Motion: On
Motion: Off
Contrast: Standard
Contrast: High
Apply site-wide
Overview
Earn your Pre K-3 Undergraduate Certificate while you work.
In the URI Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Accelerated Online Undergraduate Certificate you can:
- Enroll in affordable and fully-online courses
- Keep your current employment status
- Increase skills and on-the-job learning competencies required in early childhood
- Work with, and learn from, professionals in Rhode Island
- Experience flexible internship placement
- Get support to apply for a Pre K-3 teacher certification
Due to federal regulations, we can only accept students who reside, or intend to practice*, in the following states: Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and Maryland. URI has not determined whether the curriculum for this program meets the educational requirements for licensure in any other states or territories.
*Attestation form required.
Careers
Professionals with an early childhood care and education degree can pursue rewarding careers as preschool teachers, childcare center directors, or early intervention specialists. They may also work as child development specialists, family support specialists, or curriculum developers, contributing to the holistic development of young children in various settings. With their expertise, they play a vital role in shaping the foundation of children’s learning and well-being during their formative years.
Admission Requirements
- Students in this program are typically working in schools or childcare
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA
- Grade C or higher in pre-professional courses
Readmission
Applicants who have previously registered for courses at URI as a degree-seeking student are considered at readmission and must apply using the Readmission Application and provide additional materials.
Deadlines
| Term | Application Deadline | Classes Start | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor of Nursing Practice | DNP | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Master of Library and Information Studies | MLIS | Summer 2026 | 15-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| Master of Library and Information Studies | MLIS | Fall 2026 | 15-Jun-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Master of Library and Information Studies | MLIS | Spring 2027 | 15-Oct-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Master of Library and Information Studies | MLIS | Summer 2027 | 15-Mar-27 | |
| M.S. in Healthcare Management | MS in HM | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| M.S. in Healthcare Management | MS in HM | Summer II 2026 | 2-Jun-26 | 7-Jul-26 |
| M.S. in Healthcare Management | MS in HM | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| M.S. in Healthcare Management | MS in HM | Fall II 2026 | 29-Sep-26 | 3-Nov-26 |
| M.S. in Healthcare Management | MS in HM | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| M.S. in Healthcare Management | MS in HM | Spring II 2027 | 26-Jan-27 | 2-Mar-27 |
| M.S. in Healthcare Management | MS in HM | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| M.S. in Healthcare Management | MS in HM | Summer II 2027 | 1-Jun-27 | 6-Jul-27 |
| Master of Oceanography | MO | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Master of Oceanography | MO | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Master of Public Administration | MPA | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| Master of Public Administration | MPA | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Master of Public Administration | MPA | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Master of Public Administration | MPA | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Public Administration, Blue MPA | Blue MPA | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Public Administration, Blue MPA | Blue MPA | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Master of Business Administration | MBA | |||
| Master of Science in Data Science | MS in DS | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Master of Science in Data Science | MS in DS | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| M.S. in Dietetics | MS Dietetics | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Supply Chain Management & Applied Analytics, M.S. | SCMAA MS | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Master of Environmental Management | MEM | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Master of Professional Studies | MPS | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| Master of Professional Studies | MPS | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Master of Professional Studies | MPS | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Master of Professional Studies | MPS | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Professional Science Masters | PSM | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| Professional Science Masters | PSM | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Professional Science Masters | PSM | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Professional Science Masters | PSM | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| M.S. in Health Outcomes & Data Analytics | MS in HODA | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| M.S. in Health Outcomes & Data Analytics | MS in HODA | Spring 2027 | 5-Jan-27 | |
| M.S. in Health Outcomes & Data Analytics | MS in HODA | Summer 2027 | 4-May-27 | |
| Master of Arts in User Experience/User Interface (UX/UI) Design | MA UX/UI | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| Master of Arts in User Experience/User Interface (UX/UI) Design | MA UX/UI | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Master of Arts in User Experience/User Interface (UX/UI) Design | MA UX/UI | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Master of Arts in User Experience/User Interface (UX/UI) Design | MA UX/UI | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Health Professions Education Graduate Certificate | HPE Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Health Professions Education, M.A. | HPE MA | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| School Library Media Teaching Certificate | SLM Teaching Cert | Summer 2026 | 15-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| School Library Media Teaching Certificate | SLM Teaching Cert | Fall 2026 | 15-Jun-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| School Library Media Teaching Certificate | SLM Teaching Cert | Spring 2027 | 15-Oct-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| School Library Media Teaching Certificate | SLM Teaching Cert | Summer 2027 | 15-Mar-27 | |
| Data Science Graduate Certificate | DS Grad Cert | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| Data Science Graduate Certificate | DS Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Fisheries Science Graduate Certificate | FS Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| GIS & Geospatial Technologies Graduate Certificate | GIS GT Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Quantum Computing Graduate Certificate | QC Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Medication Outcomes Graduate Certificate | MO Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Training & Development Graduate Certificate | TD Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Training & Development Graduate Certificate | TD Grad Cert | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Training & Development Graduate Certificate | TD Grad Cert | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Healthcare Management Graduate Certificate | HM Grad Cert | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| Healthcare Management Graduate Certificate | HM Grad Cert | Summer II 2026 | 2-Jun-26 | 7-Jul-26 |
| Healthcare Management Graduate Certificate | HM Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Healthcare Management Graduate Certificate | HM Grad Cert | Fall II 2026 | 29-Sep-26 | 3-Nov-26 |
| Healthcare Management Graduate Certificate | HM Grad Cert | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Healthcare Management Graduate Certificate | HM Grad Cert | Spring II 2027 | 26-Jan-27 | 2-Mar-27 |
| Healthcare Management Graduate Certificate | HM Grad Cert | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Healthcare Management Graduate Certificate | HM Grad Cert | Summer II 2027 | 1-Jun-27 | 6-Jul-27 |
| Natural Resources & the Environment Graduate Certificate | NRE Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Public Administration & Policy Graduate Certificate | PAP Grad Cert | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| Public Administration & Policy Graduate Certificate | PAP Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Public Administration & Policy Graduate Certificate | PAP Grad Cert | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Public Administration & Policy Graduate Certificate | PAP Grad Cert | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Early Childhood Care & Education Graduate Certificate | ECCE Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Prevention Science & Human Development Graduate Certificate | PSHD Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Prevention Science & Human Development Graduate Certificate | PSHD Grad Cert | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Prevention Science & Human Development Graduate Certificate | PSHD Grad Cert | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Ocean Science Graduate Certificate | OS Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Ocean Science Graduate Certificate | OS Grad Cert | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| User Experience (UX) Design Graduate Certificate | UX Grad Cert | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| User Experience (UX) Design Graduate Certificate | UX Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| User Experience (UX) Design Graduate Certificate | UX Grad Cert | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| User Experience (UX) Design Graduate Certificate | UX Grad Cert | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| User Interface (UI) Design Graduate Certificate | UI Grad Cert | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| User Interface (UI) Design Graduate Certificate | UI Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| User Interface (UI) Design Graduate Certificate | UI Grad Cert | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| User Interface (UI) Design Graduate Certificate | UI Grad Cert | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Community Planning Graduate Certificate | CommPlan Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Industry 4.0 Graduate Certificate | I4 Grad Cert | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| Industry 4.0 Graduate Certificate | I4 Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Industry 4.0 Graduate Certificate | I4 Grad Cert | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Industry 4.0 Graduate Certificate | I4 Grad Cert | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Nuclear Engineering Graduate Certificate | NE Grad Cert | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| Nuclear Engineering Graduate Certificate | NE Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Nuclear Engineering Graduate Certificate | NE Grad Cert | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Nuclear Engineering Graduate Certificate | NE Grad Cert | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Strategic Communications, B.A. Degree Completion | SC BA | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| Strategic Communications, B.A. Degree Completion | SC BA | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Strategic Communications, B.A. Degree Completion | SC BA | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Strategic Communications, B.A. Degree Completion | SC BA | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Early Childhood Care & Education, B.S. Degree Completion | ECCE BS | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies | BIS | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies | BIS | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies | BIS | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies | BIS | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Nursing, R.N. to B.S. Degree Completion | RN to BS | Summer 2026 | 31-Mar-26 | 5-May-26 |
| Nursing, R.N. to B.S. Degree Completion | RN to BS | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Nursing, R.N. to B.S. Degree Completion | RN to BS | Spring 2027 | 24-Nov-26 | 5-Jan-27 |
| Nursing, R.N. to B.S. Degree Completion | RN to BS | Summer 2027 | 30-Mar-27 | 4-May-27 |
| Education Doctorate, Ed.D. | EDD | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Community Planning and Development Graduate Certificate | CPD Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Multilingual Learner Education Graduate Certificate | MLE Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
| Cyber Security Graduate Certificate | CyberSec Grad Cert | Fall 2026 | 4-Aug-26 | 8-Sep-26 |
Tuition and Fees
| Tuition (per credit) | Application Fee | Registration Fee | Technology Fee | Transcript Fee | Document Fee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Library Media Teaching Certificate | SLM Teaching Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Data Science Graduate Certificate | DS Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Fisheries Science Graduate Certificate | FS Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| GIS & Geospatial Technologies Graduate Certificate | GIS GT Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Quantum Computing Graduate Certificate | QC Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Medication Outcomes Graduate Certificate | MO Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Training & Development Graduate Certificate | TD Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Healthcare Management Graduate Certificate | HM Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Natural Resources & the Environment Graduate Certificate | NRE Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Public Administration & Policy Graduate Certificate | PAP Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Early Childhood Care & Education Graduate Certificate | ECCE Grad Cert | $631 | $0 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Prevention Science & Human Development Graduate Certificate | PSHD Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Ocean Science Graduate Certificate | OS Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| User Experience (UX) Design Graduate Certificate | UX Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| User Interface (UI) Design Graduate Certificate | UI Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Community Planning Graduate Certificate | CommPlan Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Industry 4.0 Graduate Certificate | I4 Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Nuclear Engineering Graduate Certificate | NE Grad Cert | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Health Professions Education Graduate Certificate | HPE Grad Cert | $875 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | n/a |
| Health Professions Education, M.A. | HPE MA | $875 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | n/a |
| Doctor of Nursing Practice | DNP | $825 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Master of Library and Information Studies | MLIS | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| M.S. in Healthcare Management | MS in HM | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Master of Oceanography | MO | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Master of Public Administration | MPA | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Master of Science in Data Science | MS DS | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| M.S. in Dietetics | MS Dietetics | URI-Sodexo MS Dietetics Graduate Program | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Supply Chain Management & Applied Analytics, M.S. | SCMAA MS | $1,000 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Master of Environmental Management | MEM | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Master of Professional Studies | MPS | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Professional Science Masters | PSM | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| M.S. in Health Outcomes & Data Analytics | MS in HODA | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Master of Arts in User Experience/User Interface (UX/UI) Design | MA UX/UI | $918 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Strategic Communications, B.A. Degree Completion | SC BA | $631 | $0 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Early Childhood Care & Education, B.S. Degree Completion | ECCE BS | $631 | $0 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies | BIS | $631 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Nursing, R.N. to B.S. Degree Completion | RN to BS | $631 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Education Doctorate, Ed.D. | EDD | $875 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Community Planning and Development Graduate Certificate | CPD Grad Cert | $875 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Multilingual Learner Education Graduate Certificate | MLE Grad Cert | $375 | $65 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $115 |
| Cyber Security Graduate Certificate | CyberSec Grad Cert |
Curriculum
The program consists of 42 ECCE credits at URI completed over two years, with one online course taken during each 7-week session across a total of 10 sessions.
- EDC 421: Early Language and Literacy Development
- EDC 326: Early Childhood Curriculum & Practicum
- EDC 424: Teaching Literacy in the Primary Grades
- EDC 336: Early Childhood Curriculum II & Practicum
- EDC 402: The Education of Special Needs Students
- EDC 328: Home, School, and Community Partnerships
- EDC 461: Assessment in Early Childhood Education
- EDC 426: Early Childhood Curriculum III
- EDC 474: Early Childhood Practical Teaching Residency I
- EDC 475: Early Childhood Practical Teaching Residency I Seminar
- EDC 480: ECCE Teaching Residency I
- EDC 481: Capstone in ECE Teaching I
- EDC 490: ECCE Teaching Residency II
- EDC 491: Capstone in ECE Teaching II
View/download full curriculum here.
Faculty
Program Director
Teaching Faculty
Susan Brand
Professor Emerita
Early Childhood Education
Kelly Houle
Cathy Semnoski
Jessica MacLeod, M.S.