How Long Does an Early Childhood Education Program Last

Imagine being greeted every morning with bright, cheery faces with huge grins; boundless energy; color and creativity radiating from the walls and a space designed to appeal to all the senses. Welcome to the world of an Early Childhood Education teacher. The teaching that Early Childhood Educators provide is some of the most important learning that young children will ever engage in, as it lays the foundation for the rest of their academic careers.

Early Childhood Education teachers help children develop a love of learning that will last a lifetime. But for ECE teachers themselves, the training they need to be certified to teach young children doesn’t require a lifetime of classes or enormous tuition costs. If you’re thinking of becoming an Early Childhood Education teacher, achieving your goal might be easier than you think.

How long should a typical Early Childhood Education program take to complete?

At many schools, students who have successfully completed high school or received their GED may earn their Associate Degree in two short years. Through carefully designed hands-on training, these schools can thoroughly equip early childhood education students with the tools they need to successfully run, educate, encourage, and inspire young children in a variety of settings (in accordance with state and federal regulations, of course!).

The school you choose to attend will determine the structure of your courses and when they are offered. For students enrolled at Athena Career Academy, for example, an Associate degree in Early Childhood Education specifically requires 92 Quarter Credit Hours for completion. There are convenient day or evening courses available to accommodate busy work and/or family schedules, too. You’ll graduate feeling confident that the teaching standards you’ve learned were demonstrated firsthand by your teachers and are in line with NAEYC (National Association of the Education of Young Children) and the state of Ohio’s Early Learning and Developmental teaching standards.

But in reality, your Early Childhood Education training never really stops simply because you’ve earned your early childhood education degree. Educational standards are constantly changing; student needs broaden in scope, and teaching methods are always evolving. That’s why it’s important to get your training from a school that wants to help you keep learning, even after you’ve received that diploma.

At Athena Career Academy, for example, ECE students are automatically networked with a variety of Early Childhood Education clubs, associations or affiliations on local, state and national levels. These connections can help students like you always stay at the forefront of what’s happening in the world of early childhood education.

How long does the enrollment process take if I’m interested in an Early Childhood Education degree?

Although the enrollment process may vary in length, it’s safe to say that most schools have similar ECE admission requirements before you can begin taking classes. There’s usually an online application that must be filled out first. After that, there may be a series of informational meetings that you’ll need to attend. These meetings will help you get more familiar with the early childhood education program available and whether such programs are right for you. And of course, you’d need to supply the school with the necessary forms of identification and your high school or GED transcripts. (Speaking with a school representative can help you narrow down the length of this process.)

Are you interested in pursuing an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education? With an Accredited Associates Degree in Applied Science from Athena Career Academy, you can be on your way to changing the educational future of America’s young children. Contact Athena Career Academy today to learn how to get started.