Program Overview
The Early Childhood Education Program at Naugatuck Valley Community College is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, www.naeyc.org. The accreditation term runs from March 2019 through March 2026.
Enter the job market, gain credentials for career advancement, or get on a path to transfer to a four-year teacher certification program.
If you’ve ever enjoyed working with young children, why not consider it as a career choice? If you’re already working with children, why not further your education in the field? Whether you enjoy working with infants or toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners or children in grades 1-3, our program may be just the place for you.
Our faculty have decades of experience working with young children, and can offer you not only theory, but real, practical classroom applications. You will also have the opportunity to observe, participate and student teach with young children at the college’s Child Development Center Laboratory School, a nationally accredited center that serves children ages 18 months to 5 years of age, using the most current teaching techniques and curriculum.
To be formally admitted into the program, students must receive a grade of C- or better in each ECE course and meet the state requirements for background checks before working with young children.
Academic & Transfer
This program is eligible for Transfer to an ECE Teacher Certification Program at CT State Universities, to UConn's Human Development and Family Sciences Programs Program and to Charter Oak College's Child Studies Program. Talk to your advisor.
Career Paths
Our programs and certificates will prepare you to immediately enter the job market, credential you to advance in your career or put you on the path to transfer to a four-year teacher certification program. Whichever career path you choose, our Early Childhood Education program can give you a great start.
- Lead Teacher or Assistant Teacher in a Birth-5 Early Childhood Program
- State of CT Certified Teacher, Pre-K-Grade 3
- Career Options such as Connecticut Birth-to-Three Providers and State of Connecticut Child Care Center Licensing Specialists and Public School Paraprofessionals
"The Early Childhood Education program at NVCC paved the way to my career, getting a job right after graduating. The hands-on experience not only taught me how to prepare to be an excellent educator in a Reggio Emilia-inspired environment, it provided guidance to be a more educated parent, communicator, and leader. The professors and professional staff of the laboratory school shaped my confidence to succeed in any situation I may face. The bonus of it all is that it was affordable and responsive to the needs of the students in every way. "
Shakeya Rivera
