Early Childhood Special Education ,Certificate
Disability, Early Childhood, Early Intervention, Kindergarten, Pre-K, Preschool, Special Education, children, youth
Earn your teaching credential and make a profound difference in the lives of young children who have diverse learning abilities and needs.
The certificate program in early childhood special education prepares students to work with young children, birth through age 8 or grade 3, who have a disability or are at risk of developing one.
Students develop foundational knowledge of child development, including child development theories and best practices. They learn how to:
- assess, monitor and report the progress of young children
- build effective practices for engaging families
- create enriched, inclusive learning environments
- design coherent instruction
- plan and facilitate learning
This certificate program allows students to be eligible for dual teaching certificates upon completion of an undergraduate Bachelor of Arts in Education degree. This certificate can be added only to the BAE in early childhood education
Students who add this certificate to the early childhood education bachelor's degree are eligible to earn an institutional recommendation from ASU for Arizona teacher certification in Early Childhood Special Education, birth through grade 3, from the Arizona Department of Education. To teach in an Arizona public school, graduates must pass the appropriate Arizona educator exams: National Evaluation Series or Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments.
Format option
This program is also offered via ASU Sync. ASU Sync enables students to attend live classes remotely via Zoom. Classes are designed to foster active collaboration and discussion in real time with faculty and peers. ASU Sync students must reside in Arizona throughout the duration of the program. Students on F-1 or J-1 immigration status are not permitted to complete courses via Sync and should speak with an advisor about other options to complete this program.
Students seeking to use GI Bill® benefits for ASU Sync programs should contact the Pat Tillman Veterans Center regarding certain limitations.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
- College/school:
Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation
- Location: Tempe, ASU Sync
2026-2027 Catalog Year
| Requirement | Minimum Grade | Credit Hours |
|---|
| Requirement | Minimum Grade | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
|
This certificate requires 18 credit hours. |
||
| Required Courses | ||
|
ECD 321 Foundations in Language, Literacy and Culture in Early Childhood
(SOBE)
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
ECS 310 Foundations in Typical / Atypical Child Development
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
ECS 312 Social and Emotional Development of the Young Child
(SOBE)
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
ECS 411 Instructional Methodologies for Young Children: STEM
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
ECS 420 Evaluation and Intervention Strategies for Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers with Disabilities
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
ECS 430 Systems, Policy, and Advocacy in Early Childhood/Special Education
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this certificate.
|
Students must already be enrolled in the BAE program in early childhood education in order to add this certificate.
Students are required to have a valid Arizona DPS Identity Verified Prints fingerprint clearance card.
A GPA of 2.00 is required for continued good standing. Students should contact the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation for more information.
A student pursuing an undergraduate certificate must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at ASU. Undergraduate certificates are not awarded before completion of an undergraduate degree. A student who already holds an undergraduate degree may pursue an undergraduate certificate as a nondegree-seeking graduate student but may not be eligible for an institutional recommendation for Arizona teaching licensure without additional preparation beyond the certificate.
There is a strong demand for both early childhood educators and special educators in Arizona and nationwide. Earning a credential that prepares graduates for both early childhood and special education can lead to many opportunities. Many graduates with early childhood education credentials hold leadership positions in Head Start, private nonprofit and private for-profit center-based programs, and public school early childhood environments.
ASU programs that may lead to professional licensure or certification are intended to prepare students for potential licensure or certification in Arizona. Completion of an ASU program may not meet educational requirements for licensure or certification in another state. For more information, students should visit the ASU professional licensure webpage.
In addition to completing this certificate and a teacher certification program major, students are required to earn a passing score on the professional knowledge portion of the AEPA/NES exam and a passing score on the subject knowledge portion of the AEPA/NES exam in each area an Arizona teaching credential is sought. Subject knowledge exam waiver may apply. Students should contact MLFC for more information.
Division for Advancing Educator Preparation
|
ED 102
ASUeducation@asu.edu
480-965-9995
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
