Explore our Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Administration, Management, and Leadership
Gain the leadership and business management skills you need to manage child care centers or administer programs for young children with Walden’s online Early Childhood Administration, Management, and Leadership (Non-Licensure) certificate.
By focusing on research-based practices, you will explore how to plan and evaluate programs and environments in which children of diverse backgrounds and needs can learn and thrive. Through your study of management principles, you will be trained to recruit, lead, and evaluate qualified staff; budget and manage resources; and ensure safe, supportive, and legally compliant operations.
Two Ways to Learn
Choose from two degree completion options.
The course-based format may be a good option for you if you prefer an instructor-led approach and learning on a predetermined schedule. However, the course-based format is not accepting applications at this time.
Choose the learning path that fits your life and experience. Here are the two ways to earn your degree:
| Course-based learning (Not accepting applications at this time.) |
Tempo Learning® | |
|---|---|---|
| The standard, guided pace to earn your degree | The flexible pace, ideal for some students | |
| Time | Structured schedule | Flexible schedule |
| Pace | Deadlines to make steady progress | Set your own pace, and speed up or slow down when needed |
| Tuition | Pay by the course | All-you-can-learn subscription fee |
| Support | Faculty guide you through your courses as you earn your degree | Faculty support when you need it and a personal academic coach |
| Expert Walden Faculty | ✔ | ✔ |
| Payment Plans and Scholarships* | ✔ | ✔ |
*May not be available for all programs
With Tempo Learning, you may be able to complete your Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Administration, Management, and Leadership in as few as 7 months for as low as $8,000.*
*Represents Tempo Learning® format, Believe & Achieve Scholarship, and the fastest pace of our top 25% transfer students in this program in the Tempo Learning® format. Your actual total program time and costs may vary. Tuition and fees are subject to change. See Tuition and Fees section and Scholarship Details for more information.
Curriculum
Completion Requirements
- 15 semester credits
View the COMPLETE CURRICULUM PLAN.
Time to completion will vary by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 844-483-7976.
Credits earned in this certificate program may be applied toward Walden’s MS in Early Childhood Studies.
Curriculum
The Tempo Learning degree completion option is ideal for busy working professionals like you. Your progress is measured by the mastery or demonstration of skills, abilities, and knowledge in a particular area of expertise (AoE).
Each competency has been carefully designed by expert faculty with input from employers, with your education and future employment in mind.
Degree Completion Requirements
- 15 semester credits
View the COMPLETE CURRICULUM PLAN.
Time to completion will vary by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 844-483-7976.
Credits earned in this certificate program may be applied toward Walden’s MS in Early Childhood Studies.
| Curriculum Component | Requirements | Cost | amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | 15 semester credit hours | $635 per semester hour | $9,525 |
| Technology Fee | Per semester | $230 | $690 |
| $10,215* |
*The tuition reflects the minimum time to completion. Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 844-483-7976.
Tuition and fees are subject to change. Books and materials are not included and may cost between $400 to $600.
Walden’s Tempo Learning® programs follow a subscription-based pricing format. Students are billed a flat-rate for each 3-month subscription term. All pricing is represented in U.S. dollars and is subject to change.
| Program | Subscription Period Tuition | Subscription Period Technology Fee | Subscription Period Time Frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Administration, Management, and Leadership | $2,250 | $170 | 3-month subscription period |
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available for this program. Our financial aid advisors can help you identify funding opportunities to help you pay for your education.
FAQ About Walden’s Online Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Administration, Management, and Leadership
Yes, it certainly can be. Credits earned in the Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Administration, Management, and Leadership program can be applied toward Walden’s MS in Early Childhood Studies program.
In this online certificate program, you will obtain skills that can be put to use running child care centers or leading youth programs. You will also learn how to create an atmosphere where children from different backgrounds can all learn and succeed. Coursework includes research-based, effective practices for promoting learning throughout the stages of child development, from birth through age 8. The management principles portion of the program will teach you how to recruit, lead, and evaluate staff members; allocate resources; and more.
Choosing between the two formats depends largely on your learning preferences. If you prefer an instructor-led approach and learning on a predetermined schedule, the standard course-based format may be a good choice for you. A growing number of accredited universities offer programs in the competency-based learning format as well. Rather than enrolling in predetermined courses that require a set amount of time to complete, competency-based programs allow you to master specific skills in your field of study at a pace that works best for you. You progress once you have shown you understand a subject. You can use the learning resources provided to you by faculty, and apply knowledge acquired through work, life experiences, or prior education.