Completing our diploma means you have also attained the required early childhood education credits needed to apply for the PA Director Credential, offered through the Pennsylvania Key.

Also, if you have already obtained an associate degree in related education fields, in conjunction with this diploma, you meet the requirements to work in the childcare workforce at career lattice V.  This level allows graduates to obtain employment within:

• Child Care/School Age Care Programs as: Directors, Leads or Teacher/Group Supervisors;
• Early Head Start/Head Start Programs as: Home-Based Teachers/Home Visitor;
• Private Academic Schools as: Assistant Teachers;
• Public School Districts as: Teacher Aides/Para-Professionals;
• in Early Intervention Service as: Coordinators.

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If you are currently working in the early childhood education field and have earned, at least, an associate’s degree, then our Early Childhood Leadership diploma prepares you to meet the additional educational requirements necessary to apply for the Pennsylvania Key’s Director Credential. This credential requires a combination of supervisory, or managerial, experience and 18 credits of early childhood education specific coursework.  If you enroll in our diploma, you then take three courses specific to leadership and management of childcare programs. You then may also select the remaining three elective courses to meet your individual professional development needs. Our diploma is designed to help you develop leadership, administrative and supervisory skills needed for leading childcare programs in the state of Pennsylvania. Completing our diploma allows you to enter the workforce at career lattice V, as determined by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL).

This curriculum is designed to prepare you to:

• Develop and implement center-wide health, safety and nutrition policies that comply with state and national guidance in early childhood practices
• Demonstrate managerial and supervisory skills required for day-to-day operations of early care and education settings such as budgeting, marketing, staff recruitment and staff retention
• Demonstrate effective communication skills in relationship to organizational management and leadership for both program staff and families
• Differentiate between various leadership and management styles that create strong relationships with staff and families
• Utilize child development knowledge to assess and evaluate curricular and operational program needs
• Use technology effectively to market programs, communicate with stakeholders and analyze program performance
• Participate in professional networks and advocacy efforts related to the early childhood field

Our diploma is designed to prepare you to enter into the workforce, but you may be able to transfer these 18 credits into an education program at a four-year college or university. 

You may complete our diploma at the Harrisburg Campus through a combination of mixed modalities (e.g. on-campus/in-person instruction, hybrid, flex, remote instruction and/or distance education).

Yes! We offer many scholarships through the HACC Foundation. Each scholarship has specific eligibility requirements. To learn how to apply, please visit hacc.edu/Scholarships.

You can apply for the Early Childhood Leadership diploma anytime by submitting your application on our website. We offer classes in the spring, summer and fall. Please include the program code 0700, which is unique to the Early Childhood Leadership with your application. This code will ensure you apply for the correct program.

Future students, we are excited to connect with you and answer your questions. Please choose the option that works best for you to meet with us.

Current HACC students, please contact our Advising Department with any questions.