Infant and Toddler Development

Certificate: Public Service
Credit Requirements: 18 Semester Credit Hours

The Infant and Toddler Development certificate program upgrades and enhances the skills of infant and toddler child care professionals and is also open to those with no experience. This certificate is organized with standards from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Professionals working with children birth through 2 years old are provided with adequate training related to experiences in growth and development, curriculum issues, guidance, exceptionality and early intervention, creative experiences, safety, health and nutrition, and socialization.

Admission into this program requires proof of high school graduation (or GED) and qualifying scores on SAT, ACT or the TTC placement test. Students who have transfer credits of C or better from an approved, regionally accredited postsecondary institution may not need to take the placement test.

Program admission requires that students have a health assessment denoting good health, a negative tuberculosis skin test and compliance with technical standards. A clear criminal background check by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is also required. In addition to SLED background checks, some child development centers and schools may require fingerprinting. Students entering laboratory courses may opt to be fingerprinted. Fingerprinting and a SLED background check are required for the Early Care and Education work force.

Recommended Sequence of Courses