Textbook Information:  Textbook is required and must be purchased at the student’s expense. 

Administration of Programs for Young Children by Phyllis M. Click and Kimberly A. Karkos; 7th Edition; Thompson Delmar Learning; ISBN – 1-4180-3790-7; Approximate Cost:  $94 

Order textbooks here.

Program Description:  The Online Director’s Certificate provides professional recognition for early childhood professionals seeking to further their skills and knowledge in the management of a child care center. The program is broken into nine Instructional Units. These units focus on the core areas of competency required to manage a child care center.  Each student in the Online Director’s Certificate program receives support from an Education Coach (EC). Each EC is an Early Childhood specialist and has previous experience working in a child care center or school.

Program Objectives:  Upon satisfactorily completing the Online Director’s Certificate program, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate the skills and the knowledge needed to operate a preschool or child care center
• Identify the components needed to develop and maintain an effective organization
• Demonstrate the skills required to plan and implement administrative systems that provide effective education and support programs
• Demonstrate the ability to plan and implement an effective marketing program to parents and the community
• Demonstrate the ability to effectively administer a program of personnel management and staff development
• Identify the requirements to maintain and develop the facility and equipment
• Demonstrate knowledge of legal requirements necessary for effective management
• List the requirements to foster good community relations and to influence child care policy that affects the program
• Demonstrate the ability to practice responsible financial management
• Identify the requirements to maintain a commitment to professionalism
• List the required components to document professional growth and development

Student Assessment:  Students enrolled in the Online Director’s Certificate program are assessed using the following methods:

• Competency based multiple choice questions
• Open-ended essay questions
• Student activity and/or observations with written feedback
• End of Course Quizzes in multiple choice format – Students must pass each quiz with a grade of 70% or better to complete the course.
• Cumulative Final Exam in multiple choice format – Students must pass with a grade of 70% or better to complete the certificate program.

Enrollment Requirements:

• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Must possess a high school diploma or GED and submit documentation as proof
• Must have access to a computer and printer
• Must have a valid email address
• Must have access to the Internet through a JavaScript enabled web browser (i.e. Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher, Mozilla Firefox 3.0 or higher, etc.)
• Must be able to speak, read, and write well enough in the language the course is presented in to understand and complete the course material

For an application, click here.