Through grant-sponsored funding made available from the Early Childhood Education Professional Development Organization (ECE PDO) at PASSHE, you can earn a Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential at no cost! The CDA is a great stepping stone to advance your career.
Steps to Obtaining Your Bachelor's Degree
Through the CDA Credential. these are the steps to advancing your career with intention.
Step 2
Once your eligibility is confirmed, a Professional Development (PD) Coordinator will contact you to help you understand all the benefits that await you! Choose Shippensburg University and enroll.
Step 3
1, 2, 3, 4's of the CDA: Take 3 courses and earn 9 college credits that can be applied to an AA. Your PD Coordinator can help you choose a school and transfer your CDA credits.
Step 4
Once you've obtained an Associate's Degree, transfer your credits to Shippensburg University and obtain your Bachelor's Degree!
How Can You Qualify for Free Tuition?
- You must be a Pennsylvania resident.
- You must be a current employee at a certified child care program for 3 months or more or demonstrate employment history of 6 months in child care if you are newly hired.
- Students actively enrolled in PDO activities will not be impacted by a change of employer, as long as the new employer is a certified child care program.
- You must work a minimum of 25 hours per week directly in a certified child care program.
- You must be interested in pursuing coursework at a participating college toward an AA or BA degree, or a CDA credential.
Certificate information and Program Delivery
All courses are offered asynchronously online in the fall, spring and summer terms.
Three courses are required for the Child Development Associate (CDA) certification:
- ECED 204 – Child Development and Brain Building Science Credits: 3
- Prerequisite(s): Restricted to entry into the Early Childhood Credential (ECC) Pathway or Early Childhood Apprenticeship (ECA) Pathway.
- ECED 205 – Positive Behavioral Supports for Young Children Credits: 3
- Prerequisite(s): Entry into the Early Childhood Credential (ECC) Pathway or Early Childhood Apprenticeship (ECA) Pathway
- ECED 206 – Becoming an Early Childhood Professional Credits: 3
- Prerequisite(s):Entry into the Early Childhood Credential (ECC) Pathway or Early Childhood Apprenticeship (ECA) Pathway
For full course descriptions, please see the Undergraduate Catalog. These three courses are included as course substitutions in the Bachelor of Science degree for PK-4 certification.
Cancellation Policy
Shippensburg University reserves the right to cancel any courses due to insufficient enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances.
What are the Benefits?
- On successful completion of 120 hours of coursework, you will be prepared for the CDA credentialing exam!
- Textbooks are provided at no cost and are yours to keep on successful course completion.
- A lending library of technical supports (loaner laptop and Wi-Fi “hotspot”) throughout the course is available based on need and a first-come/first-served basis.
- Support from and access to a Student Success Coach.
- Free online tutoring support at tutor.com.
- A professional review of your work prior to your credentialing submission.