The early childhood education program (ECED) at Ivy Tech embraces the idea that learning is more meaningful when engaging in classroom activities. Students explore concepts supported by best practices and theories in ECED through the creation of hands-on learning experiences and curriculum that meet the needs of infants, toddlers, and young children. The early childhood education program focuses on childhood development and growth as well as adult-child relationships. It emphasizes appropriate environments and care for children as well as the physical, emotional, social, and cognitive areas of early childhood development.
From on-campus labs to community learning opportunities, the early childhood education program gives students a chance to practice and take a closer look at their emerging skills. Students take their skills to real early childhood education settings, earning real world experiences with children, community members, and current educators. This program includes various service-learning experiences, providing students with a sense of community.
Career Options
Graduates from the Early Childhood Education program have the opportunity to make the most of their degree, impacting the lives of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, or students in K-3 classrooms. With a degree or certificate from this program, students can apply what they have learned to more jobs than people would realize. From teaching in a classroom to working as a full-time nanny, employment is in demand for this industry
Examples of jobs you can get once completing the Early Childhood Education program include:
Assistant Teacher
Child Care Director
Child Care Provider
Early Childhood Educator II
Early Head Start Teacher
Family Child Care Home Provider
Head Start Teacher
Home Childcare Owner
Infant Toddler Teacher
Nanny
Para-Educator for P-3
Preschool Director
Preschool Teacher
Substitute Teacher
Teacher
Transfer as a Junior
Graduates of the Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education also have the foundation needed to transfer to earn a bachelor's degree if desired.
Degree Types Offered
Credential Type
Associate Degree – Career-Ready Degree
Associate Degree – Transferable Degree
Long-Term Certificate
– known as a Technical Certificate (TC)
Short-Term Certificates
– known as Certificates (CT)
You want to graduate and enter a high-demand field right away
You enjoy working with young children and making an impact on their lives
You would like to pursue a bachelor's degree after Ivy Tech
You already have your Child Development Associate (CDA) credential and want to take your education to the next level
You are looking for a certificate to obtain on your way to an associate's degree
You want to take the first step to your career in early childhood education
You are currently working in early childhood education and looking for a promotion
You want to have a certificate that meets various licensure requirements
You already have an associate degree in early childhood education or a bachelor's degree in any field and are looking for a leadership role with administrative duties
You are new to the field and looking to get started working in early childhood education or are looking to get started on our stackable early childhood credentials
You who have credit for ECED 101 Health Safety Nutrition but want to skill up in supportive interactions with children and classroom behavior guidance strategies
You are wanting to obtain a national credential for Home Visiting early childhood programs. If you are interested in going into the family's home weekly, exploring their child's growth and development and helping parents explore how their relationship supports their child's development then you might be interested in being a home visitor.
You already have an associate degree in early childhood education or a bachelor's degree in any field and are looking for a leadership role with administrative duties
You are new to the field and looking to get started working in early childhood education or are looking to get started on our stackable early childhood credentials
You who have credit for ECED 101 Health Safety Nutrition but want to skill up in supportive interactions with children and classroom behavior guidance strategies
You are wanting to obtain a national credential for Home Visiting early childhood programs. If you are interested in going into the family's home weekly, exploring their child's growth and development and helping parents explore how their relationship supports their child's development then you might be interested in being a home visitor.
Children deserve to have highly competent early childhood educators teaching them from infancy to preschool. With an Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education, you can become a specialist in providing education to the youngest of learners. This career-ready program sets you up for success in the classroom the moment you graduate.
With this degree, graduates may be eligible to transfer their credits to a bachelor's degree program. For more information, reach out to an advisor.
Time to Complete
An Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education degree can be achieved in 4 semesters or about two years.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to the AAS degree in Early Childhood Education is to complete one of the two certificates (CT) or the technical certificate (TC) offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level education careers existing in the local industry.
Children deserve to have highly competent early childhood educators teaching them from infancy to preschool. With an Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education, you can become a specialist in providing education to the youngest of learners. This transferrable degree program sets you up for earning your bachelor's degree.
Graduates of the Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education can choose to transfer to a four-year college or university where they can earn a bachelor’s degree. Ivy Tech has two convenient programs to make transferring as simple as possible, and by starting your first two years of education at Ivy Tech, you can save upward of $10,000. See below for details, and talk to our transfer advocates for information about continuing your education after completing your AS degree at Ivy Tech.
Guaranteed Admissions – Ivy Tech has agreements with four universities that allow graduates of the associate degree program to automatically get into their bachelor's program. Learn how it works
Transfer As a Junior (TSAP) – This associate degree is designated as a TSAP program (which stands for “Transfer Single Articulation Pathway”). This partnership with 17 four-year university enables students to transfer to Indiana public four-year institutions with automatic junior status. You must apply unlike Guaranteed Admissions, but there are additional university options for this program. Learn more about TSAP
Time to Complete
An Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education degree can be achieved in 4 semesters or about two years.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to the AS degree in Early Childhood Education is to complete the technical certificate (TC) offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificate is designed to provide gateways toward entry-level education careers existing in the local industry.
Long-Term Certificate
known as a Technical Certificate (TC)
The Technical Certificate (TC) in Early Childhood Education is the foundation for an associate's degree in this field. With this TC, you can increase your skills as an early childhood educator to provide developmentally appropriate education to our youngest learners. Go beyond the CDA by taking the next steps to further your educational journey.
Short-Term Certificates
known as Certificates (CT)
The Certificate (CT) in Child Development Associate (CDA) Process is the best first step to enter the field of early childhood education. You can use this CT to meet Indiana state licensure requirements and Paths to Quality requirements for teachers in licensed early childhood education programs. This CT can also be used to help you get promoted in your current early childhood education position.
The Certificate (CT) in Early Childhood Administration is designed to build upon a student's previous higher education to strengthen their leadership and management skills.
If you are interested in starting your own early childhood education program or taking on an administrative role at your employer, this certificate is a perfect first step.
Students pursuing the Early Childhood Administration CT must previously have earned an associate degree in Early Childhood Education or a bachelor’s degree in any field.
Time to Complete
A CT in Early Childhood Administration can be achieved in 2 semesters, or about one year.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 21 credit hours.
The Certificate (CT) in Early Childhood Classroom Support is a good first step for students who are new to the field and looking to get started working in early childhood education or are looking to get started on our stackable early childhood credentials. Students who already have credit for ECED 101 Health Safety Nutrition but want to skill up in supportive interactions with children and classroom behavior guidance strategies may want to take our brand new (offered starting Fall 2023) ECED 104 Supportive Interactions and Behavior Guidance course and earn the CT!
Leads to applying for the Child Development Associate - CDA - credential for Home Visitors through the Council for Professional Recognition in Washington D.C. for employment as an Early Childhood Home Visitor.
This is a certification process certificate. To enroll, student must be currently working with children ages 0-5 years as a Home Visitor and must have completed 480 hours of work experience as a Home Visitor before enrolling in the ECED 105 course. See program chair for further requirements.
Education – Early Childhood is offered at 24 Ivy Tech locations in Indiana. Each location offers a unique combination of certificate and degree options:
Are you comfortable working in an environment where you are in charge of a large group of young children?
Do you want to start an in-demand job?
Does This Sound Like You?
If you thought "yes" to any of the questions above, a career in early childhood education may be just what you are looking for! Take the next step to get started or speak with your local advisor to learn more.
Prerequisite Courses for Early Childhood Education
Students coming to Ivy Tech with their high school diploma or equivalent can start straight into the degree program without completing any prerequisite courses as long as they are considered college ready by the knowledge assessment.
No Expiration of Credits
There is no expiration date for course credits that were earned in previous years from Ivy Tech Community College.
Transfer Credit for Prerequisite Courses
Prerequisite courses completed at colleges other than Ivy Tech will only be considered for general education selection points if transfer credit has been awarded and courses appear on the Ivy Tech transcript prior to the application deadline.
TR grades are not recognized by the online application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that transfer credit has been awarded and that TR grades are updated to transfer letter grades (TA, TB, TC) on their Ivy Tech transcript.
It is recommended that college transcripts be submitted to the Registrar’s office for evaluation and transfer credit at least 4 weeks prior to the program application deadline to ensure adequate time for processing.
Early Childhood Education Courses
Descriptions of courses can be found in our online course catalog. View required classes and course descriptions for:
See when specific classes will be offered by searching our class list in Schedule Builder. First, select the semester you’re looking for and then enter the name of the class in the search bar.
If you’re a current student, upcoming classes are easy to find in Schedule Builder in MyIvy.
Class Formats
While many courses are offered both online and on-campus, hands-on educational experiences require in-person instruction.
Big Dreams? Go for Honors
If you're motivated and want a more robust, personalized academic experience, consider enhancing your associate degree in Early Childhood Education by pursuing an Honors pathway. Honors courses are fully virtual with opportunities to meet and network with honors students and faculty across the state. The coursework is designed to support a student’s spirit of inquiry and intellectual growth, as well as foster multicultural awareness and leadership. View eligibility requirements
Graduating with an Early Childhood Education degree with an Honors pathway can help you stand out as a high-achieving college student, boost your resume, and help you land an acceptance letter to a top four-year college or university.
The Ivy Tech application is free and easy—you don’t need a certain test score, GPA, or class rank to get started at Ivy Tech. Applying takes about 10-15 minutes and can be completed entirely online.
No Application Deadlines
Ivy Tech does not have a deadline for admission. Our 8-week class sessions start throughout the year—in January, March, June, August, and October—and there is no hard deadline for applying for any of the start dates. It's important, though, to apply early enough that you'll be able to complete all the degree planning, financial aid, and registration activities that need to happen before your first day. We recommend you apply about one month before you intend to start classes. See upcoming start dates
Steps to Apply
(1) Apply to Ivy Tech
If you’ve never applied to Ivy Tech Community College before (or if it’s been two years since you last attended classes here), your first step is to apply to Ivy Tech. You can apply online or in person. To apply in person, reach out toyour local admissions team and arrange a meeting. Or, stop by any campus on any Tuesday for Tuesdays@TheTech to receive personal assistance with applying and registering for classes.
After you submit your application, you'll be asked to upload documentation—such as SAT/ACT/PSAT scores or high school and college transcripts—that can assess your readiness for college-level coursework and help us make sure you are taking classes that are the right fit for you. How to upload assessment documents
If you don't have your scores or transcripts at your fingertips, don’t worry. Go ahead and submit your application. You can go back to upload assessment documents at any time until the end of the term for which you applied.
(3) Look for a Confirmation Email
Once your application is processed, you will receive a confirmation email at the email address provided on your application. Typically the email will arrive within 1-2 business days of submission, but during peak processing periods (April-June) could take up to 5-10 business days.
The email will contain instructions on how to register for classes, as well as important information regarding your Ivy Tech student portal (MyIvy account), tuition, payment options, and more.
(4) Create an Account in MyIvy
MyIvy is Ivy Tech's online student portal. Students use MyIvy to check e-mail, register for classes, pay tuition, manage financial aid, get the latest news and announcements, and much more. MyIvy also contains "QuickLinks" to the Ivy Tech websites and online tools you will use most often. Learn more about MyIvy
Before you can register for classes you will need to submit documentation or complete an assessment test. Your test scores can help us determine the best English and math starting classes for you. See the Test Score Course Placement Chart
If you submitted assessment documentation during the application process, your advisor will likely be able to work with those documents to determine course placement and you won't need to take any further steps. If you don't have any of those documents or the scores don't meet minimum thresholds, don’t worry! Your advisor will direct you to complete our freeKnowledge Assessment to help develop your customized learning path to better prepare you for courses.
(6) Register for Classes
Once you have completed the steps above, you may register for classes. Ivy Tech students register for courses using the Schedule Builder tool which can be accessed withinMyIvy. If you are a new, first-time Ivy Tech student, we recommend that you meet withyour advisor who will help you develop your Academic Completion Plan and help you sign up for courses that are the best fit for you.
For a complete list of registration steps, including detailed registration steps, deadlines, and information about holds, withdrawals, waitlists, and refunds, visit our Registration 101 page.
(7) Pay Your Tuition
After registering for your courses, your bill can be viewed in yourMyIvy account > Student Dashboard- > View/Pay Balance. Payments can also be made in your MyIvy account. For complete information about payments, including payment options, payment plans, how to make immediate payments, due dates, information about refunds, and more, visit our Payments page.
Ivy Tech is proud to have many of our AS and AAS programs accredited.
The AS in Early Childhood Education and the AAS in Early Childhood Education at Ivy Tech Community College Anderson and Muncie are accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.The current accreditation term runs from July 2022 through July 2029.
South Bend/Elkhart
The AS in Early Childhood Education and the AAS in Early Childhood Education at Ivy Tech Community College South Bend/Elkhart are accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
The current accreditation term runs from March 2018 through March 2025.
Lafayette
The AS in Early Childhood Education and the AAS in Early Childhood Education at Ivy Tech Community College Lafayette are accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
The current accreditation term runs from July 2022 through July 2029.
Lake County
The AS in Early Childhood Education and the AAS in Early Childhood Education at Ivy Tech Community College Lake County are accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
The current accreditation term runs from July 2021 through July 2028.
Evansville
The AS in Early Childhood Education and the AAS in Early Childhood Education at Ivy Tech Community College Evansville are accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
The current accreditation term runs from July 2022 through July 2029.
Terre Haute
The AAS in Early Childhood Education at Ivy Tech Community College Terre Haute is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
The current accreditation term runs from July 2018 through July 2025.
Sellersburg
The AS in Early Childhood Education and the AAS in Early Childhood Education at Ivy Tech Community College Sellersburg are accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
The current accreditation term runs from June 2020 through July 2027.
Bloomington
The AAS in Early Childhood Education at Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
The current accreditation term runs from July 2022 through July 2029.
Indianapolis
The AS in Early Childhood Education and the AAS in Early Childhood Education at Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis are accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The accreditation term runs from July 2017 through July 2024.
Fort Wayne
The AS in Early Childhood Education and the AAS in Early Childhood Education at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana Fort Wayne campus are accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The accreditation term runs from July 2022 through July 2029.
Kokomo and Logansport
The AS in Early Childhood Education and the AAS in Early Childhood Education at Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo are accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
The current accreditation term runs from July 2022 through July 2029.
Columbus
The AS in Early Childhood Education and the AAS in Early Childhood Education at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana-Columbus campus are accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, www.naeyc.org.The accreditation term runs from July 2017 through July 2024.
Amanda M. Purcell, M.Ed. Associate Professor & Program Chair of Education, Liberal Arts, General Studies, & Student Success Acting Dean, School of Arts, Sciences, & Education (812) 537-4010 ext. 5235 apurcell15@ivytech.edu
“I am a wife, mother to four children, and work full time, and my only regret with going back to college is that I waited so long. I did not think I could handle it with my busy schedule. However, Ivy Tech has been the best choice I have made. With a wonderful academic advisor and instructors and online classes and Learn Anywhere classes available, I have been able to juggle and be very successful with returning to school, working, and having a family. If I can do it, so can YOU!”
–Kimberly B. | Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education
“After obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism, returning to college five years later, to pursue a degree in ECED seemed overwhelming. However, I immediately realized that I was making the right decision. I am so thankful for the ECED program. My advisors and professors have all been so knowledgeable, self-less and helpful. They motivated me to keep pushing through every semester while working-full-time, maintaining a family, a pregnancy and a new baby.
I am proud to say that I have been on the Dean's List every semester during my time at Ivy Tech. I feel prepared and excited to be an educator that can provide a safe environment for my students, fostering an atmosphere of love, growth and success while building healthy and supportive relationships with each student and their families.”
–Sierra H. | Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education
Find Local Admissions Contact Info
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Call 1-888-489-5463 and we'll get you started.
If you’re not yet an Ivy Tech student, contact us at 1-888-489-5463 and we’ll be happy to help.
Current Students
Contact your academic advisor, who can answer any questions you have about the Education – Early Childhood program and your certificate and degree options.
Find Local Advising Contact Info
Don't see a nearby location?
Call 1-888-489-5463 and we'll get you started.
Madison Advising Center
590 Ivy Tech Drive
Madison, IN 47250
Fax 812-265-4028
Zoom Video Calls Available by appointment only. Call 812-256-2580, ext. 4502 to make an appointment.
Advising Team Tricia Miracle 812-265-2580 ext. 4137 tmiracle2@ivytech.edu Text during business hours 812-510-3844 Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours: Wednesdays 9:00am-1:00pm & Thursdays 2:00pm-5:30pm Zoom Link
Lisa Kelley 812-265-2580 ext. 4163 lkelley3@ivytech.edu Text during business hours 502-414-1597 Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours: Tuesdays 1:30pm-5:00pm & Thursdays 8:30am-12:00pm Zoom Link
1 Source: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage estimates: Indiana.(2023). Lightcast™, lightcast.io. Occupational Overview for Indiana, 2023-2024
2 Associate degree cost is determined by tuition for an in-state, full-time student. Certificate and technical certificate costs are determined by tuition for an in-state, part-time student. Additional fees may be applied. Visit the Tuition & Fees page to learn more.
NAEYC standards focus on providing high-quality educational and developmental experiences for children, birth through 8 years old.
