Mar 28, 2024  
NCU Catalog - February 2022 
    
NCU Catalog - February 2022 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Early Childhood Education Post-Master’s Certificate


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Post-Master’s Certificate


Description of Program


In order to earn a Post-Master’s Certificate, students must complete six courses (a total of 18 credit hours) within the chosen Post-Master’s Certificate program. With the exception of the General Education certificate, each Post-Master’s Certificate program is prescribed, meaning students can only take what is listed for the particular Post-Master’s Certificate program (students may not substitute alternative courses). Students must complete all six NCU courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in order to receive the certificate.

Click here for potential career opportunities within the Post-Master’s Certificate.

Basis for Admissions


Admission to the Post-Master’s Certificate program requires a conferred master’s level or higher degree from a regionally or nationally accredited academic institution.

Scope


6 NCU Courses (18 Credit hours) must be completed from the coursework outlined within the corresponding Post-Master’s Certificate specialization. Courses taken as part of a NCU master’s program cannot be applied towards a Post-Master’s Certificate program.

Certificate Requirements


The University may accept a maximum of 6 semester credit hours from a graduate-level program to NCU’s Post-Master’s certificate program. Coursework must have been completed at an accredited college or university within the last seven years with a grade of “B” or better. See the 

  for additional information.

The Post-Master’s Certificate has the following graduation requirements:

  • Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.0 (letter grade of “B”) or higher
  • Official documents on file for basis of admission: a conferred master’s level or higher degree from an accredited academic institution
  • Official transcripts on file for all transfer credit hours accepted by the University
  • All financial obligations must be met before the student will be issued their complimentary diploma and/or degree posted transcript

Time to Completion


NCU allows 2 years to complete all certificate programs.

The median time to completion for this program is 13 months.

Time to completion varies depending upon the pace in which a student completes courses and the number of transfer credits accepted. As most NCU students are working adults, balancing educational, professional, and personal commitments, our academic and finance advisors will work with you to develop a program schedule that works best for your needs.

Students following the preferred schedule designed by the Dean for this program, and applying no transfer credits, can expect to finish in as little as 9 months.

Post-Master’s Certificate Transfer into a Doctoral Sequence


  • Specialization coursework completed as part of a doctoral degree, where a degree was conferred, cannot be applied towards a Post-Master’s Certificate program. However, a Post-Master’s Certificate can be completed as part of doctoral coursework, assuming the student officially applies for the Post-Master’s Certificate prior to completing the fourth course in the Post-Master’s Certificate series.
  • Coursework completed within a Post-Master’s Certificate program may be applied towards the specialization sequence within a doctoral program.
  • Applying Post-Master’s Certificate coursework towards a doctoral degree is contingent upon coursework and degree relevance under the most current doctoral degree program version.

Early Childhood Education (ECE)


In this certificate, you will build on your existing knowledge and skills in early childhood education as you develop in advanced practice. Your focus will include curriculum, assessment, and program administration that aligns with research on the growth and development of young children. You will also investigate early childhood literacy and literature along with the roles of families, caregivers, schools, and communities as partners in early childhood education. This specialization supports your development as an advanced practitioner in the field of early childhood education.

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