If I began my course work toward the ECE Certificate before Fall 2009, will I have to meet the new certificate requirements?
What is the cost of a CDP certificate course?
By what date must I register?
How do I pay for my class?
Are there any Grants available for Early Education teachers?
How do I order my books?
My school needs proof that I am registered in a class, how do I get it?
I need a catalog description of the courses I am taking, how can I get that information?
Are there prerequisites for enrollment?
How do I get a copy of my official Transcript? What is the cost?
Does the course meet at a specific time?
Are the online courses similar to an independent study course?
Do online students need any special software to take an online course?
Are tests or quizzes given online?
What is the "Grade Appeals Policy"?
If I have a learning disability, may I request reasonable class accomodations?
Academic Probation and Disqualifications
If I began my course work toward the ECE Certificate before Fall 2009, will I have to meet the new certificate requirements?
No, any student who began the coursework toward their certificate prior to the fall semester of 2009 will continue under the prior requirements of 24 units including the four core courses and four electives. Students who begin the certificate in the fall semester of 2009 or anytime after that will be required to complete the new requirements of 27 units including the nine specified courses.
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What is the cost of a CDP certificate course?
Tuition cost for Child Development classes is $300 with an enrollment key fee of $30. (Textbooks are extra.)
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By what date must I register?
See current Early Education certificate schedule for registration deadlines.
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When and how do I pay for my class?
If you have registered for more than one class in the semester, payment may be made for one class at a time. However, payment must be received the Monday before the “Class Start Date.” You may pay by check, money order, cash (in person at the Business Office) or credit card (MasterCard, Visa and Discover only).
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Are there any grants available for Early Education teachers?
If you are employed by a child care/development program that is funded by the California Department of Education, Child Development Division, you may be able to receive the California Development Training Consortium grant. Please visit the CDTC website at http://www.childdevelopment.org for more information.
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How do I order my books?
Books required for courses are available online from Founders Bookstore at www.cbamatthews.com/vangu/, or by calling them toll-free at 1-877-593-6058. If you're ordering online from Founders, read our step-by-step guide before starting.
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My school needs proof that I am registered in a class, how do I get it?
After your registration is completed, you may request a copy of proof of enrollment from Child Development office (714-668-6196 x3440) or by emailing a request to cdp@vanguard.edu. This is not an official transcript.
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I need a catalog description of the courses I am taking, how can I get that information?
You can print a copy of the catalog description for the CDP course(s) by going to the Child Development course description or by emailing a request to the Child Development Program office at: cdp@vanguard.edu. Vanguard's Child Development students are from across the nation and world and it is not possible for us to guarantee which courses will meet each state's/country's formal training requirements in early education. It is the student's sole responsibility to confirm with his/her local state licensing/accreditation agency which CDP courses will meet their formal training requirements. Students should confirm prior to registering with Vanguard which courses meet the requirements for their state/country.
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Are there prerequisites for enrollment?
Since these courses are college level, you must be at least 18 years of age to enroll and have a high school diploma or equivalent. No prior college experience is necessary. A working knowledge/understanding of computers/word processing and the internet is required.
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How do I get a copy of my official transcript? What is the cost?
You can download a transcript request form and mail it to the Records Office (instructions are included with the form). You are entitled to two free transcripts (rush copies excluded); any future transcripts will incur a transcript fee. After a transcript request is received, it will take approximately 7 to 10 business days to process. Rush copies are available at an additional cost.
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Does the course meet at a specific time?
Courses are offered in a five-week format. Each online course is delivered via the Internet. Students and their instructors can interact online without having to be online at the same time. Students are required to log on and participate in discussions throughout the five-week session. Each course week runs from Monday through Sunday night. Students follow their class syllabi for assignments, quiz/test and other course related requirements. Students are required to login to their class by the Tuesday (5 pm PT) of week one in order to not be locked out for non-attendance.
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Are the online courses similar to an independent study course?
No, these courses are not an independent delivery format; the course is based on online interaction between students and their instructor(s). The class syllabus will provide the student with weekly requirements for their class.
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Do online students need any special software to take an online course?
Students are required to have access to a computer, internet service, email capabilities and a word processing software such as Word.
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Are tests or quizzes given online?
Test and quiz requirements may vary by course and will be explained further by each instructor via the class syllabus.
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What is the "Grade Appeals Policy"?
As stated in Vanguard's student handbook: "Grades submitted by faculty to the Office of the Registrar are considered final. Students who believe a grade was assigned in error must contact the instructor of the course to review his/her records. Submission of a grade change to the Office of the Registrar can be made by the faculty member no later than two semesters following the term in which the grade was originally assigned." For the CDP, requests for exceptions to this policy must be made to the CDP Coordinator.
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If I have a learning disability, may I request reasonable class accommodations?
When an online student has a learning disability and requests reasonable class accommodations, the student must do the following:
- Establish eligibility with the CDP Office by providing:
Legal documentation including a certified, appropriate, current documentation of testing from a qualified specialist and the testing report that includes:
i. test scores
ii. diagnosis
iii. how the student's learning is affected
iv. a narrative report discussing recommended accommodations
- Make a formal written request for accommodations to be reviewed by the CDP Office with accommodations to be finalized by the Director of Learning Skills. Results will be sent to the student in a timely and confidential manner.
- Provide a copy of the accommodations letter to the instructor.
- File any grievance by contacting the instructor to begin the process. If the grievance is not resolved, then contact should be made with the CDP Coordinator.
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Academic Probation and Disqualifications
Due to the successive nature of the CDP courses, the following policy of Immediate Probation and Immediate Disqualification has been established:
• A student is subject to Immediate Probation if at any time the student earns two “F” grades in one term.
• A student is subject to Immediate Disqualification if:
1. At any time the student earns three “F” grades within two terms.
2. If after acquiring Probationary status the previous semester, the student earns a grade of “C-” (1.67) or below in the subsequent semester.
A student is removed from Academic Probation when, at the end of a term, the student’s cumulative and current GPAs are 2.0 or better. Students who have been readmitted to the program after a disqualification will have their status reviewed at the end of the semester in which they return. Students who have achieved a current and cumulative 2.0 GPA or who have received a grade of “B” or better in each course taken during the probationary or disqualification term may enroll in the next term without petitioning. Students who have not met one of these criteria must submit a petition for further consideration of re-enrollment.
Note: Often registration for subsequent terms occurs before completed grades for the previous term are submitted by instructors. Students are advised that they may acquire Immediate Probation or Immediate Disqualification status from the previous term well after starting their new term. Students in jeopardy of Immediate Disqualification should register for the next term at their own risk. Should Immediate Disqualification occur, the student will be dropped from all subsequent courses.
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