Illinois Early Childhood Education

Certificate of Undergraduate Study

This certificate is designed to meet the standards for the Illinois ECE (Levels 2-5) of the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA). The ECE Credential Levels 2-5 is recognized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children's (NAEYC) teachers' criteria for NAEYC Accreditation and by ExceleRate Illinois for quality recognition among early learning providers. Upon successful completion of the required credential course work, students will be eligible to apply for the ECE Levels 2-5 from INCCRRA.

Applicants for the ECE certificate levels 2-5 must major in Child Development and must meet INCCRRA ECE credential requirements for levels 2-5. To earn the certificate, students must maintain a good academic standing in the university, achieve a minimum grade of C in each certificate course, achieve a GPA of 2.50 in all certificate courses, and complete all certificate course work within five academic years.

• High School Diploma: You must have graduated by the time you start at NIU in order to be admitted.
• Grades: You must have passing grades equivalent to a U.S. C+ average on all transcripts and/or exam scores