OVERVIEW
Shape the Future for Young Learners with an Early Childhood Education Endorsement
Achieve more confidence and capability in your career by earning the Early Childhood Education Endorsement at WGU. Designed for licensed elementary or special education teachers, this online program equips you with specialized skills in literacy, math, and child development. Through virtual simulations, real-world classroom observations, and hands-on teaching experiences, you'll gain the expertise you need to create engaging, inclusive early learning environments.
In this Early Childhood Endorsement program you will:
- Gain a valuable education endorsement and become highly qualified in early childhood education
- Expand your teaching opportunities and be qualified to teach additional grade levels
- Earn re-licensure points for your teaching certification
- Enhance your knowledge and skill
This early childhood endorsement program can help you take the next step in your career.
Note: The Early Childhood Education endorsement is currently not available in the following states: California, Connecticut, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico.
Note: The specific grade levels you will be eligible to teach depend on your state’s licenses and certificate programs. This program is for licensed teachers who want to add an Early Childhood component (grades PreK–3) to their license.
What is an Endorsement Program?
An endorsement program is a pathway for teachers to gain additional qualifications in a certain subject area or grade level, allowing them to "endorse" their teaching abilities in that particular field through coursework and demonstrating proficiency. Endorsement programs can be in a specialization such as certain science focus areas, ESL/ELL, or gifted education, and is typically added to an existing teaching license. Endorsements can also add grade level options to your license, such as secondary or middle grades. Endorsements at WGU are for individuals who already have a teaching bachelor's degree and are a licensed teacher, or for those who are currently going through a WGU bachelor's degree program in education.
Most students will complete this program in a minimum of
12 Months*
WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.
*WGU Internal Data
Tuition per six-month term is
$2,550
Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps you control the ultimate cost of your degree. Finish faster, pay less!
Educator renewal points
Yes
Pursuing an endorsement program will count towards re-licensure points to keep your teaching license up-to-date. Endorsements then become part of your license and will need to be renewed. The details will depend on your specific state.
Not Sure If You Need a Teaching License?
If you aren't sure which program is right for you, or if you'll require a teaching license, you can learn more about licensure and if it's needed for your career goals.
COURSES
Early Childhood Education Endorsement Courses
Curriculum designed to prepare you for early childhood education instruction.
Program consists of 6 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
This online endorsement preparation program prepares licensed teachers to gain the additional certification and licensure required to teach in early childhood settings and gives you experience and knowledge in early literacy, play strategies, childhood development, and more.
This program is made up of the following courses, which you will typically complete one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized Degree Plan.
You’ll work through each course as quickly as you can study and learn the material. As soon as you’re ready, you’ll pass the assessment, complete the course, and move on. This means that you can finish as many courses as you're able in a term at no additional cost.
6 Courses
Program consists of 6 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Field Experience
Special requirements for this program
In addition to your online courses, you are required to complete a minimum of 15 hours of video observations. Additionally, a supervised face-to-face teaching experience with Early Childhood learners is required. (Minimum times vary by state.)
“WGU was fantastic for me. Mentors and teachers had one goal: to launch me forward through any challenge OR obstacle. I loved their 'can do' attitude, it was contagious.”
—Kassie Ann
Endorsement Preparation Program, English Language Learning
Endorsement or Master's Degree
Should you pursue a master’s degree or an endorsement program? Educators who want to expand their ability to teach certain grades or subjects may consider either a master’s degree or an endorsement program. Individuals should research their state to understand how an endorsement vs. a master’s degree will impact. Here are some important points about choosing one or the other.
Endorsement Programs
- Shorter program overall, with fewer courses and often a lower cost than a master’s degree.
Adds a credential to your teaching license allowing you to teach another grade level or subject area.
Only for currently licensed teachers. An endorsement program does not give you initial eligibility to teach.
Counts toward renewal points for current teachers.
Is valuable to school districts and can look great on your résumé, helping you land a job.
Master's Programs
- More in-depth knowledge in a subject area with more courses, and a higher cost overall.
Can also add subject areas or grades to your teaching license but they can be unrelated to your current license.
Master’s programs available for individuals who need an initial license to become eligible to teach in a classroom.
Counts toward renewal points for current teachers.
Is valuable to school districts and can look great on your résumé, helping you land a job.
Why WGU?
You Aren't On Your Own
WGU has Program Mentors who work with you from the day you start, all the way through graduation. They help you chart your courses, answer your questions, and ensure you can go through your program. You're not alone when you choose an online program at WGU.
Flexibility You Need
Students choose WGU for their online degree program because of its flexibility. Whether you already have a full-time job, have responsibilities as a parent, or just have a busy schedule, WGU can work for you.
Strong Alumni Network
When you enroll in the early childhood education endorsement program at WGU, you join an impressive network of education professionals. Over 19,000 students graduated from the School of Education in 2024 alone, taking their skills and impacting the educational system all around the United States.
Accredited, Respected,
Recognized™
One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.
COST & TIME
When We Say Affordable We Mean It
By charging per six-month term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their endorsements. The faster you complete your program, the less you pay.
An Endorsement Is Within Reach
There is help available to make paying for school possible for you:
The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2023 (among those who borrowed) was about half* the national average.
Most WGU students qualify for financial aid, and WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.
Payment plans help students pay for their program on a monthly basis rather than all at once.
*WGU undergraduate students have approximately half the debt at graduation compared to the national average, according to the Institute for College Access and Success (2023).
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
A Different Way to Learn: Endorsement Programs Designed to Fit Your Life—and All the Demands on Your Time
No rigid class schedules. Just a solid, career-focused teaching program that meshes with your current lifestyle. You'll be challenged. You'll work hard. But if you commit yourself and put in the hours needed, WGU makes it possible for you to earn a highly respected endorsement as a busy working adult.
WGU's early childhood endorsement program is designed for licensed teachers who want to add an endorsement to their license, enabling them to teach in PreK through 3rd grade classrooms.
This program is specifically designed for working adult students, so you can honor your current work and family responsibilities while completing your coursework.
CAREER OUTLOOK
Support the Growth of Young Students with an Early Childhood Endorsement
Some of the most impactful educating is done for students in the youngest grade levels. Supporting literacy, number comprehension, and social behaviors are critical for student success. Early childhood teachers are key in making a difference for these young students.
About 59% of children ages 3-5 in the U.S. are enrolled in some kind of schooling program. These programs are critical to help students with early learning opportunities, as well as support working parents around the U.S. with options for their children during work hours. The Early Childhood Education Endorsement Program at WGU helps licensed teachers add that experience and credential to their résumé, ensuring they are prepared to instruct younger students. This program is ideal for:
- Teachers who have a current professional license in elementary or special education, and are looking to add early childhood to their license.
Where you can teach:
- Preschools
- Public schools
- Head Start
- Private schools
- Charter schools
- Childcare centers
- Libraries
- K–3 classrooms
4%
Employment of preschool teachers is expected to grow 4% by 2033.
—Bureau of Labor Statistics
ADMISSIONS
Early Childhood Education Endorsement Admission Requirements
If you enroll in an endorsement program the following is required of you:
- A copy of your current professional license in elementary or special education.
- Official transcripts that demonstrate you have earned a bachelor’s degree from a recognized accredited university.
An Enrollment Counselor will instruct you as to when and how to submit your teaching license prior to starting your program.
Transfer Credits
Get Your Enrollment Checklist
Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.
Get Your Questions Answered
Talk to a WGU Enrollment Counselor.
More About the Early Childhood Education Endorsement Program
- More About This Program
An Early Childhood Teaching Endorsement is an additional certification that qualifies educators to teach PreK–3. It focuses on child development, literacy foundations, classroom management, and play-based learning to help young children build essential academic and social skills.
This endorsement is ideal for:
Licensed elementary or special education teachers who want to add an early childhood credential to their license.
This endorsement emphasizes play-based learning, social-emotional development, phonics instruction, hands-on STEM activities, and child-centered classroom management strategies that align with early childhood best practices.
An early childhood endorsement adds a specialization to your existing teaching license, qualifying you to teach younger age groups. Many states require endorsements for PreK–3 educators working in public school systems.
Ready to Start?