Online and Distance Learning

What is early childhood education?  Usually this is taken to be the education of children from birth to age 8.  Online early childhood degrees prepare you for jobs in teaching and administration related to this age group.  To do this, the early childhood education curriculum track includes courses in child psychology, parenting, and early childhood instruction and learning strategies.

So what aspect of early childhood education interests you? Do you want to be a teacher or an administrator in an elementary or pre-school learning environment?  Or perhaps an early childhood education curriculum developer, or education program director?  

This page is for those wanting to know more about campus and online early childhood degrees.  It provides information on what is studied and where you can study these programs, as well as details on jobs, potential earnings, prospects and more ...

Finding online early childhood degrees and schools

Online early childhood degrees can be taken at associate, bachelor's, master's or doctoral levels. If you want to browse areas available and the schools offering the degrees, use the search form or the list of schools below.  Most of the links to schools on this page are for online degrees.  If you want an on-campus program, also check the information using the navigation links for On Campus Programs and On Campus Universities.

• Ashford University
  • AA in Early Childhood Education
  • BA in Early Childhood Education Administration
  • MA in Education - Early Childhood Education specialization

• Kaplan University Online
  • AS in Interdisciplinary Studies / Early Childhood Development

• Penn Foster College
  
  • Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education

• University of Phoenix Online
  • Associate of Arts in Elementary Education
  • MA in Education / Early Childhood Education

• Capella University
  • MS in Education - Early Childhood Education specialization

• Jones International University
  • M. Ed. in Elementary Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Teacher Licensure
  • M. Ed. in Elementary Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

• Grand Canyon University
  • B.S. in Early Childhood
  • B.S. Elementary Ed - English Emphasis (Eligible for IR / Cred)
  • B.S. Elementary Ed - Math Emphasis (Eligible for IR / Cred)
  • B.S. Elementary Ed - Science Emphasis (Eligible for IR / Cred)
  • B.S. in Elementary / Special Education (Dual Major)
  • M.Ed. Elementary Ed (Eligible for IR / Credential)
  • M.Ed. Elementary Ed (Not Eligible for IR / Non - Credential)
  • M.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction: Reading - Elementary Education (No IR, No Certification)

• Northcentral University - Graduate
  • Doctor of Education (EdD) - Early Childhood Education
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Education - Early Childhood Education

• Walden University
  • PhD in Education - Early Childhood and Primary Education

What do the degrees cover?

There are various ways and levels in which you can approach qualifying in the early childhood area, including an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education at Penn Foster College, a B.S. in Early Childhood at Grand Canyon University or an MS in Early Childhood Education at Capella University.  To be able to teach children effectively in a formal education setting, you need to take a program which includes online early childhood education courses in curriculum development, classroom management, assessment, pedagogy and classroom methodology, administrative techniques, child psychology, and educational psychology.

What jobs do the programs prepare you for?

Education is one of the largest industries and online early childhood degrees offer plenty of career options.  Most US States now require lead teachers in state-funded pre-kindergarten programs to have early childhood training.  Typically, the early childhood education online courses prepare you for work with preschool through fifth grade (K-5). 

An Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education helps toward qualifying for early childhood education work in daycare and preschools. 

Graduates with a Bachelors degree in early childhood education find careers as teachers or administrators in elementary and pre-school learning environments.

A Master of Education (MEd) in Early Childhood Education is often necessary for a position as an early childhood education administrator, curriculum developer, or education program director.  For teaching childhood education in a college or university, a masters degree early childhood education or PhD is required.

What are the earnings of graduates?

The United States Department of Labor reports an approximate annual income of about $50,000 for early childhood and elementary teachers.  Prospects are good in the sector as the government has placed an emphasis on it.  This is a good time to take an early childhood education degree online.

For more information about online early childhood degrees

You might also like to check out the elementary education online degrees.

Use this link to find online programs and schools near you.

Use the search facility on this site to find more online early childhood degrees.

Remember to compare the admission requirements and course content of several schools before you choose a program.

Campus-based early childhood degrees

For those students who feel that taking an early childhood degree in the online mode is not for them, the web site also has a section on campus programs. 

You can also search for a campus program or a school near you.