Early Childhood Education is a Diploma program offered by Southeastern College in Royal Palm Beach, FL. The program takes 12 months to complete, with tuition of $12,576 per semester. Florida tuition charge per 16-week semester for students attending full time (Southeastern College Catalog 2026-2027 September Edition (Vol. XXXVII Ed. 1.1), p.51); the catalog’s fee table does not list the Early Childhood Education Diploma, so its semester count and per-semester fees are not published.
Program Overview
The Early Childhood Education program focuses on delivering an educational foundation in the growth and development of young children. The program prepares students to work with children to promote their cognitive, emotional, language, physical, and social development. As part of the program, students will work directly with young children in the model laboratory on campus or on approved sites. Outside work is required.
The Early Childhood Education program is intended to provide career-focused students an educational foundation for working with young children in varied educational settings.
Objectives. Students will:
- Describe basic concepts of child development
- Demonstrate a comprehension of the characteristics and needs of young children including factors that influence their learning environments
- Plan/Create safe/healthy/respectful/supportive learning environments
- Comprehend observations, documentation, assessments, and their uses to improve child development
- Understand and apply skills to support children’s social/emotional/physical/intellectual advancement together with language and literacy development
- Identify and work with differing approaches, instructional methodologies, and tools used to interact and constructively work with children and their families/communities
- Uphold ethical guidelines and professional standards, applying knowledge gained in the program to real world scenarios
Admission Requirements and Process
Prerequisites.
- Background check and drug screening where applicable
- Have a High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent
- Pass the entrance examination
General Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalentHave a High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent.
- Entrance examinationPass the entrance examination.
- Background check and drug screeningComplete a background check and drug screening where applicable.
- Pre-enrollment interviewComplete a pre-enrollment interview with an Admissions Coordinator to determine the necessary requirements for entrance into the program.
Application Process
- 1Meet with an Admissions CoordinatorComplete a pre-enrollment interview with an Admissions Coordinator to determine the necessary requirements for entrance into the program.
- 2Take the entrance examinationTake Southeastern College's entrance examination or provide SAT or ACT results.
- 3Complete the enrollment processComplete the enrollment process well in advance of the date you have chosen to enter school.
- 4Apply for financial aidComplete the FAFSA (school code 031239) and meet with your campus financial aid officer.FAFSA Code for Royal Palm Beach Satellite Campus: 031239Complete FAFSA Application
Program Schedule
This Diploma program can be completed in 12 months for full-time students.
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
Tuition and fees (Florida). At Southeastern College, tuition and fees are charged to the student by the semester/pay period. Each semester is 16-weeks in duration for credit hour programs. Each pay period is 450 hours (900 clock hour program), 370 hours (740 clock hour program) and 500 hours (1500 clock hour program) in duration for clock hour programs. Southeastern College students are not charged by the course or by credit hours.
The Florida tuition charge per 16-week semester for students attending full time is $12,576.00. The catalog’s Florida fee table lists per-semester fees and semester counts for the Early Childhood Education Associate of Science but not for the Diploma, so the diploma’s semester count and per-semester technology, student services, program and lab fees are not published; contact the campus. The one-time fees charged at enrollment are:
- Tuition per 16-week semester (full-time): $12,576.00
- Application fee (one-time): $50.00
- Registration fee (one-time): $95.00
- Transcript fee: $5.00
- Diploma shipping and handling fee: $100.00
Tuition for students less than full time is charged based on a pro-rata calculation at the beginning of the semester/pay period. Programs that require a student kit will be assessed a fee accordingly. Textbook prices are available on the student portal by course. If applicable, students taking online courses who have the textbooks shipped will have shipping charges assessed for them.
Financial aid. Southeastern College is approved by the U.S. Department of Education for Title IV Federal Aid Programs. Prospective students who seek financial assistance must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and make an appointment with a Financial Aid Officer. The college's aid programs include the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Direct Stafford Student Loans, Federal Direct PLUS Loans, Federal Work Study and Southeastern College and private scholarships. Federal School Code (FAFSA) for this campus: 031239.
Military and veterans. Southeastern College is approved by the Florida and North Carolina state approving agencies for veterans training, and its VA Pending Payment Policy protects students using Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) or VR&E (Chapter 31) benefits. Tuition Assistance funds are available to eligible Service members; Active Duty students must meet with their branch of service before enrolling.
Net price calculator. Southeastern College Net Price Calculator
Curriculum
To receive a Diploma in Early Childhood Education, students must complete 36.0 semester credit hours. This Diploma program can be completed in 12 months for full-time students.
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
Career Outcomes
Career focus. The Early Childhood Education program focuses on delivering an educational foundation in the growth and development of young children. The program prepares students to work with children to promote their cognitive, emotional, language, physical, and social development. As part of the program, students will work directly with young children in the model laboratory on campus or on approved sites. The program is intended to provide career-focused students an educational foundation for working with young children in varied educational settings.
Professional licensure. Southeastern College’s Diploma, AS and BS of Early Childhood Education meets the educational degree completion requirements for licensure in Florida and in the designated states listed in the college’s disclosure (updated February 2026). Professional licensure disclosure: Diploma-AS-BS-Early-Childhood-Education-Licensure-Disclosure-2026.pdf
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Why Accreditation Is Important
Southeastern College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). The Boynton Beach and Miami Lakes campuses are licensed by the Commission for Independent Education (CIE), Florida Department of Education.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
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