Skip Navigation
Oklahoma City - An OSU Degree in OKC.

Scholars for Excellence in Child Care

OSU-OKC Scholars in Excellence

Advance Your Career to Earn More

How to advance your career

There are many steps you can take to advance your career as a child care professional. The first step is to begin your education to earn credentials such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential and the Certificate of Mastery. Earning these credentials can lead to many career benefits. From there, many options are available for furthering your education to heighten your career.

By earning a Certificate of Mastery, early child care professionals will develop core competency skills. You will learn how to nurture children in terms of emotional, physical, intellectual and social development.

Scholars Program

The potential benefits of earning a credential

  • Earn a promotion and/or more money.
  • Develop your professional skills.
  • Provide higher quality child care.
  • Network with professionals like yourself.
  • Become a more confident child care provider.

How to pay for it

The Scholars for Excellence in Child Care program offers a scholarship for child care professionals like yourself.

With the Scholars program, you can:

  • Get free books.
  • Earn Pell Grants for additional aid, if qualified.
  • Early Care Certificates are paid 100%.
  • Administration Certificate and Early Care AAS programs are paid at 90%. Students pay 10%.

Scholars program coordinators are available to help you find out more about these and other financial aid opportunities.

Scholars Program

Scholars program eligibility

To qualify for the Scholars program, child care providers must:

  • Must be a DHS licensed or military monitored or tribal monitored child care facility. Must also be a one-star or higher star status with Child Care Services QRIS.
  • Work as a teacher, family child care provider, assistant director or director at least 30 hours per week. Income limits no longer considered.
  • Once approved, be on a child development or early childhood education plan of study.

Scholars program benefits

  • Support services and technical assistance from Scholars program coordinators.
  • Networking with other child care professionals.
  • Scholarships for coursework at career technology centers for the Pathway to CDA program.
  • Scholarships for coursework at community colleges and for the CDA Credential Assessment.
  • Academic advisement.
  • Eligible for a $800 Education Stipend for a Certificate of Mastery, $1,000 for the Certificate of Mastery in Child Care Administration, and $1,500 for the Associate of Applied Science.

Scholars Program

Scholar Education Options

  • Associate Degree* (AA/AAS) in child development or early education
  • Director's Certificate of Mastery* (DCoM)
  • Director's Certificate of Completion (DCoC)
  • Certificate of Mastery in Child Development* (CoM)
  • Child Development Associate Credential* (CDA)

Scholars Program  

Note: The Director’s Certificate of Mastery is only available through OSU-Oklahoma City. The Director’s Certificate of Completion and the School Age Certificate of Completion are awarded by the Scholars program.

For More Information, Visit:

www.okhighered.org/scholars

For Assistance, Contact:

Jeff Rosson, Scholar Coordinator
OSU-Oklahoma City
900 North Portland
Oklahoma City, OK 73107

Office: 405-945-9168
Cell: 405-659-9209
Toll Free: 1-800-560-4099
Fax: 405-945-6783

Email: jeff.rosson@okstate.edu


Photos courtesy of Cameron University, Rogers State University and Rose State College