Early Childhood Education Certificate and
Advanced Certificate Programs

People take early childhood certificate courses for a variety of reasons. Most often it is career or work related to meet different job requirements as outlined in New Hampshire's Child Care Program Licensing Rules. Sometimes these courses are also of interest to parents or students in related fields. Students may choose to be matriculated or non-matriculated depending on their reasons for taking courses. While students may be non-matriculated and take early childhood courses, students can only earn the Early Childhood Certificate or Advanced Certificate if they are matriculated students (see Option 4 of the Specific Admissions Requirements). For more information, contact Department Head Gale Hall at 603-271-2305.

The courses in the Early Childhood Education Certificate program meet the training and education requirements for the State of NH credential of Associate Teacher Level 3. (Refer to the Early Childhood Professional Development System Guide for other criteria for this level.) The Early Childhood Certificate program is available days and evenings. Students working in licensed child care programs in NH may apply for tuition assistance made possible through funding from the NH DHHS, DCYF, Child Development Bureau. For more information contact Gale Hall at 603-271-2305. This program is “financial aid eligibile.”

Specific Admission Requirements

There are different requirements for taking early childhood certificate courses based on the applicant's employment and matriculation status as outlined below:

Option 1 - Employed in a licensed child care setting and non-matriculated

Applicants working with young children in a licensed child care program must submit the following:

1. Letter from employer confirming a clear or non-disqualifying criminal record and fingerprint check as required by Child Care Licensing;
2. Copy of applicant's Child Care Personnel Health Form indicating that the applicant is in good health and has no mental or emotional disturbances that would prohibit him/her from caring for children; and
3. One confidential letter of reference

Applicants not currently employed in a licensed child care program will need to access NHTI's Child and Family Development Center weekly to complete class assignments and are advised that the New Hampshire Bureau of Child Care Licensing requires certain paperwork to be on file at the child care center. Students accessing the campus child care center must complete this paperwork by the end of the first week of classes. This may include:

• submission of a criminal record check;
• a complete set of fingerprints (new law effective July 1, 2007); and
• completion of the licensing Child Care Personnel Health Form by a licensed health provider.

Additionally, applicants must complete a satisfactory interview with early childhood faculty.

Students are responsible for the costs of the criminal record check and fingerprinting. They must come back as clear or non-disqualifying and the health form must indicate that the student is in good physical health and has no mental or emotional disturbances that would prevent him/her from working with children. Otherwise the student will be dismissed from the program.

Students must demonstrate the ability to respond positively to the guidance and instruction of the center's teachers while in the classroom with children and must demonstrate safe practice. Failure to respond to the teacher's concerns can result in course failure and/or inability to take further early childhood classes. All students must be capable of safely performing their duties and undertake their responsibilities with the children, staff, and parents in a professional manner.

Option 4 - Becoming a matriculated student

While students may be non-matriculated and continue to take early childhood courses, students can only earn the Early Childhood Certificate or Advanced Certificate if they are matriculated students. To matriculate into the Early Childhood Certificate or Advanced Certificate program, applicants must do the following:

1. Complete an admission application and submit the $10 application fee;
2. Complete NHTI placement testing indicating an aptitude for EN 101; verbal abilities and writing skills are major considerations for acceptance into the Early Childhood Certificate and Advanced Certificate;
3. Complete and submit appropriate paperwork as outlined in Option 1 or 2 above; and
4. Complete a satisfactory interview with early childhood faculty.

Early Childhood Certificate and Advanced Certificate applicants who are not working at a licensed child care facility with young children will need to access NHTI's Child and Family Development Center each week to complete class assignments. Students must demonstrate the ability to respond positively to the guidance and instruction of the center's teachers while in the classroom with children and must demonstrate safe practice. Failure to respond to the teacher's concerns can result in course failure and/or probation or suspension from the early childhood program. All students must be capable of safely performing their duties and undertake their responsibilities with the children, staff, and parents in a professional manner.

Early Childhood Education Scholarship Program

The Community College System of New Hampshire partners with the NH Department of Health & Human Services to offer tuition assistance to child care providers who are entering or are currently in the field of Early Care and Education. If you provide family child care, or work at least part time in a child care setting in New Hampshire, you may be eligible to receive tuition assistance for Early Childhood Education courses offered through the CCSNH. Additional information may be accessed here.

Health Considerations

Candidates for positions and careers in early childhood education are encouraged to explore health requirements associated with employment in child care, preschool and related settings for young children. Prospective students with special needs requiring accommodations that may affect their practicum placement and/or potential employment prospects are encouraged to discuss their specific career goals with the department head during the admissions process, particularly if the candidate is concerned about meeting the program's academic and technical standards. Each student is required to obtain NHTI Liability Insurance starting each school year. The students will be billed directly.

Character Expectations

The health and safety of young children is of paramount concern to the Department of Early Childhood Education. Applicants for positions in childcare, preschools and many other early childhood programs in New Hampshire should be aware that background checks and fingerprinting through the New Hampshire Department of Safety must be completed by potential employers prior to employment. To participate in NHTI's practica, students must first submit to background checks and fingerprinting.

Applicants who have been in difficulty with the law, depending upon the nature of the problem, may not be employable or even eligible for practica. Applicants are advised that such matters will be discussed during the admissions interview, to minimize the likelihood that future goals will be compromised.

Technical Standards

Technical Standards have been established to provide guidance to students as to skills and abilities required to function successfully in the program and ultimately in the Early Childhood Education profession. Applicants who feel they may not be able to meet one or more of the technical standards should contact department faculty to discuss individual cases. The Department of Early Childhood Education will seriously consider all academically qualified candidates provided that the technical standards can be met with or without reasonable accommodations. No essential technical standards will be waived or modified.

Students in Early Childhood Education must have sufficient strength, stamina, motor coordination and sensory capabilities to perform the following:

• Standing for sustained periods of time, walking, running, bending, and sitting on the floor to meet children's needs and accomplish tasks;
• Frequent lifting, moving and transferring children, especially infants and toddlers;
• Sufficient visual and hearing acuity to ensure a safe environment; and ability to respond quickly to children, colleagues, and professional partners in the event of emergency;
• Sufficient verbal ability to express and exchange information and ideas as well as to interpret important instructions to children, colleagues, professional partners, and parents;
• Sufficient skills in written expression to accurately record children's daily progress and milestones as well as medications administered, accident and suspected child abuse/neglect reports, etc.;
• Ability to work with frequent interruptions, to respond appropriately to unexpected situations including situations requiring immediate crisis response and role responsibility exchange; to demonstrate safe and required care for children, families, colleagues and the workplace as a whole; and to cope with substantial variations in workload and stress levels;
• Ability to consistently attend and participate in classes and practica in a timely manner;
• Ability to demonstrate and maintain organizational skills and time management in classes and at the practicum site;
• Ability to respond to children's personal needs, including changing diapers, in a manner that safeguards the health and safety of the student, children, and staff;
• Ability to work in a professional and respectful manner with a diverse range of children including children of different races, cultures, religions, and ethnicities as well as children with a wide range of disabling conditions;
• Ability to abide by NHTI's student conduct code;
• Ability to maintain proper boundaries in both the school and home environments; and
• Ability and disposition to adhere to and practice the Code of Ethical Conduct set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.