Charter Oak State College is Connecticut's public online college offering master's degree, bachelor's degree and associate degree programs, as well as certificate programs for adults. Students can complete degrees in many majors and concentrations through the exclusive use of affordable and accelerated online courses. In other cases, majors and concentrations may be completed by combining Charter Oak's courses and other sources of credit.
Charter Oak State College was established in 1973 by the Connecticut legislature and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), and by the Connecticut Board of Governors for Higher Education. The college has over 16,000 alumni.
The college is guided by our vision statement: Charter Oak State College: A dynamic community of online learners advancing the nation's workforce one graduate at a time.
Each day when I enter my classroom, as I prepare for the arrival of my students, I think about the Alternate Route to Certification program and all the things it taught me. I took all of the teachings and advice under consideration, and now I am considered one of the best teachers in my school. Without ARC’s help and support, I wouldn't be where I am today. I thank you so much for all you have done for me as well as all of the blessed students that had the opportunity to be in this great program. Thank you again and never stop doing what you do. You are the greatest!
Carolyn Kennedy
Certification-only
Alternate Route to Certification in Early Childhood Education
The ARC program consists of intensive and accelerated instruction by expert faculty. All students receive orientation in the use of online learning technology and Charter Oak State College resources. Students complete online coursework and meet in person from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for classes on Saturdays at Charter Oak in New Britain. Students additionally complete multiple field based projects throughout the duration of the program and complete a four week internship towards the end of the program.
Field sites for the internship are by the program coordinator. Students must successfully complete all portions of the program as well as a final edTPA portfolio assessment in order to be recommended for teacher certification.
Students who complete the program receive a temporary certification during their first 90 days of employment and are then issued their initial teaching certification from the State Department of Education.
No cost offsets reported by Charter Oak State College at this time.Check outExplore Financial Aidto find other scholarships and other financial support in Connecticut.
Certifications
Integrated Early Childhood/Special Education, Grades Birth-K
Program Semesters/Steps Overview
Candidates begin their journey in August or January. Students enroll in the following modules:
Infant/Toddler Methods with three face-to-face (FTF) classes.
Preschool/Kindergarten Methods with three FTF meetings.
During the Fall semester, new students will learn about the edTPA, while seasoned candidates finalize their assessments.
The Spring semester opens with a module on Early Language and Literacy Development for Children birth to age eight. The ELL module will require two Saturday FTF meetings; one meeting will take place at the UCONN lab school.
Candidates then engage in two additional modules: Birth to Three/Infant/Toddler observation and assessment and Preschool/ Kindergarten observation and assessment. The Birth to Three module includes five meetings with Birth to Three professionals at COSC.
Program advisors will observe candidates three times at their place of employment throughout the program year o offer tips and answer questions.
This is a highly personalized program for those involved in the early childhood field.
Program Hallmarks
The ARC program is highly individualized and hands-on. Candidates visit other classrooms multiple times during the program year and receive differentiated and hands-on tips from early childhood professionals.
ARC candidates are given opportunities to work in a variety of different settings: urban and suburban schools, Head Start, School Readiness, Smart Start preschool classrooms, public school kindergarten classrooms and birth-to-three agencies.
A seasoned advisor will be assigned to each candidate. The advisor will be available to students via phone, email and at Saturday face-to-face classes. Advisors pride themselves on connecting with students throughout the program year, not just during office hours. Advisors will meet students at local coffee shops, restaurants, libraries and any place there is WiFi access to help students walk through assignments, answer questions, offer support and keep on target for graduation.
COSC ARC is committed to ongoing program improvement. As a result of our commitment to quality, COSC ARC has outscored the national average for early childhood edTPA scores for their initial year.
Stats
Gender
Male
Female
0%
100%
Ethnicity
American Indian or Alaskan Native
Asian
Black
Hispanic/Latino
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
14%
0%
9%
9%
0%
68%
0%
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