Frequently Asked Questions

Having an ECE credential will allow you:

  • access higher wage ECE jobs, 
  • access to benefit packages, 
  • become a member of a teacher union through a school district, 
  • access to professional development opportunities, and
  • teach Preschool, Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, and Third Grade.

The program will begin in Fall 2025. For more information on how to apply to the University, visit the Applying to CSULB website.

To be eligible to apply for the PK-3 credential, candidates must meet the subject matter competence requirement through one of the following two options:

A) Earn a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally-accredited institution of higher education with a degree major in Child Development, Child and Adolescent Development, Human Development, Early Childhood Education, Child and Family Studies, Early Childhood Studies, Human Development and Family Science, Family Science, or Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies.

B) Complete 24-semester units or the equivalent quarter units of non-remedial, degree-applicable coursework in child development or early childhood education.

Please visit the PK-3CP Admissions website to learn more about the program admissions requirements to be eligible for admission to the program.

You are off to a great start! If you have any of the 9 approved degrees then you meet the subject matter requirement: 

  • Child Development 
  • Child and Adolescent Development 
  • Human Development 
  • Early Childhood Education 
  • Child and Family Studies 
  • Early Childhood Studies 
  • Human Development and Family Science 
  • Family Science 
  • Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies 

Obtain 24 units of child development and/or early childhood education to meet the subject matter competency requirement.

Earn an Associate's degree in child development and transfer to a four-year university for a bachelor's degree, preferably in one of the 9-degree majors listed above.

To be eligible for a PK-3 credential, you should 

  • Apply to a four-year university to earn your bachelor's degree in one of the 9-degree majors listed or
  • Apply to a community college to earn an Associate's degree in child development, and then transfer to a four -year university for a bachelor's degree. 

Total number of units required is 45.  

  • Phase 1 (15 units)
  • Phase 2 (15 units)
  • Phase 3 (15 units)

School District Curriculum Specialists, Directors, and Program Coordinators. 

The CBEST and CSET are not required for this credential.

Candidates will need to successfully complete a reading instruction examination (RICA/LPA) and Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA).

We do not offer equivalency for previous coursework taken. The courses in the program are newly developed to include the Teaching Performance Expectations (TPE). The TPEs are required by the  CTC and are integrated throughout the coursework in the program.

The delivery format for the program will be hybrid, which consists of in-person, online synchronous, and asynchronous. The program can not be completed fully online. The courses will also be given in the evenings and on Saturday mornings to accommodate work schedules. 

 On the CSULB Tuition & Fees website you can see the cost for a full-time and part-time student per semester under the Teaching Credential Fees tab. 

There will be scholarships available for PK-3 candidates pursuing the PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction Credential at CSULB!