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Early Childhood Special Education (Birth to Five)

Certification Program

Online

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Make a Difference With An Early Childhood Special Education Certificate


Educators positively impact the lives of children every. day.

Ready to do the same and further your professional education? UW is here to support you on your journey. 

This interdisciplinary post-baccalaureate program draws on expertise from three colleges (Education, Health Sciences and Agriculture) to ensure graduates are prepared to work with young children with disabilities and their families. 

Program Details

Tuition and Fees

Please visit our cost of attendance page

Program Requirements

Curriculum & Courses

Department

College of Education
School of Teacher Education

About the Early Childhood Special Education Program

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The Early Childhood Special Education graduate certification program is an interdisciplinary program that provides students with the necessary skills to become Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board certified teachers of young children with disabilities from birth to age 5.

This online learning program incorporates the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children Initial Practice-Based Professional Preparation Standards for Early Interventionists/Early Childhood Special Educators.

We believe hands-on experience is essential for educators. That’s why students collaborate with child development programs in their local communities — to work directly with children with disabilities and their families — as part of the program. 

The Early Childhood Special Education certification program includes seven required courses and two internships working directly with young children with disabilities and their families. 

Courses include:

  • Children with Disabilities Birth - 5
  • Curriculum and Materials for Young Children with Disabilities
  • Evaluation of Young Children with Disabilities
  • Special Education Law
  • Families of Young Children With Special Needs
  • Health Management Issues in Early Education
  • Oral and Written Language Acquisition
  • Internship in Early Childhood Special Education: Birth to Age 3
  • Internship in Early Childhood Special Education: Age 3 to 5

View the full curriculum details for the Early Childhood Special Education (Birth to Five) program and the course schedule.

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Post-baccalaureate students who have earned a B.A. or B.S. in Elementary Education, Family and Consumer Sciences/Child Development Option, or a related field in early childhood development are eligible for this program. Applicants must have earned at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA.

This is a pre-k program and does not prepare candidates to work in kindergarten or primary-grade classrooms.

 

Online Learning At UW

The University of Wyoming provides a comprehensive range of fully-online and hybrid programs in addition to the online Early Childhood Special Education (Birth to Five) Certification Program. They are equivalent to in-person programs in all the ways that matter – same learning expectations, same accreditation and your transcript doesn’t differentiate how you learned. Additionally, online learners have unique needs, and we provide a suite of academic and student resources tailored to help you succeed while at UW and after you graduate. 

 

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What can you do with an Early Childhood Special Education (Birth to Five) Certificate?

A career in early childhood special education is extremely rewarding, and our graduates go on to make a difference in their communities. The majority of our graduates work as early childhood special education teachers in childhood development centers across Wyoming.

Potential Careers

Depending on the employer and location, early childhood special education teachers are called various things. Here are some of the job titles our graduates pursue:

  • Special Education Teacher (birth to three)
  • Special Education Teacher (three to five)
  • Special Education Pre-K Teacher
  • Special Education Preschool Teacher
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Here are a few places our College of Education graduates are making an impact:

  • Child Development Center of Natrona County
  • Lincoln-Uinta Child Development Association
  • Child Development Services of Campbell County
  • STRIDE Learning Center
  • Sweetwater County Child Development Center
  • Child Development Services of Fremont County 
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Early Childhood Special Education (birth to five) Program Highlights

Students studying early childhood special education at UW receive a unique, interdisciplinary education that prepares them to make a difference in their communities. This program gives students hands-on experience and remote learning options — to further their professional education right in their own neighborhoods.

Scholarship Opportunities

WY Quality Counts — an organization on a mission to raise awareness about the importance of quality child care — offers scholarships to students currently working in a licensed early childhood program.

Remote Friendly

The Early Childhood Special Education certification program is part of UW’s online learning program. All courses are offered over Zoom.

Experiential & Competency-Based Learning

At UW, we know it’s important for students to be able to take what they learn and apply it at work. The Early Childhood Special Education program provides plenty of opportunities to do just that.

Every student completes two internships, working directly with students with disabilities or delays and their families. In one internship, students work with children between birth and age 3. Next, they work with children between the ages of 3 and 5.

The endorsement curriculum uses the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children Initial Practice-Based Professional Preparation Standards for Early Interventionists/Early Childhood Special Educators. So students feel confident that what they learn directly applies to their post-grad jobs. 

 

 

Accredited

Our post-graduate program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and focuses on teaching children with disabilities or delays (birth to five). It follows recommended practices from the Council for Exceptional Children/Division of Early Childhood. Students learn hands-on with experienced mentors, and gain skills to create inclusive learning environments. It's a standout in special education, producing empathetic educators.

 

Related Programs

Interested in an early childhood special education certificate? These programs may also be of interest to you:

If you're interested in continuing your education, students who complete the early childhood special education (birth to five) certification are only a few classes away from finishing a master's in curriculum and instruction.

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