Program Details
Program Details

Program Details

Certificate in Early Childhood Development

Certificate
New River Community College

The Certificate in Early Childhood Development prepares students for employment in settings where the care and education of young children is the primary focus and for the associate degree in early childhood. Graduates develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to design, implement, and assess practices informed by Virginia Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals and the National Association for the Education of Young Children Professional Preparation Standards.


Program Overview & Guidance
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Program Web Page
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External Link
Delivery Mode
In-Person
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Delivery Mode
Online
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Delivery Mode
Hybrid
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Program Guidance Element What You Need to Know
Considerations for Selecting Degree The Early Childhood program at NRCC combines general education courses with specialized courses for a total of 34 credit hours to prepare students in the areas most directly applicable to working with children. To get the most benefit from the program, students should work closely with their faculty advisor in planning their curriculum including the field placement experience. Students must successfully complete a supervised field placement that includes on-the-job teaching experiences in an early childhood setting, approved by the program head. Application for field placement should be made the semester prior to placement. Students should note that early childhood programs require a criminal background report, a child abuse central registry search, and a TB test as a prerequisite to beginning the field placement experience. A program may deny participation for findings on the reports. Affiliation aggreements prevent the placement of a student who is denied field placement participation at one program into a field palcement agreement at another program. Inability to meet the field placement requirements prevents the student from satisfactorily achieving the course objectives resulting in failure of the course. Field placement for the Early Childhood Certificate must be approved by the program head. Students are required to go through an oral interview at the conclusion of the program for assessment purposes.
Considerations When Selecting Courses

Students who plan to transfer to a four-year college after completing A.A.S. degree requirements should inform their academic advisors at the beginning of studies to determine the appropriate courses to meet transfer requirements.

  • Create a schedule for all required courses, pay attention to prerequisites and when courses are offered, complete your first math and English courses in your first year
  • Connect with an advisor at your community college and New River Community College within your first year via College Connect
Program Requirements Beyond Specific Courses In addition to the requirements for general admission to the college, a personal interview with the program head is recommended.
Doing More With Your Degree
Program Successes & Highlights
Program Credit Requirements
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Please look above to see if a Transfer Guide is available for this program. lf you are a current Virginia Community College student or are planning to start at a Virginia Community College before transferring to this institution and program, please follow the Transfer Guide to plan your courses at the community college.

The table below provides the requirements to complete this program if you are not following a Transfer Guide. If you have an account and have created a Portfolio, the table includes the "Applied Credits" column. This column shows how the credits you earned based on the experiences you entered may be applied to satisfy these requirements. You can find schools where you can take courses that will transfer and apply to this degree using the Where Can I Find An Equivalent Course feature in the Transfer Tools menu.

The program map provided below is an estimate based on courses identified as a result of reviewing your portfolio and the requirements for the selected program.

A formal determination of credits awarded for your prior learning and their applicability to the degree requirements can only be made by the institution. The formal determination and resulting map may reflect higher or lower number of credits to be completed to achieve this program.
Requirements
Required Credits
Certificate in Early Childhood Development
34
Certificate in Early Child Development
34
Course AR Group 632
34
Chd 120 Requirement
3
Chd 120 Requirement
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
Chd 125 Requirement
3
Chd 125 Requirement
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
Chd 205 Requirement
3
Chd 205 Requirement
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
Chd 165 Requirement
3
Chd 165 Requirement
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
Eng 111 Requirement
3
Eng 111 Requirement
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
Hlt 135 Requirement
3
Hlt 135 Requirement
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
Psy 230 Requirement
3
Psy 230 Requiement
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
Soc 200 Requirement
3
Soc 200 Requirement
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
Early Chd Cert Ele Requirement
3
Early Chd Cert Ele Requirement
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course list:
Edu 156 Requirement
3
Edu 156 Requirement
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
SDV 100 Requirement
1
SDV 100 Requirement
1
Earn 1 credits by completing courses from the following Course list:
Chd 210 Requirement
3
Chd 210 Requirement
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
Residency RG 632 Plan
34
GPA Requirement 632 Plan
0
This requires a minimum GPA of 2
What If I Have An Associate Degree Or Credit For Prior Learning?
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Transfer Guidance Element What You Need to Know
Associate Transfer Degree Completion In determining transfer credit, course work applicable to the program at NRCC will be accepted if the courses were taken at another college or university accredited by a regional accrediting agency. Other course work taken at instutions which are appoved by the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia may be considered on an individual basis. At least 25% of the credits for a program must be earned at NRCC.
Completion of Associate Degree Concurrent with High School
Credit for Prior Learning https://catalog.nr.edu/content.php?catoid=36&navoid=2647#credit-for-prior-learning
Did You Know That...
  • Completing your Associate transfer degree post-high school satisfies all lower division general education requirements and increases the chance of completing your bachelor's degree?
  • Exceeding 3 years or 90 credits at your community college means you may have exhausted your financial aid at that college and have limited your future financial aid at: New River Community College
College Level Information
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Transfer Center
Visit our transfer site for more information
External Link
Transfer Admission Application
Transfer Students - Apply Here
External Link
Transfer Student Aid
Financial Aid for Transfer Students
External Link
College Fit Guidance What You Need to Know
Is This College Right For Me? New River Community College (NRCC) is a comprehensive community college located in the New River Valley of Virginia which includes Giles, Floyd, Montgomery, and Pulaski counties and the city of Radford. NRCC is part of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), a statewide system of community colleges. At NRCC students can prepare for the future with any of the various occupational programs or college transfer courses. With NRCC's wide selection of courses, you can explore your interests, prepare for a career, or increase your job skills. At the same time, at New River you'll find small classes and instructors who care about their students, along with a variety of services to help students, from counseling to career planning. NRCC faculty members are well known not just for their academic background, but also for their capacity to work closely and effectively with students.
Transfer Student Catalog Year Catalog year determined by first semester of attendance
First Year Student Catalog Year Catalog year determined by first semester of attendance
Applying for Guaranteed Admissions https://www.nr.edu/transfer/vccstransferagreements.php
Where Can This Degree Transfer
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This section displays degrees most closely related to this program and to which you may be able to transfer. So, you can use this list to find the next degree you can complete in your major. Please click the degree name to visit that program page.

Institution Title Degree Award Name Award Level Delivery Mode
Blue Ridge Community CollegeAssociate of Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood DevelopmentAssociateAssociate of Applied Science2-YearIn-Person, Hybrid, Online
Central Virginia Community CollegeAAS in Early Childhood DevelopmentAssociateAssociate of Applied Science2-YearIn-Person, Online
Danville Community CollegeAssociate of Applied Science in Early Childhood EducationAssociateAssociate of Applied Science2-YearIn-Person, Online, Hybrid
Eastern Shore Community CollegeEarly Childhood Education, AASAssociateAssociate in Applied Science2-YearIn-Person, Online, Hybrid
Germanna Community CollegeAssociate of Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood DevelopAssociateAssociate of Applied Science2-YearIn-Person, Hybrid
J Sargeant Reynolds Community CollegeAssociate of Applied Science in Early Childhood DevelopmentAssociateAssociate of Applied Science2-YearIn-Person, Online, Hybrid
Brightpoint Community CollegeAssociate of Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood DevelopmentAssociateAssociate of Applied Science2-YearIn-Person, Hybrid
Laurel Ridge Community CollegeAssociate of Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood DevelopmentAssociateAssociate of Applied Science2-YearIn-Person, Online, Hybrid
Northern Virginia Community CollegeEarly Childhood Development, A.A.S.AssociateAssociate of Applied Science2-YearIn-Person, Hybrid
Paul D. Camp Community CollegeAssociate of Applied Science in Early Childhood DevelopmentAssociateAssociate of Applied Science2-YearIn-Person, Online
Southwest Virginia Community College Associate of Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood DevelopAssociateAssociate of Applied Science2-YearOnline
Virginia Peninsula Community CollegeAssociate of Applied Science in Early Childhood DevelopmentAssociateAssociate of Applied Science2-YearIn-Person
Tidewater Community CollegeAssociate of Applied Science - Early Childhood DevelopmentAssociateAssociate of Applied Science2-YearIn-Person
Careers Where This Degree Applies
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O*Net Code Name Description Parent
39-9011.00Childcare WorkersAttend to children at schools, businesses, private households, and childcare institutions. Perform a variety of tasks, such as dressing, feeding, bathing, and overseeing play.Personal Care and Service Occupations
39-9011.01NanniesCare for children in private households and provide support and expertise to parents in satisfying children's physical, emotional, intellectual, and social needs. Duties may include meal planning and preparation, laundry and clothing care, organization of play activities and outings, discipline, intellectual stimulation, language activities, and transportation.Personal Care and Service Occupations
Cost To Complete
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This section provides you with a very high-level estimate of your costs and is purely intended as a guide. You should consult the institution via College Connect to get a more detailed estimate based on the totality of your circumstances. The selections below are based on information gathered from your Profile and the estimated costs are calculated based on the 34 credits remaining to be completed

Please select the "Cumulative Months of Service" that determine your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.
Estimated Cost for the Certificate in Early Childhood Development at New River Community College
These costs are based on an estimated 2 semesters or 1 years remaining to complete this degree (assuming a full-time load of 16 hours per semester)
Category Cost Basis Cost (To You) Estimated Benefits Net Cost Notes
Tuition $163 Per Credit $5,542 $0 $5,542
Fees
Facility Maintenance $1 Per Credit $34 0 $34
Student Activity $1 Per Credit $34 0 $34
*Please note that the above estimated costs do not include all Federal, State or other financial aid, grants, scholarships, etc. for which you may qualify. All such aid could substantially reduce these costs.
Other Financial Aid to Pay for College:
  • You may be eligible for additional financial aid from Federal, State, and Local sources. Military education benefits are not considered in determining eligibility for federal financial aid. Everyone is therefore encouraged to apply for federal financial aid by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), because many will qualify for additional educational funds like Pell Grants, worth over $5,500/yr.