Welcome to the Educational Unit for Child Care Services

The Educational Unit for Child Care Services offers the Child Development Associate (CDA) training program and the Kentucky Director's Credential Program. Our classes are offered on campus as well as at many off site locations in communities around the state.

Many of the students who are pursuing these credentials work in private child care centers, Head Start programs, and public preschool programs.

The CDA program consists of nine hours of University approved course work. These nine hours (three—three hour courses) fulfill the mandatory 120 clock hours of training needed to apply for the CDA credential. After the courses are completed, students complete a verification process designed and implemented by the Council for Professional Recognition, a national early childhood education organization, to determine their competence in working with young children. If they successfully complete the process, a CDA credential is awarded by the Council. The CDA credential may be obtained in a center-based setting with a preschool school endorsement (working with children 3 to 5 years old) and/or infant/toddler endorsement (birth through age 5), or a family child care setting (working with childrend birth through age 5).

The three required Child Development Associate classes are: EDEC 125, EDEC 150, and EDEL 250.

The Director's Credential program consists of sixteen hours of University approved course work. These sixteen hours(four-three hour courses and one- four hour course)fulfill the mandatory training needed to apply for the Kentucky Director's Credential. After the courses have been finished students complete an application process designed and implemented by the Kentucky Division of Child Care.

The five required classes are : EDEC 125, EDEC 150, EDEL 250(Infant/Toddler), EDEL 250(Preschool), and EDEC 254.