Programs

This Bachelor's Degree with an Early Childhood and Education with Individualized Concentrations is designed for early childhood professionals who at one time started a college degree and would now like to complete their first ever bachelor's degree and advance in the field.

Credit for learning gained from life and work experiences

Through a series of courses you will develop a degree plan to guide you as you work toward your degree and write a portfolio describing learning you've gained from life, work and training experiences, for which you can earn between up to 30 academic credits.

Credit for professional development programs

UWW students can have training that is considered "college level" and related to early care and education evaluated for credit, with 16 contact hours equaling 1 academic credit. These are considered transfer credits.

UWW is for adults who have skills and knowledge learned on the job and who have been unable to finish their bachelor's degree. The curriculum was created in collaboration with early care and education agencies and is taught by faculty with expertise in this field. In this program, you will work closely with other early care and education staff, sharing experiences, information, ideas, and techniques.

Specialized Degree

• Multicultural Education
• Reading Methods
• Math Methods
• Science Methods
• Introduction to Inclusion
• Observing & Assessing Children's Behavior
• Curriculum Development & Methods
• Classroom Behavior Management
• Early Childhood Methods & Curriculum

Program Highlights

• Earn up to 30 credits for learning from your life, work and training experiences  
• Customize your UMass degree by selecting five courses to form your area of concentration
• Award-winning faculty and advisors
• Transfer up to 75 credits no how long ago you earned them

Watch a detailed, 20 minute, online information presentation about the UMass UWW program anytime and anywhere that is convenient for you - just click here to sign-up!

Learn more about this program:
To receive more information and connect with the program manager, please click on the inquire now button to the right.

Sample a Course

Click here for more information on the Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood and Education with Individualized Concentrations.

Registration is administered through UMass Amherst Continuing & Professional Education.

Scholarships Available

All students in the UMass Amherst University Without Walls Early Childhood and Education Concentration are eligible for federal and state financial aid. Some of this aid comes in the form of grants, and some in the form of loans. Some loans may be "forgiven" if students remain working in the early care and education field after graduation. For details go to http://studentaid.ed.gov.

In addition, Massachusetts students who are currently early care and education providers may be eligible for a scholarship established by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care in conjunction with the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA). For details visit OSFA's website www.osfa.mass.edu or call 617.727.9420 or visit the DEEC website www.eec.state.ma.us.

Please see Fee Schedule below.

Click here to browse our course listings.

Did you know?

University of Massachusetts has earned several awards for its distance learning programs, faculty and technology including:

• University of Massachusetts Ranked Among Top 28 Best Value in Online Education for Human Services & Psychology Professionals, 2009 by Get Educated
  
• Ranked Top 10 Online Degrees Colleges- September 2009 (Online Degree Reviews.com)
  
• UMassOnline Awarded Public Sector of the Year by Mass Technology Leadership Council , 2008
  
• Most Outstanding Online Teaching and Learning Program, UMass Lowell’s Online Graduate Behavioral Intervention in Autism Program, Sloan Consortium Excellence Awards, 2008
  
• ‘Excellence in Online Teaching’ Award, Dr. Jeannette E. Riley, Sloan Consortium Excellence Awards, 2008
  
• 21st Century Best Practices Award, United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)
  
• Program of Excellence, University Continuing Education Association (UCEA)-Journalism Certificate
  
• Excellence in Faculty Development, Sloan-C Excellence Awards
  
• Excellence in Online Programming, Sloan-C Excellence Awards
  
• Excellence in Online Teaching, Sloan-C Excellence Awards
  
• UMass Amherst Isenberg MBA, Top 10 national rankings, #4 Best Professors (2005, 2006, 2007 Princeton Review: Best Business Schools rankings)
  
• 4th in Primary Care Education, U.S. World Reports
  
• Ranked 45th Best University System in the World - London Times
  
• Excellence in Distance Teaching Education - United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) 

Your past credits count no matter how long ago you took your courses. UMass Amherst allows up to 75 transfer credits from other accredited institutions toward graduation as long as the course grade is C- (2.0 grade point average) or better. All UMass Amherst general education requirements, except junior year writing, may be satisfied by courses from other institutions, and students can take courses at other schools and transfer those credits into UMass Amherst even after being admitted into UWW.

UWW students are accepted in both the fall and spring, with application deadlines for fall on May 15 and for spring, October 1.  Minimum admissions requirements are: 12 credits of college course work (a composition course is strongly recommended) and a 2.00 grade point average. Application forms are located at www.umass.edu/uww/admissions_aid/index.html and must include:

• Signed, dated and completed UMass Amherst application form.
• Official transcripts from any and all colleges ever attended.
• Résumé.
• A personal statement essay 2-3 pages. 
• Non-native English speakers proof of either TOEFL or two non-ESL composition courses graded B or better.
• Applicants raised in a non-English speaking country must also have official results of the TOEFL exam mailed to UWW by the application deadline. Applicants who have received a grade of “B” or better on two composition courses in an American college or university may be exempt from the TOEFL requirement. The exemption is not automatic, but based on a complete review of the academic history.

Click here to download all UWW application materials.

1. Fill out the FAFSA form at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
2. It is important to list the University of Massachusetts Amherst school code number 002221.
3. For more information please click here.
   

"When I started at UWW and I was very, very excited about the program. At home I still had a family and a husband and to take care of, but just the fact that I would be able to do my classes online was very thrilling to me. I'd finally found a program I felt that I could do and a place where I could finally go on and finish my bachelor's degree. In class we fed off each other, being able to give each other ideas and then help each other with homework. The scary part at first was the computer and being online, but now it's my best friend!" -Thema Peoples, University Without Walls Early Care and Education, UMass Amherst