Undergraduate Certificate
You know you want to give back to your community by supporting children. And you have an entrepreneurial spirit you want to leverage in your endeavors. Whether you want to launch a child care business or already lead one, the online Undergraduate Certificate in Business of Child Care from Mizzou teaches you how to find success as a child care provider.
Through this online child care program, you will learn how to provide quality child care that not only meets regulatory standards but also enriches the lives of the children entrusted to your care. You’ll help families in your community support their children through meaningful programming. And you’ll learn how to become an effective leader within the child care industry, growing your business while you nurture the well-being of children.
About the business of child care program
This online undergraduate certificate is taught by the esteemed faculty of the Department of Human Development and Family Science in Mizzou’s College of Education and Human Development. Under their tutelage, you will learn how best to oversee your own child care facility. You’ll understand how best to collaborate with families to support their child care needs. And you will be prepared to meet Missouri licensing requirements for administrative positions in early childhood programs and facilities.
The program is 12 credit hours and requires no campus visits.
Want more than an undergraduate certificate? You can apply the 12 credit hours from this program to the online Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Science with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education in a Mobile Society or the Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Science with an emphasis in Family and Lifespan Development.
Quick facts
Official name
Undergraduate Certificate in Business of Child CareCampus
Program type
Undergraduate certificateAcademic home
College of Education & Human Development | Department of Human Development and Family ScienceDelivery mode
100% onlineAccreditation
Higher Learning CommissionCredit hours
12Estimated cost
$7,171.20*This cost is for illustrative purposes only. Your hours and costs will differ, depending on your transfer hours, your course choices and your academic progress. See more about tuition and financial aid.
Career prospects
Graduates of this certificate program can become:
- Child care center directors
- Assistant directors
- Site supervisors
- Early childhood program administrators
- Preschool directors
- Family child care program owners/operators
Program structure
This 12-credit-hour program is fully online. No campus visits are required. The certificate requires four courses. Three are set, and you’ll have a choice to make regarding your fourth course. Classes are offered on a semester basis and students can finish it within one year.
Coursework includes
- How to be an effective administrator in child care settings
- Financial management
- Business, legal and ethics considerations
Review all requirements for the online Undergraduate Certificate in Business of Child Care program.
Delivery
100% onlineCalendar system
Semester-basedTypical program length
1 yearTypical course load
2 classes per semesterAccreditation
The University of Missouri is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States.
Faculty spotlight
Michelle Mathews is an associate teaching professor in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Missouri. Dr. Mathews has over 25 years of experience in early childhood education. She has served as director of the MU Child Development Lab for eight years, from 2014 to 2022. Her courses focus on socialization in early childhood and the role of technology in early childhood education.
So Young Park is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at the University of Missouri. Dr. Park’s research examines the impact of family law and policy on families during critical transitions (e.g., divorce, childbirth, economic recession). She also researches families in the justice system who have experienced domestic violence.
Shinyoung Jeon is an assistant professor in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Missouri. Dr. Jeon’s work has revolved around evaluating the effectiveness of programs on children’s school readiness. She has also partnered with public school districts to examine the longitudinal developmental outcomes of high school children.
Aileen Garcia is an assistant professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Missouri. Dr. Garcia’s research interests include cultural influences on parenting and caregiving, early childhood education and care, and quality of life among ethnic minorities and immigrants in the United States. Her goal is to improve early childhood education and care outcomes for all children and alleviate parenting stress while increasing parental involvement.