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4 Certificates and Degrees

Your Educational Journey

We are proud of the variety of programs we offer in the Child Development & Education Department!

We strongly recommend that ALL child development (CHDV) and education (EDUC) students receive individual department advising with one of our full-time CHDV faculty members. This advising will allow you to get your questions answered, allow us to determine if you have equivalencies for courses taken at other colleges, and ensure that you take the appropriate courses to complete your certificate or degree in the most efficient manner possible. Please make sure to check in with the department for advising during any semester throughout your time at Palomar. We know that plans can change, and we want to make sure you have all your questions answered and progress in the best way possible towards your goals.

Certificates

We offer two Certificates of Achievement that cannot be combined with GE coursework for an AS degree. These certificates are designed to provide basic skills and knowledge needed for entry-level employment in child development.

Six Certificates of Achievement can be combined with the appropriate GE coursework to earn an AS degree in Child Development. These certificates provide a strong educational foundation for students interested in working as lead teachers or administrators in early childhood programs.

The following certificate is specifically designed to provide an appropriate lower-division preparation for students hoping to work with children and families in a capacity other than in the classroom, for example, in social work.

Elementary Education

With the recent inclusion of our elementary education focus, we are also able to provide support and guidance for students working towards their multiple or single subject credential. The Foundations of Elementary Education Certificate emphasizes the teaching profession and stacks onto an AA in University Studies: Elementary Education Preparation.

Preparation Degrees

Planning Courses

Many of our classes have prerequisites and need to be taken in a particular order. For that reason, we recommend that students take CHDV 99, CHDV 100, and CHDV 115 in their first semester(s) at Palomar. CHDV 100 and CHDV 115 are required by Community Care Licensing for any entry-level employment in any licensed childcare center or preschool in the state. We also recommend that students take CHDV 105 and the relevant lab the semester after they take CHDV 100. CHDV 105 helps improve your success in other CHDV classes, as it prepares you to be a skilled observer and documenter of children’s behavior.

Classes are offered online, face-to-face, HyFlex, and in hybrid modalities. We are careful in our planning and feel strongly that a well-rounded early childhood education degree must include interactions with both peers and the instructor. Check scheduling as some of our classes are offered in Fall only, or Spring only.

For that reason, you need to be strategic in your planning to graduate in the most efficient timeline possible. Waiting on a particular class could bump out your projected graduation date by a year or even two! If you meet with us for individual advising, we can give you the specific recommendations for sequence of courses for your degree goal.

Working with children and families offers many rewards. There are a variety of Palomar Pathways Mapper to explore in Social and Behavioral Sciences on the Palomar College website. Review Gainful Employment for more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who complete the programs, and other important information.

Child Development Permit Information

The degrees and certificates are separate from the Child Development permits issued by the state of CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Full-time CHDV faculty can provide advising and VOC (Verification of Completion) for Child Development Permit applications and renewals. Please see Jenny Ferrero with any questions about the permit process.

Required courses for the Child Development Associate Teacher Permit are 12 units including:

  • CHDV 100
  • CHDV 115
  • 3 units of curriculum from the following:
    • CHDV 105
    • CHDV 106
    • CHDV 182
    • CHDV 184
    • CHDV 185.

Specialization units for the Child Development Master Teacher Permit include the following.

  • CHDV 120 & 145
  • CHDV 103 & 106
  • CHDV 110 & 112
  • CHDV 102 & 104, OR
  • CHDV 172 & MCS 100.

CHDV 106 cannot count for both core and specialization units.

CHDV 195 is required for the Child Development Master Teacher, Site Supervisor, & Program Director permits.

CHDV Department Certificate and Degree Options

Individual Certificates

License

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Child Development & Education Copyright © 2025 by Anderson, L., Fererro, J., Wilson, G, & Sanchez, T. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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