PhD in Dentistry at West Virginia University

Undergraduate Certificate in Infant/Toddler Education

Certificate Code - CU06

The Infant/Toddler Certificate is a specialized curriculum designed for child care teachers and providers, Head Start teachers and WVU students who want to obtain this specific body of knowledge and who need specific written recognition for their ability to work with young children birth through three years of age. The specific body of knowledge in infancy and the toddler years satisfies new state and federal mandates that teachers of very young children must have formal recognition of their training with infants and toddlers to obtain and/or maintain employment. There are 19 hours in the Infant/Toddler Certificate program. This CDFS certificate incorporates the West Virginia core knowledge and core competencies and the West Virginia Early Standards Framework: Infant/Toddler in order to include the most recent requirements set forth by WV agencies responsible for the birth-three years. The certificate is free standing or can be taken with a degree program.

After completing the certificate in Early Childhood Education, students will:

• Demonstrate knowledge of social, emotional, cognitive, language, motor, and physical development of infants and toddlers, as well as the best practices for facilitating infant and toddler growth in these domains.
• Apply the major theories of infant and toddler development to the home and classroom context.
• Construct and create positive and enriched infant and toddler environments that optimize development in all domains, and set the stage for lifelong learning.  
• Translate research on infant and toddler development for application in the home and classroom context.
• Use their knowledge of how infants and toddlers develop to prepare educational activities in inclusive environments that facilitate growth globally, as well as within specific domains of development.