For related HMS programs, see Related Programs Listing .

G3 Eligible Program: The G3 Program is a tuition assistance program for any Virginia resident who qualifies for in-state tuition and whose family income falls below an identified threshold. For more information, visit www.nr.edu/g3.  

Purpose: The Career Studies Certificate in Child Development prepares students for entry-level employment working with young children in safe and healthy environments that are supportive of children’s individual physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development. Graduates develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to implement practices informed by Virginia’s Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals and the National Association for the Education of Young Children Professional Preparation Standards. This 16-credit curriculum provides a foundation in early childhood development and all coursework overlaps with and is also a requirement for the certificate and associate degree programs of study.

Admission Requirements: In addition to the requirements for general admission to the college, a personal interview with the program head is recommended. Placement tests in some areas may be required.

Program Requirements: Students in the Child Development program at NRCC should work closely with their faculty advisor in planning their curriculum including the field placement experience. NRCC also offers a 16 credit Career Studies Certificate in Child Development: Infant and Toddler; a 34 credit Certificate in Child Development; and a 67 credit Associate of Applied Science degree in Human Services with a Specialization in Early Childhood Development. For students who decide to continue their education, courses in the Career Studies Certificate program will lead into the Certificate and A.A.S. degree programs. Students who plan to continue in these programs after completing the Career Studies Certificate should inform their academic advisor at the beginning of their studies to ensure a smooth transition into programs.

Students must successfully complete a supervised field placement that includes on-the-job teaching experiences in an early childhood setting, approved by the program head. Application for field placement should be made the semester prior to placement. Students should note that early childhood programs require a criminal background report, a child abuse central registry search, and a TB test as a prerequisite to beginning the field placement experience. A program may deny participation for findings on the reports. Affiliation agreements prevent the placement of a student who is denied field placement participation at one program into a field placement agreement at another program. Inability to meet the field placement requirements prevents the student from satisfactorily achieving the course objectives resulting in failure of the course. Field placement for the Child Development Career Studies Certificate must be approved by the program head.

For more information about the program, visit the department webpage.