Certificate in Nature-Based Early Childhood Education

Accessing nature and venturing into the outdoors is immeasurably beneficial to children’s curiosity, inspiration, and creativity. Take school outdoors into the wonders of nature, and learn how to foster natural education for children beyond the confines of the classroom. Nature offers unlimited potential to spark young minds with multi-dimensional educational benefits. We give you guidance on how to utilize nature as a powerful educational tool.

This program is offered by AU Santa Barbara.

Program Overview

Our Nature-Based Early Childhood Education Certificate provides professional development and training for helping young students explore and grow in the natural world. Children who spend more time outdoors develop healthier bodies and creative, inquisitive minds. Courses in the certificate program investigate ways in which children’s nature play and adventure can be used to invigorate development with language and storytelling, writing, natural history and science, expression, and physical movement. Become a leader in the environmental education movement – whether you wish to create, develop, or instruct nature preschools and forest kindergartens.

Requirements

Completion of the NBECE Certificate program requires 15 – 18 units in this concentration. Several courses are offered each quarter.

Required Certificate Courses

• Natural History for Early Childhood
• Ecology of Imagination in Childhood
• Nature-Based Early Childhood Curriculum
• Music, Movement, and Storytelling for Early Childhood
• Working with Families and Communities
• Risk Management for Nature-Based Early Childhood
• Landscape Design for Nature Plan and Learning

Elective Internship Courses

• Internship in Nature Preschools or Forest Kindergartens with Cooperating Teacher
• School Change Practicum

 Admissions

Application Requirements

• Complete the online admissions application.

Application Deadlines

The deadline for the NBECE Certificate program is rolling; you may apply any time and enter courses offered at the start of any quarter.

The NBECE certificate courses are shared with the curriculum in our MA in Education, Nature-Based Early Childhood Education program, and can also be taken as stand-alone experiences for your own interest or professional development.

For information on how to apply to the Certificate in Nature-Based Early Childhood Education, please contact Cynthia McDermott at [email protected] or call (310) 578-1080 ext. 352.

Cost

• Certificate cost: $4,811
• or per unit: $267.28

Please note: Additional fees for all AUSB programs may include (but are not necessarily limited to) charges for materials, late registration, enrollment maintenance, parking, graduation, transcripts, tuition payment plan, late payments, late registration, and returned checks.

Financial Aid

A majority of AUSB students finance their education through some form of financial aid. You may not be sure which federal, state, public, and private aid packages – such as loans, scholarships, and grants—are right for you. Our staff is here to help you, so you can focus on what’s most important: beginning your academic program at AUSB.
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In Bloom Conference

Antioch University Santa Barbara is excited to partner with Antioch University New England, the Academy of Forest Kindergarten Teachers, and the Orfalea Family Children’s Center to offer In Bloom in Santa Barbara: Promising Practices in Nature-Based Early Childhood Education on November 2, 2019.

Visit here to learn more about In Bloom and to register.