Early Childhood Special Education Certificate

Program Description

This 20-credit certificate is for students who want to have additional proficiency in working with children with special needs. This certificate does not meet the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) requirements for teacher certification. All courses transfer into the ECE A.A.S. degree and some courses are also applicable to the ECE A.A.T. degree program.

Graduates of the Early Childhood Special Education Certificate will be able to:

• Apply child development and learning theories when choosing developmentally appropriate practices and curriculum for specific and groups of children
• Write effective and developmentally appropriate lesson plans
• Differentiate lessons and activities for a variety of purposes and groups of children
• Demonstrate the skills necessary to communicate effectively with families and the community
• Demonstrate the skills needed to be an effective part of an educational team
• Plan, implement, assess, and evaluate student learning outcomes and behavioral objectives in a variety of instructional settings
• Relate science and mathematical concepts to early childhood curriculum
• Apply multicultural principles and strategies to the planning, instruction, pedagogical, and assessment processes in a classroom
• Demonstrate the dispositions and behaviors consistent with professional practice and ethical standards as outlined in NAEYC, InTASC, and other current professional standards

Note: All TED courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

Sequence of Study - Early Childhood Special Education Certificate

Below are the required courses for your program arranged in a suggested sequence. Please note that the sequence does not include developmental coursework. See Academic Preparation  for the developmental course sequence if applicable to you.

Required Courses (in expected order)

• TED-1110 Professional Dispositions and Behaviors for Educational Settings 2 Credits (Program Requirement; Critical Course)
• TED-1200 Child Growth and Development 3 Credits (Program Requirement)
• TED-1400 Introduction to Multicultural Education 3 Credits (Program Requirement)
• TED-1300 Methods and Materials in Early Childhood Education 3 Credits (Program Requirement; Critical Course)
• TED-2200 Guiding Behavior in Educational Settings 3 Credits (Program Requirement)
• TED-2350 Early Childhood Special Education 3 Credits (Program Requirement)
• TED-2751 Field Work in Early Childhood Special Education 3 Credits (Program Requirement; Critical Course)

Program Total: 20 Credits