership positions in the field of early childhood education. Based on national standards and designed in partnership with industry leaders, this program will prepare graduates with the knowledge and skills to pursue a leadership career path in the field of early childhood education and development. This program is not intended to lead to licensure or certification to teach in the public school sector.

• Early Childhood Teacher (in private childcare settings)
• Teacher’s Assistant
• Early Childhood Special Education Assistant
• Head Start Teacher

Careers Disclosure: The Early Childhood Education programs at Rasmussen University are not designed to meet, and do not meet, the educational requirements for licensure to teach in public preschools, or kindergarten, elementary, or secondary schools in any state. A bachelor’s degree from a state-approved college or university and a state teaching license are typically required to work as a teacher in a public school, and in private school settings. The Rasmussen University Early Childhood Education programs are not approved by any state agency that licenses teachers. States, municipalities, districts, or individual schools may have more stringent licensure requirements and other standards. Childcare facilities and the states in which they are located establish qualifications for staff that work with children, and often implement guidelines regarding age, education, experience, background, and professional development. Before enrolling, it is important to understand all of the licensure eligibility standards for a desired career by consulting the appropriate state and school/facility requirements.

The Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential from the Council for Professional Recognition may be required for some career opportunities. Rasmussen University partners with the Council for Professional Recognition, and its Early Childhood Education Certificate program contains the following courses, which provide the educational prerequisites for the CDA Credential: EEC1202 Early Childhood Education Curriculum and Instruction; EEC1700 Foundations of Child Development; and EEC1735 Health, Safety, and Nutrition/CDA Application. Additional CDA Credential eligibility requirements apply. Please consult the CDA eligibility requirements of the Council for Professional Recognition for further details.

This program has not been approved by any state professional licensing body, and this program is not intended to lead to any state-issued professional license. For further information on professional licensing requirements, please contact the appropriate board or agency in your state of residence.

The Early Childhood Education program contains coursework aligned with the requirements for the Gateways Credentials, which are awarded and recognized by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Bureau of Child Care and Development. Other eligibility requirements apply; please verify your eligibility against all Gateways Credentials requirements.

A student enrolled in an associate degree program through Rasmussen University Online may dual enroll in this Bachelor’s degree program when enrolled in the final 12 credits needed to complete their enrolled associate’s degree program, and all program acceptance requirements are met. The student may be scheduled to complete Associate program course requirements before taking Bachelor-level courses. The student will graduate from their enrolled associate degree program only when all course requirements specific to that program have been completed. Students who choose this option to dual enroll cannot complete the final 12 credits in the associate degree as self-directed assessments (SDA). Students enrolled in a Rasmussen University Certificate or Diploma program are not eligible to dual enroll in this Bachelor’s degree program. Students enrolled in a residential program through a campus are not eligible to dual enroll in this program.

This is a bachelor-completer program. To be considered for admission, applicants must provide transcripts from an accredited institution of higher learning as recognized by the U. S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) that demonstrates one of the following:

1. A conferred associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a related field, as listed below
2. A conferred associate’s or bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field
3. Completion of at least 60 quarter credits or 40 semester credits of college-level coursework with a grade of C- or higher in each course

Students who transfer a conferred Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree from the following approved field-related programs will receive a block transfer of 90 lower-level quarter credits:

• Early Childhood Education
• Human Services
• Early Childhood Development
• Education Foundations
• Early Care and Education
• Child Care
• Child and Family Studies
• Education and Youth Studies
• Child Life Specialist/Assistant
• Para-Educator
• Child Psychology
• Early Childhood Studies
• Early Childhood and Youth Development
• Elementary Education
• Child Development/Child Growth and Development
• Associate of Art Degrees with a concentration in Education

Students with an unrelated associate’s or bachelor’s degree, or at least 60 eligible quarter credits, may be considered for this program as specified below:

• Students may be required to take additional lower-level prerequisite courses when equivalent courses have not been completed. Prerequisite courses a student may be required to complete include: EEC1700 Foundations of Child Development and EEC1202 Early Childhood Education Curriculum and Instruction.
• In addition, the students will have their transcripts evaluated on a course-by-course basis to determine whether any upper-level credits will also apply to their program. Eligible transfer credits will be applied to their program at the appropriate level.

Students who have fewer than 90 transferable lower-level quarter credits will be required to take additional lower-level coursework. The additional coursework will be determined by Rasmussen University based upon a predetermined elective pool appropriate for the program of enrollment.

In addition to meeting all other acceptance requirements, applicants must successfully pass a background check through Rasmussen University’s chosen third-party vendor. Any prospective student must also consider their history, lifestyle, and future actions before enrolling in this program, and carefully consider whether their actions may prevent them from attaining employment in the field they choose to pursue. Additional requirements, such as industry-specific training may be required to obtain employment in this field. Applicants for careers in this field may be subject to pre-employment screenings such as, but not limited to, criminal background checks, and drug/or alcohol testing. Employment decisions, including whether to require background checks and other tests, are made at the discretion of the employer.

This competency-based education program contains both traditional and competency-based education (CBE) courses. CBE courses are indicated in italics.

Students may elect to focus their degree by substituting a set of specialization courses in place of: EEC3005 Communications and Connections for Early Childhood Professionals, EEC3007 Organizational Management in Early Childhood Education, EEC3011 Empowering Contemporary Families, and EEC4022 Ethics and Leadership in Early Childhood Education.