The first few years represent a critical period in a child’s life. Youngsters’ brains rapidly grow during the preschool years, reaching about 90 percent of adult size by age six, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“This growth allows children to develop functional skills related to moving their bodies, understanding the world, problem solving, communicating with others, and regulating their emotions and behavior,” the CDC reports. “Experiences during early childhood affect connections within the brain that determine a child’s functional development.” Well-trained early childhood educators can help facilitate a child’s intellectual, physical, and emotional development.
“Children enrolled in at least one year of pre-primary education are more likely to develop the critical skills they need to succeed in school and less likely to repeat grades or drop out,” according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). “As adults, they contribute to peaceful societies and prosperous economies. Evidence of the ways in which pre-primary education advances development exists around the world.”
Earning a Child Development Associate (CDA®) credential from American University’s School of Education is a great way to prepare yourself as an early childhood educator to help kids reach their full potential. You can earn a CDA® online and at your own pace, allowing you to enhance your skills and knowledge—and improve your job prospects, as preschools and daycare centers across the country recognize this credential. AU’s program promotes broad-minded cultural values such as critical literacy, social justice, and antiracism through culturally responsive and sustaining teaching methods. Enrollment is open, with admission to AU not required.
Become an Early Childhood Educator
Get Certified to Work in a Childcare Setting
Pursuing the CDA® Program at American University
It takes less than a year to complete a CDA® at AU, and the 135-hour course of study can set the stage for years of rewarding work with children. Let’s examine some of the program’s highlights.
Earn a CDA® at Your Own Speed in Your Own Space
Earning a Child Development Associate (CDA®) credential from American University’s School of Education is a great way to prepare yourself as an early childhood educator to help kids reach their full potential. AU’s program promotes broad-minded cultural values such as critical literacy, social justice, and antiracism through culturally responsive and sustaining teaching methods. Enrollment is open, with admission to AU not required.
You can earn a CDA® online and at your own pace in as few as four months, allowing you to enhance your skills and knowledge—and improve your job prospects, as preschools and daycare centers across the country recognize this credential.
Students who earn the credential meet the 120-hour educational component required by the Council for Professional Recognition for the Preschool, Infant-Toddler, and Family Child Care CDA® credential. The classes are:
- Culturally Responsive Learning in Early Childhood Education
- Health, Safety, and Nutrition in the Early Years
- Child Development and Learning
- Program Management in ECE
- Professionalism and Community Building
Two of these classes fulfill the commitment to professionalism and understanding child development educational components for the Home Visitor CDA® credential: Child Development and Learning and Professionalism and Community Building.
Registration and Cost
AU’s CDA® program welcomes everyone via open enrollment—admission to the school is not required. All you need to do is complete a registration form. The program costs $2,340, with scholarships available (contact us for more information). AU reviews admissions on a rolling basis, meaning there’s no application deadline.
Hands-on Opportunity for DC-Area Residents
While many students earn their CDA® credential as distance learners, those living close to AU’s campus in Washington, DC, have an additional opportunity. The program partners with Martha’s Table, a non-profit organization, to send student volunteers to work and gain experience with preschoolers or infants and toddlers in one of their high-quality education programs, in fulfillment of work experience hours.
The CDA® Can Be a Stepping Stone to a College Degree
If earning an online CDA® credential from AU sparks your interest in pursuing a degree, you’re in luck. Students who complete the program can apply credits to associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs. They can transfer the equivalent of up to six credits to Trinity Washington University’s Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education. From there, they can transfer credits to American University’s Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education or Trinity Washington University’s Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education.
Start Changing Children’s Lives by Changing Your Own
Young children need appropriate and nurturing guidance from skilled professionals. The training you’ll receive through AU’s online CDA® program will equip you to help children develop critical social-emotional and life skills that enable them to become successful, conscientious adults.
Want more information? An AU enrollment advisor is ready to answer your questions and guide you through the registration process. Start on your path to earning your CDA® by contacting us by phone or email now.