Best Online Early Childhood Education Programs of 2024

There are various Early Child Education (ECE) courses offered under different programs. The major ones are listed below:

Undergraduate Degrees and Available Courses

1. Associate Degree: Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Education Associate Degree, Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education, Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Care & Education 
2. Bachelor's Degree: Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Education Degree in Early Childhood Education

Graduate Degrees and Available Courses

1. Master's Degree: Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education
2. Doctoral Degree: Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education, Ph.D. in Early Childhood Special Education

The best online ECE programs of 2024 are listed here:

• 100% online licensure graduate certificate
• Time: 2 years
• Scholarship Available
• Requirements: Bachelor's degree, fieldwork experience

NMSU Global Campus brings affordable early childhood graduate programs. This 100% online course is perfect for someone who wants to complete their graduate study but has a hectic schedule. If you have completed your bachelor's degree, this course will help deepen your expertise in Pre-K to 3rd-grade education.

• Credit Hours: 60
• Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• Meets Education Requirements for obtaining the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential
• Scholarships Available

The fully accredited Associate Degree from the University of Cincinnati is an online degree perfect for starting your career. This high-ranked degree prepares you to provide high-quality education to all children. Moreover, each student enrolled in the course is provided with an academic advisor and a student success coordinator, ensuring your graduation on time.

• Credit Hours: 120
• Can apply for the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential
• Provides access to Ashworth College Central Network which will offer career services as you enroll in the course. 
• The curriculum may not meet educational requirements or certification in certain U.S. regions.

The Associate Degree program from Ashworth College is a four-semester program. Individuals who want to get enrolled in this program should have a high school diploma or equivalent (do not require standardized test scores). The course comes with textbooks and online lessons and the student portal dashboard for instant access to lessons and support.

• Free Online Course
• Duration: 4-5 hours 
• CDP Accredited
• Certified course perfect to Advance your carrier

The early childhood education diploma course from Alison teaches to integrate art in pre-school education. This course is for preschool teachers, childcare providers, or parents who can then educate children to express themselves by using various forms of art.

• Credit Hours: 60
• Fulfills academic requirements required for the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential
• Helpful in preparing to earn certain professional certifications.

The online Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Care and Education aims to teach about a child's growth (up to age 5) development and requirements. The program focuses on the planning and implementation of various childcare-related programs. Overall, you will gain insight into practical skills to make an impact on children's lives. 

• Credit Hours: 120
• Requirements: High School Transcripts and SAT, ACT or CLT scores
• Best course for childhood specialists, preschool teachers, childcare workers and preschool directors
• Three starting sessions are available: Fall, spring and summer

The Bachelor's degree program at NIU is designed to study a child's development. The course makes individuals familiar with early education theory and practices. This online course is challenging yet provides a high-quality experience as the on-campus early education program of FIU. 

• Credit Hours: 120
• Non-accredited course
• Transfer-approved college credits

The undergraduate program from the University of Arizona Global Campus is a 5 to 6-week course. This ECE online degree program gives concepts on different domains of child development and ideas to develop stimulating environments for children. On completion of the course, you will be familiar with ongoing research and theories and their application to the welfare of growing children.

• Non-licensure
• Credit Hours: 30-semester credits
• Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission(HLC)
• Scholarship Available

For anyone looking for a graduate program in Early childhood studies, this course allows you to impact a child's growth in a bigger way. The course can be studied either in a traditional way or a Tempo form where you can work independently. The Tempo learning does not have deadlines and you can customize study time as per your flexibility.

Early childhood is the period between birth to the age of eight. This period is characterized by rapid brain development in children. Early Childhood Education(ECE) Programs are so developed to provide proper guidance to little ones and shape the foundation for their future learning, behavior and overall development during this particular phase. 

Any individual who completes an ECE program is qualified to work in various roles in childcare fields such as preschool teachers and providers. After completion of this course you will be able to:

• Learn about different stages of children and support them accordingly.
• Learn skills to implement child-centered education practices in the classroom.
• Learn effective strategies to foster social, emotional, cognitive and physical development in children.
• Learn about child health, safety and nutrition guidelines.
• Acquire knowledge of ethical and professional standards in early childhood education and childcare.

You must have been wanting to land on early childhood education courses because of your interest in the care, development, and education of young children. However, it might feel risky to enroll in an online course without clear guidance. 

If you are new to this field and looking for a future in nurturing young children, an associate program may be a good course to start with. During the course, you will get a proper insight into everything you need for the upcoming professional life. As you enter a bachelor's degree course after the course completion, things won't be new for you.

For a bachelor's degree, you may join a traditional course that guarantees licensure. But if you are already in the early childcare profession and want to advance your academic achievements and deepen your knowledge in this particular niche, you may enroll in online bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. programs successively.

An Early Childhood Education degree works as the foundation for any sector related to the development of young children. After completion of an online Associate degree in Early Childhood Education you will be eligible to work in the following fields:

• Teaching field (Preschool Teacher)
• Children Care Centers
• Education Leaders (Directors at Private Children's Schools/Organizations)
• Policy Makers

• Public schools in the USA demand preschool teachers to have state-specific certification/license. The procedure for taking a license is attending exams(such as the Praxis Early Childhood Education test), filling out forms and completing the application. 
• Each state has its own licensure requirements. You must check the specific course requirements of the specific state you are willing to work for before rolling into any of these courses.
• The Department of Education of each state provides the certification requirements.
• The Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential is awarded to early childhood professionals by the Council of Professional Recognition. This national credentialing program is widely recognized and shows your commitment to professionalism.

Content Sources:

• The University of Arizona Global Campus
• American School of Paris
• UNICEF
• National University
• Forbes Advisor