Graduate Programs

Graduate Programs

Transdisciplinary Early Learning Science & Child Policy Certificate

 

Application information & due dates coming soon!

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Program Overview

Early childhood is both effective and efficient as a point of early intervention; children’s trajectories of health and well-being can be improved dramatically, at a relatively lower cost, for their life-time outcomes. Leveraging deep understanding across relevant disciplines, experts collaborating in teams are best equipped to address challenges facing children and their families. We will train students to be these needed experts, working in transdisciplinary teams, to develop, analyze, and advocate for policies that integrate developmental science related to the complexity of influences and dynamic interactions experienced by children in their diverse contexts to support their development and learning. The Transdisciplinary Early Learning Science & Child Policy (TELS&CP) Program is part of The Early Childhood Policy in Institutions of Higher Education (ECPIHE) Initiative and the Early Childhood Policy Network.

Program Benefits

Leaveraging the wide ranging expertise at Berkeley, we offer a truly transdisciplinary early childhood policy program Certificate—creating innovative training experiences that build the essential knowledge and skills students need to connect science to policy. This includes learning to work in teams to leverage actionable insights from research to inform child policy, as well as skills for using these insights—to design, analyze, implement, evaluate, and communicate effective child policy. 

The Transdisciplinary Early Learning Science & Child Policy Graduate Certificate will enrich your area of study and give you hands-on skills for working with or on behalf of young children.

Eligibility and Requirements

Applicants must:

  • Be registered and enrolled in a graduate degree program at UC Berkeley 
  • Be in good academic standing with a 3.0 GPA or better

Coursework 

Minimum of 3 courses and internship (totaling a minimum of 10 units), each of which must be taken for a letter grade. 

  1. Required core course: Transdisciplinary Early Learning Science & Childhood Policy Core Seminar (3 units, taught each fall)
  2. Minimum of two elective courses, chosen from the list below, totaling a minimum of 6 units. Courses not on the electives list will be considered on a case by case basis and require the submission of the Elective Petition Form.
  3. Internship with Early Childhood Policy focus (1 unit)

Certificate Forms  

  1. Application for Admission Form
  2. Elective Petition Form 
  3. Certificate Completion Form 

Application

Complete the Application for Admission Form to plan out your Certificate coursework. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. For students in 2-year masters programs, you are encouraged to take the core course and/or at least one elective during your first year to ensure you are able to complete the Certificate requirements.

This application for admission signals a student’s interest in the Graduate Certificate in Transdisciplinary Early Learning Science & Childhood Policy, but does not guarantee that the Certificate will be awarded, nor guarantee a seat in approved courses.

Core Course and Internship

  • Transdisciplinary Early Learning Science & Childhood Policy Core Seminar (3 units, taught each fall)
  • Internship (1 unit, Fall or Spring)

Elective Courses

The following electives count toward the Graduate Certificate in Transdisciplinary Early Learning Science & Childhood Policy. Select two to three courses from an area outside of your focal area of study (for a minimum of 6 units), determined in consultation with the program advisor. Check guide.berkeley.edu for the most up to date course descriptions and class schedule. Note that not every course is offered on a yearly basis. 

Area 1: Developmental Science of Early Childhood

  • PSYCH 140: (3 units) Developmental Psychology
  • PSYCH# 290H : (3 units) Graduate Seminar in Developmental Psychology
  • SOC WEL 210B: (2 units) Infant Development
  • SOC WEL 212: (2 units) Child Development from Infancy to Adolescence in Its Social Context

Area 2: Public Policy

  • PUB POL 200A: (3 units) Foundations for Policy Analysis
  • PUB POL 200B: (3 units) Professional Policy Practice 
  • PUB POL 210A: (3 units) The Economics of Public Policy Analysis 
  • PUB AFF 290-002: (3 units) Program Evaluation
  • PUB POL 290 : (3 units) Economics of Education Policy
  • PUB POL 256: (4 Units) Program and Policy Design
  • PUB POL 271: (4 units) The Political Economy of Inequality
  • *PUB POL 290: (4 units) Special Topics in Public Policy
  • PUB POLC103: Wealth and Poverty

*Special Topics section must include discussions on childhood policy

Area 3: Public Health

  • PB HLTH 207A: (3 units) Public Health Aspects of Maternal and Child Nutrition
  • PB HLTH W206: (3 units) Maternal and Child Health Nutrition
  • PB HLTH 206B: (3 units) Food and Nutrition Policies 
  • PB HLTH 210: (3 units) Maternal and Child Health Core Course
  • PB HLTH 210C: (3 units) Needs Assessment of Maternal and Child Health
  • PB HLTH 212A: (3 units) International Maternal and Child Health
  • PB HLTH W212: (3 units) Foundations of Global Health
  • PB HLTH 220: (3 units) Health Policy Decision-Making

Area 4: Education

  • GSE  EDUC 260A: (3 units) Issues in Educational Administration and Policy
  • GSE  EDUC W163: (3 units) Early Childhood Policy-Children, Contexts and Policy in Diverse Societies 

Area 5: Social Welfare

  • SOC WEL 210B: (2 units) Infant Development
  • SOC WEL 212: (2 units) Child Development from Infancy to Adolescence in Its Social Context
  • SOC WEL 220: (2 units) Introduction to Social Welfare Policy
  • SOC WEL 254: (2 units) Advocacy Skills for Social Change: Social Welfare Policy Practice 
  • SOC WEL 230: (2 units) Social Policy: Children and Families
  • SOC WEL 232: (2 units) Social Work and Education Policy

Elective Petitions

Students can petition for graduate courses (200 level) beyond the standard elective list to count toward the Transdisciplinary Early Learning Science & Childhood Policy Certificate. Particularly 290 Special Topics and 299 Independent Study courses will be considered on a case by case basis. Submit the Elective Petition Form to propose a course. Electives proposed by petition must be approved by the Certificate administrator and faculty director for the course to count toward the Certificate. 

Certificate Completion

Students submit the Certificate Completion Form at the point that all requirements for the Graduate Certificate are complete. Submit this form by April 15 of your graduating year in order for the Certificate to appear on your transcript. If you have Certificate courses in progress during your final semester, you can indicate this on the form. Final grades will be verified prior to award of the Certificate.

Completion of the Certificate will be noted in the memorandum section of the student’s official transcript (not on the diploma). At the time of completion, each student receives a physical Certificate signed by the Dean of the Goldman School of Public Policy and the Director of the Transdisciplinary Early Learning Science & Child Policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

For a list of frequently asked questions, visit our FAQ page.  If you have any additional questions, please contact Luvy Vanegas-Grimaud, Certificate administrator, at lvanegasgrimaud@berkeley.edu.

4+1 Master’s in Transdisciplinary Early Learning Science & Childhood Policy

 

This program is under development and will launch Spring 2023. To receive updates, become part of the TELS&CP mailing list.