Child care professionals require knowledge and supervised skills in order to provide competent child care in different settings. The Child Care Specialist Program seeks to provide participants with the tools necessary to succeed as a child care professional in either a licensed child day care center or a home child care setting. This program is a hands-on program with heavy emphasis on supervised field work. For those seeking to work in a home child care center, this program includes the small business skills that will help the entrepreneurial child care professional to succeed. For those interested in a licensed child care setting, this program meets the requirements of the CDA credential.
Child Development Associate (CDA) is a nationally recognized professional credential. To date, nearly 52,000 caregivers have earned the CDA credential. With the move toward competence, quality, improved compensation, and uniform standards for early childhood professionals, the number of CDA's is sure to increase in the years to come. Students attending this program are to complete a criminal check waiver form. This certification must be completed prior to placement in their cooperative work assignment.
CHILD CARE SPECIALIST DIPLOMA PROGRAM
| Credit Hours |
Course No. |
Class Name |
|
2
|
CDA 100
|
Portfolio Preparation |
|
2
|
CDA 111
|
Child Development for the Child Care Professional |
|
2
|
CDA 112
|
Learning Experiences for Children |
|
2
|
CDA 113
|
Child Centered Curriculum and Environment |
|
2
|
CDA 114
|
Regulation and Support of Child Care Centers |
|
4
|
CDA 196
|
Cooperative Work Experience |
|
4
|
CDA 197
|
Cooperative Work Experience |
|
4
|
CDA 198
|
Cooperative Work Experience |
|
4
|
CDA 199
|
Cooperative Work Experience |
26 Credits, 2 Semesters 32 Weeks - Days
Program Schedule: The lecture part of this program (CDA 100, 111, 112, 113, and 114) is offered 3.75 hours in the evening.
The Cooperative Work Assignment (CDA 196, 197, 198, and 199) is offered a minimum of 24 hours per week (Monday - Friday for a minimum of 5 hours each day between the hours of 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.). Each student works with the Cooperative Work Coordinator to arrange a work site with a schedule acceptable to the student.
