Graduate Certificate in Inclusive Early Childhood Education (Licensure & Endorsement)

This graduate program in Early Childhood Special Education qualifies students to earn a Colorado Department of Education teaching license/endorsement in Early Childhood Education (birth-8) and Early Childhood Special Education (birth-8 Special Education).

The coursework in this certificate may be applied towards a Master's degree in Special Education. Students who complete the Master's degree in addition to the certificate will qualify for the Early Childhood Special Education Specialist endorsement from the Colorado Department of Education. 

The Inclusive Early Childhood Education graduate certificate program educates the head, heart, and hands of future inclusive early childhood educators through a three-fold focus on essential foundational knowledge, relationship-driven dispositions, and evidence-based inclusive practices and tools.

The curriculum integrates content in:

• Culturally responsive practice
• Strategies for inclusion
• Trauma-sensitive care
• Learning through play and developmentally appropriate practices

Effective distance education and supervision methods, including intensive field residencies, deeply engage students in a rich, meaningful curriculum and interactive learning experiences. 

The Inclusive Early Childhood Education Graduate Certificate Program requires 27 credit hours (8 courses).

Graduate-level IECE teacher candidates are required to take the following Praxis exams or submit for the corresponding MMCC by May 1 prior to their student teaching semester.

• 5024: Education of Young Children
• 5692: Special Education: Preschool/Early Childhood

Graduate-level IECE teacher candidates are also required to take the following Praxis exam prior to their student teaching semester. Note: MMCC are not accepted for reading.

• 5205: Teaching Reading: Elementary

Candidates who have not passed these exams or secured approval for MMCC before their student teaching semester will have a formal conference with their Faculty Director and document a plan to meet content competency requirements.

For additional details on the admission process, please visit the Admission Details page.

If you have questions about the program before or during the Admissions process or would like more information, call (719) 255-4996 or email education@uccs.edu. 

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