Earn an academic certificate to build your capacity to support programs, policies, education, and the well-being of young children and their families.
The Early Childhood Education and Family Studies (ECEFS) Academic Certificate prepares students for work in roles across the early childhood education sector — early childhood teachers, preschool directors, curriculum developers, tech entrepreneurs, foundation program officers, policy analysts, counselors, and advocates. With a combination of academic preparation and field-based learning, students who earn the certificate will make purposeful contributions to transforming the field of early childhood education.
Program Details
-
Fall Entry Term
-
4 Courses
-
On Campus Modality
Overview
The ECEFS Academic Certificate prepares students to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals dedicated to shaping the foundational years of child development. Through a focused curriculum and hands-on field experience, students gain the knowledge and tools needed to drive meaningful change in education, policy, and advocacy.
The certificate consists of four courses, including a required proseminar. Many Penn GSE programs will have a Planned Program of Study that aligns with the certificate, allowing students to integrate it into their degree pathways in flexible ways.
The required course of study provides students with advanced, research-driven knowledge of early childhood development and its application to science-based innovation in policy and practice. Students will engage with interdisciplinary frameworks that supports collaboration and culture, enabling them to initiate and sustain projects across a range of constituencies. Additionally, students will participate in field-based learning experiences at early childhood education sites aligned with their professional interests, ensuring they gain practical insight into translating theory into meaningful, real-world impact.
Core competencies include:
- Demonstrable knowledge of the range of issues influencing early childhood learning and development, spanning education, health, and child welfare.
- Ability to analyze the intersections of research, practice, and policy.
- Understanding the field's severity of the problems and opportunities for positive change.
Scholarship OpportunityThe ECEFS Academic Certificate has a scholarship opportunities for eligible Master's students who have an interest in and are committed to early childhood development and/or education. Learn more about the Suzanne McGraw Scholar. |
The ECEFS Academic Certificate is designed to align with the full-time program of study for the following programs:
Do you have questions about the coursework?
We're happy to help! Contact the program leadership below:
- Program Manager: Ardath Weiss, ardath@upenn.edu
- Program Director: Sharon Wolf, Ph.D
Curriculum
The ECEFS Academic Certificate program consists of four courses: a required proseminar and three additional courses. Many Penn GSE programs offer a Planned Program of Study aligned with the ECEFS Academic Certificate program, allowing students to integrate the program into their curriculum in various ways.
Course offerings may change from year to year depending on faculty availability. Please search Path@Penn by term and course number to see what is offered each semester. Learn more about each course in the University Catalog.
| Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|
| EDUC 6580 | Pro Seminar: Special Topics in Early Childhood, Families, and Equity (required course) |
| EDUC 5252 | Language Diversity and Education |
| EDUC 5333 | Forming and Reforming the Elementary Reading/Writing/Literacy Curriculum |
| EDUC 5335 | Literature for Children and Adolescents |
| EDUC 5414 | Economics of Education in Developing Countries |
| EDUC 5430 | Migration, Displacement, & Education |
| EDUC 5480 | Education & International Development |
| EDUC 5560 | Human Development |
| EDUC 5562 | Personality and Social Development (Cannot be taken concurrently with EDUC 6510) |
| EDUC 5568 | Cognitive Development |
| EDUC 5162 | Artificial Intelligence for Children and Youth: Learning, Creating, and Understanding |
| EDUC 5912 | Math Tutoring in Urban Elementary Schools |
| EDUC 6101 | Curriculum Development and Enactment |
| EDUC 6139 | Design of Learning Environments |
| EDUC 6323 | Multicultural Issues in Education |
| EDUC 6333 | Multicultural Children's Literature |
| EDUC 6345 | Issues in Education and Health: Disparities and Prevention in Schools and Communities |
| EDUC 6362 | Picture Books and the Practice of Literacy |
| EDUC 6510 | Cultural Perspectives on Human Development (Cannot be taken concurrently with EDUC 5562) |
| EDUC 6720 | Methods of Economic Evaluation in Education |
| EDUC 6725 | Politics of Policymaking in K-12 Education (Education Policy students only) |
| EDUC 6736 | Education Finance Policy |
| EDUC 6739 | Applied Policy Analysis (Education Policy students only) |
| EDUC 7531 | Risk, Resilience, and Prevention Science |
| EDUC 7539 | Poverty and Child Development |
| EDUC 9999 | Independent Study (An independent study can be completed under the supervision of the certificate director, Dr. Sharon Wolf) |
There will be a Planned Program of Study aligned with the ECEFS Certificate for many of the programs, and students will be able to integrate the Academic Certificate into their program of study in different ways. Student advising support will be provided through your program and the certificate program.
