The University of Wisconsin-Platteville recently announced a new program that allows students in the early childhood care and education (ECED) credential programs the ability to apply their coursework towards a Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies at UW-Platteville. The program is a collaboration between the School of Education and School of Business.
“The program gives students from the ECED credential a pathway to a bachelor’s degree that didn’t exist before. Previously, about their only option was to either transfer to another institution or find themselves without a very seamless path that recognized their prior coursework,” said Dr. Les Hollingsworth, director of the UW-Platteville School of Business. “Given the shortage of childcare in Wisconsin and the ever-increasing professionalization of early childcare, this program is central to our access and service mission within the region.”
According to Chenoa Ruecking, child care and education program manager in the School of Education at UW-Platteville, there is a growing need for qualified children’s program administrators and childcare center directors, adding that this field requires both an expertise in education as well as business, and the new Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies degree with an emphasis in early childhood administration meets this unique need. The vision for the UW-Platteville’s child care and education program is to be the lead program in Wisconsin for professional development of the early childhood care and after-school education workforce, ensuring that students completing the credentials are highly trained, well-educated and qualified to move forward in their careers, advancing into leadership and administrative positions within the early childhood field and further strengthening local communities.
“This degree completion program is designed to meet the needs of working adults, especially those who have already earned college credits through the Wisconsin Administrator or Leadership credentials,” said Ruecking. “These students will be able to combine their credits from prior learning with the additional online general education and business courses needed to earn this unique bachelor’s degree. Graduates of the program will be ready to lead high-quality, caring, inclusive, financially stable learning communities for children.”