Online Colleges with Child Care Management Degrees: How to Choose

There are a number of online degrees that prepare students for a career in childcare management. Whether coming from a business administration or teaching background, graduate level online programs offer a number of options to students looking to enter the field.

How to Select an Online Degree Program in Child Care Management

Award Levels

Childcare managers, education administrators and preschool directors need a wide variety of skills in order to evaluate and work effectively with teachers and staff members. These professionals develop a high curriculum standard, enforce the school's mission statements, set goals and meet objectives. Additional responsibilities may include performing essential administrative, accounting and bookkeeping tasks.
Educational administrators must have an advanced degree in education administration, substantial amount of field experience, and a state required license from the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC).

Program Type

There are generally two types of enrollment options offered in online degree programs, full-online immersion and hybrid. The full immersion program offers students the opportunity to complete course instruction and participation through virtual classroom platforms and don't require on-campus attendance. These programs tend to focus on research-based projects that allow students to gain a deeper understanding of a chosen topic in the field of education administration.
The hybrid program offers students a combination of online and on-campus instruction. Students may enroll in virtual lecture type courses and finish individual research projects. Students also need to apply the theories learned online during hands-on training or practicum courses.

Technical Requirements

Students must have access to a personal laptop or desktop computer with an operating system such as Windows XP, MacOS or Vista. Most online students are advised to have a high speed Internet connection and may need a webcam, microphone and DVD/CD player.

Popular Programs for Child Care Management Professionals

Online Master of Science in Education Administration

In order to be admitted to the program students require an undergraduate teaching degree, teaching experience and teaching certificate. The master degree program in education administration is designed to introduce students to basic principles of education administration such as curriculum development, instruction, assessment, funding, human resources management, finance, law in education, and tactics that can help bridge the achievement gap in underachieving school programs.
The degree can be completed in 1-2 years, depending on the student's course load each semester. A number of programs offer students a chance to apply the theories discussed online and gain insight into the various interpersonal administrative responsibilities through a practicum arranged in an academic institution in the student's area of residence. The practicum requires students to fulfill the job requirements and document their experiences in a final project that is evaluated by the student's advisors.

Online Master of Science in Education

Students with a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field, such as business administration or management, can apply for a master's degree in education and obtain the teaching experience necessary to apply for the state required licensing exam in education administration.
This degree option will require students to gain familiarity with hands-on teaching in the classroom and fulfill a number of on-site classroom observation and student teaching hours. The core education courses familiarize students with curriculum development, assessment, child psychology and classroom management strategies. Since master degree programs expect students to pick a specialization for their final research project and broaden their knowledge in one teaching area, students have the option to focus on education administration and childcare management.