Early Childhood Special Education, Certificate
Build expertise to support young learners with disabilities and developmental delays through this certificate. You develop foundational knowledge in child development theory and assessment while learning to create inclusive learning environments, engage families, and design instruction for children.
Quick facts
Credits
Additional facts
Accreditation and professional licensure
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Certificate description
Early Childhood Special Education undergraduate certificate description
The certificate program in early childhood special education prepares you to work with young children, birth through age 8 or grade 3, who have a disability or are at risk of developing one.
You develop foundational knowledge of child development, including child development theories and best practices. You learn how to:
- assess, monitor and report the progress of young children
- build effective practices for engaging families
- create enriched, inclusive learning environments
- design coherent instruction
- plan and facilitate learning
This certificate program allows you to be eligible for dual teaching certificates upon completion of an undergraduate Bachelor of Arts in Education degree. This certificate can be added only to the BAE in early childhood education
If you add this certificate to the early childhood education bachelor's degree, you're eligible to earn an institutional recommendation from ASU for Arizona teacher certification in Early Childhood Special Education, birth through grade 3, from the Arizona Department of Education. To teach in an Arizona public school, you must pass the appropriate Arizona educator exams: National Evaluation Series or Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments.
Format option
This program is also offered via ASU Sync. ASU Sync enables you to attend live classes remotely via Zoom. Classes are designed to foster active collaboration and discussion in real time with faculty and peers. As an ASU Sync, you must reside in Arizona throughout the duration of the program. If you're on F-1 or J-1 immigration status, you should speak with an advisor about other options to complete this program. Students on F-1 or J-1 immigration status are not permitted to complete courses via Sync.
If you're seeking to use GI Bill® benefits for ASU Sync programs, contact the Pat Tillman Veterans Center regarding certain limitations.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Why earn an early childhood special education undergraduate certificate at ASU?
This undergraduate certificate provides a direct route to dual certification when paired with the Bachelor of Arts in Education in early childhood education. You prepare to work with young children who have disabilities or face developmental challenges, gaining the specialized skills Arizona educators need to support diverse learners in inclusive classrooms.
You join a supportive community at Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation where you connect with peers who share your commitment to education. While you access all the resources and traditions available across ASU, you also benefit from the focused network within the college, building relationships with students and faculty who understand your professional interests.
Additional details
As a member of MLFC, you're part of both the broader ASU community and a more focused group of education students. You can participate in Sun Devil traditions, intramural sports, community service, cultural events, fraternity and sorority life, Changemaker Central and countless other campus activities.
The college creates space for every student to find their place. You can discover opportunities to engage with others who care deeply about teaching and learning, whether through informal study groups, college events, or collaborative projects that prepare you for your future classroom.
Courses
This undergraduate certificate includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below:
2026-2027 Catalog Year
The certificate requires 18 credit hours. A "C" minimum is required for all courses in the certificate, although students must maintain a 3.00 GPA in the post-baccalaureate certificate program.
| Requirement | Minimum grade | Credit hours |
|---|---|---|
|
This certificate requires 18 credit hours. |
||
| Required Courses | ||
|
ECD 321 Foundations in Language, Literacy and Culture in Early Childhood
(SOBE)
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
ECS 310 Foundations in Typical / Atypical Child Development
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
ECS 312 Social and Emotional Development of the Young Child
(SOBE)
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
ECS 411 Instructional Methodologies for Young Children: STEM
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
ECS 420 Evaluation and Intervention Strategies for Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers with Disabilities
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
ECS 430 Systems, Policy, and Advocacy in Early Childhood/Special Education
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this certificate.
|
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Execute an instructional cycle using research-based pedagogical practices and theories appropriate for a range of learners
- Create learning experiences that address the content disciplines to engage learners in accessible, relevant, and meaningful content to ensure critical thinking and mastery of the content.
- Create and maintain inclusive, equitable learning environments that support individual and collaborative learning experiences, utilize high leverage practices, and foster critical thinking, active engagement,and well-being for all learners
- Use multiple methods of assessment and sources of data to evaluate various aspects of learners
- Apply strategies for teaming to meet students’ needs
- Evaluate and recommend appropriate strategies to promote habits of mind
- Build and implement a professional growth plan using evidence and reflective practices
- Advocate for students, families, and communities with an understanding of the historical, social, local, or global context
- Self-reflect and assess personal contributions for shaping and supporting the mission of a school/organization's culture
- Apply expectations of the profession
- Analyze key ethical issues present in a prominent social or cultural problem in education, including the ways different ethical perspectives influence decision making related to the issue
- Analyze and acknowledge the local/cultural context, personal histories, and experiences relevant to problem(s) of practice
- Engage in cycles of inquiry in collaborative educational systems to imagine new concepts, catalyze ideas, and form new solutions, guided by principles and research that create positive change for learners
- Evaluate competing perspectives on a problem of practice within an educational context and present a reasoned analysis of the issue informed by major theories and evidence-based practices
- Implement an applied project, synthesize the findings and defend the significance and implications of the study as relevant to local, social and/or global contexts
Execute an instructional cycle using research-based pedagogical practices and theories appropriate for a range of learnersEnrollment requirements
Students must already be enrolled in the BAE program in early childhood education in order to add this certificate.
Students are required to have a valid Arizona DPS Identity Verified Prints fingerprint clearance card.
A GPA of 2.00 is required for continued good standing. Students should contact the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation for more information.
A student pursuing an undergraduate certificate must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at ASU. Undergraduate certificates are not awarded before completion of an undergraduate degree. A student who already holds an undergraduate degree may pursue an undergraduate certificate as a nondegree-seeking graduate student but may not be eligible for an institutional recommendation for Arizona teaching licensure without additional preparation beyond the certificate.
Here are the admission and application details
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Careers this early childhood special education undergraduate certificate prepares you for
There is a strong demand for both early childhood educators and special educators in Arizona and nationwide. Earning a credential that prepares graduates for both early childhood and special education can lead to many opportunities. Many graduates with early childhood education credentials hold leadership positions in Head Start, private nonprofit and private for-profit center-based programs, and public school early childhood environments.
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Division for Advancing Educator Preparation
|
ED 102
ASUeducation@asu.edu
480-965-9995
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
