College Offers New Degree and Certificate Programs in Early Childhood Administration
February 10, 2016
Addressing the state-wide need for enhanced education and certification, Hudson Valley Community College will offer two new Early Childhood Administration programs starting this fall.
The college will offer a one-year, 24-credit certificate program for those already working in early childhood administration as well as a two-year 63-credit associate degree for those looking to start a career in the field.
The Early Childhood Administration certificate, which will be offered completely online, is designed for individuals who have already completed an associate degree in early childhood and are pursuing the Child Program Administrator Credential (CPAC), which is offered by the New York State Association for the Education of Young Children (NYSAEYC). The certificate also is aimed at professionals working as directors, assistant directors, program administrators and family child care owners.
The two-year, 63-credit Early Childhood Administration associate degree is designed for individuals who wish to become a child care director or to open their own family child care business. Graduates of the program also are prepared to work as administrators in agencies that serves children and families. The degree also offers the credits needed for the CPAC.
"Across the state, there is a real need for more focused professional education for the administration of early childhood programs," said Dawn Kolakoski, Ed.D., department chairperson for the college's Teacher Preparation Department. "We aligned our degree and certificate with NYSAEYC so that students who successfully complete these programs can be assured of receiving a high quality education that will result in a recognized credential."
The college's Teacher Preparation Department has been serving the early childhood education needs of the region for more than three decades. The department offers associate degree programs in Early Childhood, Early Childhood Administration and Adolescent Education, as well as certificate programs in Early Childhood Administration and Teaching Assistant.
The New York State Capital Region Occupational Projections for educational administrators for preschool and child care shows "very favorable employment prospects" with a growth rate of 10.5 percent.
For more information about the new programs, contact Dawn Kolakoski at d.kolakoski@hvcc.edu or (518) 629-7250.
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Founded in 1953, Hudson Valley Community College offers more than 80 degree and certificate programs in four schools: Business; Engineering and Industrial Technologies; Health Science; and Liberal Arts and Sciences; and an Educational Opportunity Center for academic and career training. One of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system, it has an enrollment of nearly 12,000 students, and is known as a leader in distance learning initiatives and workforce training. Hudson Valley has more than 75,000 alumni.