The Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate Program is for early child care professionals who want to advance their careers — and it's available at no cost to students through UL Lafayette's Office of Continuing and Professional Education!

This course is designed to improve the lives of children and prepare teachers to develop and apply high-quality, evidence-based educational practices in their classrooms.

Program Specifics

Courses

  • 3-semester virtual course (View course descriptions)
  • 3-6 hours of homework and study time per week, at your own pace
  • CLASS Training provided (required)
  • Instructor and coaches are experts in early childhood education and development

Support

  • No cost to the participant: scholarship available through Pathways
  • Laptop computers provided for the duration of the course
  • Coaches available to work with participants one-on-one

Professional Advancement

  • Instruction alignment with the National Association for the Education and Care of Young Children, NAEYC, and the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
  • Assistance with the CDA process provided

Why complete the ECAC?

  • Easy access and convenient pathway to career advancement
  • Better outcomes for your students
  • Receive more money through tax credits
  • Increase your teaching skills and confidence
  • No cost to you

Program Registration

Registration for the Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate Program opens in June.

Sign up to be alerted when registration opens.

Course Descriptions

Course 1: Professional Foundations

This course provides an in-depth introduction to the profession of early care and education (ECE) of young children. The focus is on developmentally appropriate practices, models of programs, historical perspective, major theoretical frameworks professional ethics, current issues, advocacy trends, and the Louisiana Early Learning Development Standards.

Course 2: Mental and Physical Health and Well-Being: Infancy to Pre-K

Candidates will explore the developmental sequence of normal child development; the relationships between physical and mental health; the nature and impact of early experiences (good and adverse) on short and long-term learning and wellbeing; and, how the CLASS tools reflect teachers’ critical roles in physical, cognitive, and social/emotional development.

Course 3: Instructional Strategies and Environmental Enhancements in Early Childhood

Candidates will learn and apply a continuum of instructional strategies that reflect evidence-based best practices in early care and education for children in toddler and Pre-K programs. Strategies will support high-quality instruction defined by CLASS. All content will be usable within classrooms and tailored to meet the needs of both toddlers and Pre-K learners.