English Composition 1
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →District of ColumbiaChild care
What college credits does a child-care director need in District of Columbia?
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Under OSSE's rules, a DC child development center director needs a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or an equivalent major, or a bachelor's in any subject with at least 12 credit hours in early childhood education. Credit must come from an accredited college or university. Long-serving directors may apply for a continuous service certification.
The director rule in one table
The rule sits in 5-A DCMR 164.1, made permanent by OSSE's August 2025 final rule.
| Route | Degree | Early childhood credit |
|---|---|---|
| Equivalent major | Bachelor's in ECE or an equivalent major | Included in the major |
| Any major | Bachelor's in any subject | At least 12 ECE credit hours |
| Foreign degree | Bachelor's from outside the US | With a foreign credential equivalency report |
Majors OSSE treats as equivalent
The 2025 final rule widened the list of majors treated as equivalent to early childhood education. It includes child and family studies, child development, child studies, developmental psychology, early care and education, early childhood development, early childhood special education, early childhood studies, early learning and development, elementary education and human development.
If your bachelor's is in one of these, you may not need extra ECE hours. Send OSSE your transcript and ask in writing.
If your bachelor's is in another field
Directors with an unrelated bachelor's need 12 credit hours in early childhood education. That is four 3-credit courses. The 2025 rule cut this from 15 hours.
These hours need to be early childhood education courses from an accredited college. A college with an early childhood programme, such as UDC Community College, charges DC residents $117 per credit hour plus $430 in fees per term on its schedule labelled Summer 2025, so 12 hours come to $1,404 in tuition.
Check your existing transcripts first. A course you took years ago in child development or early learning may already count toward the 12 hours. Ask OSSE in writing about any course you are unsure of, with its catalog description attached.
If you do not yet have a bachelor's
A bachelor's degree is usually about 120 credit hours. If you are partway there, general education courses can fill much of the gap. UPI Study courses are ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended and count only via a college transcript. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit.
Ask OSSE in writing whether a degree from that college would meet the director rule before you enrol.
Continuous service and authorized representatives
Directors who have served continuously in the role since 2 December 2006 or earlier can apply for a continuous service certification that waives the education rule. OSSE says it handles these requests case by case, so approval is not automatic.
The 2025 rule also changed the authorized representative role: it no longer needs a bachelor's, and a teacher acting as representative must have been a teacher for at least five years.
A short checklist
Before you apply for a director role, gather what proves each line.
- Official transcript showing the bachelor's degree
- A list of early childhood courses and their credit hours
- A foreign credential equivalency report, if your degree is from abroad
- Any written answer from OSSE on courses you were unsure of
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask OSSE's Division of Early Learning in writing whether credits posted on a partner college's transcript would count toward the 60 college credit hours for your role before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
How many ECE credit hours does a DC child care director need?
Twelve, if the bachelor's degree is in a field unrelated to early childhood education. The August 2025 final rule cut this from 15. A bachelor's in early childhood education or an equivalent major already meets the rule.
Is developmental psychology an equivalent major for DC directors?
Yes. OSSE's 2025 final rule lists developmental psychology among the majors treated as equivalent to early childhood education, with child development, human development and others. Send OSSE your transcript to confirm how your degree is read.
Can a DC director qualify without a bachelor's?
Only through the continuous service certification, for directors who have served continuously since 2 December 2006 or earlier. OSSE handles these requests case by case. Otherwise a bachelor's degree is the minimum.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Introduction to Psychology
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Sociology
Self-paced online Introduction to Sociology course (Sociology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Ask OSSE in writing first, then start with English Composition and Psychology.
Sources
- OSSE: Child Development Staff: Resources Available for Education Requirements (official)Director: bachelor's in ECE or equivalent, or any bachelor's with 12 ECE credit hours. Teacher: ECE associate or equivalent, or 60 credit hours or any associate with 12 ECE credit hours; or CDA plus enrolment, degree within four years. Assistant teacher: CDA, or 60 credit hours or any associate, or high school diploma and CDA within two years. 'Credit hours can only be earned by completing college credit hours through an accredited college or university.' A valid CDA satisfies the 12 ECE hours for 60-hour roles; CDA coursework alone does not. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- OSSE: Summary of Changes, Child Development Facilities licensing (August 2025) (official)Final Rule published 1 Aug 2025 (5A DCMR Chapter 1) made permanent the 20 Dec 2023 emergency changes: director ECE hours 15 to 12 (164.1(b)); teacher 60 credit hours added (165.1(c)) and ECE hours 24 to 12 (165.1(b)); equivalent majors include developmental psychology and child development (164.1(a), 165.1(a)); assistant teacher 60 hours or any associate (166.1(a)). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- UDC Community College: Fee schedule (official)DC resident tuition $117 per credit hour plus $430 in fees per term (schedule labelled Summer 2025). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.