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Undergraduate students
cehdinfo@umn.edu
25 Appleby Hall [map]
128 Pleasant Street S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
Tel: 612-625-3339
Fax: 612-625-9214
Hours

Graduate and professional students
cehdgrad@umn.edu
110 Wulling Hall [map]
86 Pleasant Street S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
Tel: 612-625-6501
Fax: 612-626-1580
Hours

College > Student services

Early childhood policy

Certificate program

Program

This certificate will develop individuals’ capacity to apply research-informed knowledge of early development to federal and state policy affecting children up to age 8. The faculty includes instructors from a wealth of perspectives, disciplines, and academic units. The certificate is sponsored by the Center for Early Education and Development (CEED) and the Institute of Child Development (ICD) with the support of faculty and staff from the Children, Youth and Family Consortium, the Medical School, the Law School, the School of Public Health, the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, and the College of Education and Human Development. This program is part of the action plan for President Bruininks’ Initiative on Children, Youth & Families.

Policymakers and researchers from governmental and nongovernmental agencies assisted with planning this program and will serve on an advisory committee.

Curriculum

1. Cornerstone course: PA 5490/CPSY 5413—Early Childhood and Public Policy
   offered fall semester only
2. Specialized elective (3 credits)
   FSOS 8104—Family Policy Research (spring)
   PA 5441—Education Policy and the State Legislature (fall)
   PUBH 5634—Advocating for Change for Children (spring)
   (requires instructor permission for 3 credits)
   SW 8101—Social Policy & Delivery Systems for Child Welfare and Family Service (spring)
3. General elective, approved by adviser (3 credits)
4. Individualized Learning Experience, including participation in McEvoy Lecture Series discussion groups (3 credits)

Individualized learning experience (ILE)
With recommendations from their major adviser and faculty, students will design a practicum experience where they work on early childhood policy development, analysis, implementation or advocacy. Typically, students will be placed in a local public policy research or implementation agency, or a local advocacy organization, to complete a focused project on an area of early childhood policy development, research, or evaluation. Students with significant prior experience in policy making may alternatively design a project focused on early childhood policy research (e.g., gathering and analyzing data on pre-literacy environments of preschools, analyzing impact of health insurance status on infant health outcomes). This ILE may be completed in up to two semesters but must total at least three credits and include at least 200 hours of direct involvement in the practicum project. Students will register for ILE credit during each semester they are engaged in their practicum placement.

The ILE will be offered under a course descriptor through the Institute of Child Development (CPSY) and students will register for one, two, or three credits per semester, as appropriate.

McEvoy Lecture Series discussion groups
McEvoy Lectures on Early Childhood Policy will be provided several times per year, and will be open to the University community and the general public. The goal of this lecture series is to provide a frequent, contemporary perspective on early childhood policy issues confronting Minnesota and the nation, to foster deep and deliberative discussion of the issues among academics and policy makers/advocates, and to promote development of policies and practices that will enhance development and well-being for children. Certificate students enrolled in the cornerstone class and the independent learning experience will participate by attending lecture series events, including small discussion groups with the lecturer and/or leading small discussion groups when appropriate. ILE students will be required to participate directly in discussion groups and follow-up activities, with 20 hours of total involvement completed each semester.

How to apply

Prerequisites for admission

Admission to the certificate will be only for fall semester to support the student cohort model. This cohort approach allows students to gain additional benefit from the interdisciplinary nature of this program, and to create collegial relationships. Admission decisions will be made by a subcommittee of the certificate faculty at an annual meeting in the spring.

Prospective students should have:

• a grade point average of at least 3.0 in undergraduate and graduate studies
• existing experience in early childhood research or practice and/or in policy or advocacy work

The Graduate School operational standard for English language proficiency for international students is a TOEFL score of 550 (213 on the computer-based test), a MELAB score of 80, or an IELTS score of 6.5, but a number of programs have higher minimums. You should consult your graduate program for information about the minimum.

Applications

Applicants submit two separate applications. Both applications are due by April 14 for the following fall.

Graduate School: Apply Yourself
This online application will be delivered directly to the Graduate School.

Certificate application [.doc; download and complete]
This application and the items listed below should be submitted to:

• Submit two letters of support
• Submit a one page description of: 1) your professional qualifications and 2) how the completion of the certificate program will build your capacity to improve the lives of young children

Completion requirements and policies

Each student will be assigned an adviser when admitted to the program. Students complete the Graduate School’s Graduate School Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (GSPBC) Program Form [.pdf], collect appropriate signatures and file this with the Graduate School. The program needs to be filed no later than upon completion of 3 credits of certificate program study.

We expect students to complete the entire program within three years of their initial enrollment, but continuous enrollment will not be required. It will be feasible for full-time, enrolled, degree-seeking graduate students to complete certificate work in two or three semesters. There will be no final examination for the certificate program.

Students may transfer in a total of 3 credits with approval of ECPS adviser and consistent with Graduate School transfer policies.

Six credits may be taken S/N. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in all certificate courses to remain in good standing.

Use of one 4xxx level course, with adviser’s permission, is permitted.

University and community faculty

Scott McConnell, Educational Psychology
Director of graduate studies for early childhood policy certificate

Karen Carlson, Minnesota Department of Education

Elizabeth Davis, Applied Economics

Don Fraser, former mayor of Minneapolis

Lynn Galle, Director of University Lab School

Marcie Jefferys, Social Work

Dan Kelliher, Political Science

Barbara Leonard, Nursing

Ann Masten, Child Development

Charles Oberg, Public Health

Kristi Rudelius Palmer, Center on Human Rights

Amy Susman-Stillman, director of applied research and training, Center for Early Education and Development

Richard Weinberg, Child Development

Avisia Whiteman, Humphrey Institute

For more information

E-mail ECPcertificate@umn.edu or call 612-625-3058 for further information.

Revised August 2004

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Last modified on September 30, 2008

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