CDA Prep Program

Included Courses:

• CDA Foundations Program and Portfolio: This interactive handbook is your companion through the CDA Prep Program, designed to guide you step-by-step toward earning your Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential.
• Course 1: Planning a Safe and Healthy Learning Environment—Create clean, secure, and nurturing spaces that support children's health and safety. Meets the requirement for CDA Subject Area 1.
• Course 2: Advancing Children’s Physical and Intellectual Development—Support motor skills, problem-solving, and creativity through intentional play and learning. Meets the requirement for CDA Subject Area 2.
• Course 3: Supporting Children’s Social and Emotional Development—Help children build confidence, manage emotions, and form positive relationships. Meets the requirement for CDA Subject Area 3.
• Course 4: Building Productive Relationships with Families—Learn strategies for engaging families as partners in each child’s growth. Meets the requirement for CDA Subject Area 4.
• Course 5: Managing an Effective Program Operation—Develop organizational and leadership skills for a successful classroom or center. Meets the requirement for CDA Subject Area 5.
• Course 6: Maintaining a Commitment to Professionalism—Strengthen your professional identity through ethical practices and ongoing learning. Meets the requirement for CDA Subject Area 6.
• Course 7: Observing and Recording Children’s Behavior—Practice techniques for documenting development and using observations effectively. Meets the requirement for CDA Subject Area 7.
• Course 8: Understanding Principles of Child Development and Learning—Gain a solid foundation in how young children grow, learn, and develop from birth to age five. Meets the requirement for CDA Subject Area 8.
• Course 9: Early Childhood Classroom Management—Learn practical tools for guiding behavior and creating structured, positive environments. Meets the requirement for CDA Subject Areas 5 & 6.  
• Course 10: Orientation to the Early Childhood Workplace—Prepare for real-world success with insight into roles, responsibilities, and expectations in the field. Meets the requirement for CDA Subject Area 6.

Program Description:

Prepare for the nationally recognized Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential—the most widely accepted certification in early childhood education. Whether you’re new to the field or looking to advance, this program helps you build essential skills, boost your confidence, and meet job qualifications. This fully online, instructor-supported program lets you learn on your schedule. There are 10 courses in this program--covering all 8 subject areas of the CDA Credential Each course takes about 15 hours to complete, with a recommended pace of one course per month (around 4 hours/week). Courses in this program must be taken in a sequential order starting with CDA Foundations: Program and Portfolio. You’ll have up to 18 months to finish the full program—giving you the flexibility to balance learning with your life, while staying on track to earn your CDA Credential with confidence. To earn credit, learners must complete all course modules, assignments, and assessments with a minimum score of 70%. You can retake assessments as needed to meet this requirement.

Program Contact:

Elizabeth Ireland | Center for Family Policy and Research | email: irelande@missouri.edu

Department: 

Health and Human Sciences

Credit:

Program completion certificate

Audience:

Early childhood professionals and aspiring early childhood professionals.