Principles of Management
Self-paced online Principles of Management course (Business 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →North CarolinaChild care
The business-administration equivalency most NC administrators do not know about
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
DCDEE's equivalency grid for child care administrators lists 9 semester hours of business administration as one way to meet the administration coursework part of the NC Early Childhood Administration Credential, in place of EDU 261 and EDU 262. It leads to an equivalency letter, not the certificate, and it does not replace the early childhood hours or the portfolio.
Where the option comes from
DCDEE publishes a grid for child care administrators, adapted from its NC Child Care Education and Equivalency form. Under the administration coursework component, at every level, it lists four ways to qualify: EDU 261 and EDU 262; testing out; 6 semester hours of child care administration; or 9 semester hours of business administration.
The same four options appear in the school-age administrator section. The grid DCDEE still hosts is dated October 2007, which is why the most useful step on this page is an email to DCDEE asking whether the business option is current for you.
Who it suits
The option helps people who already have business coursework, for example from an associate degree in business, a management certificate or an unfinished bachelor's. If you already hold 9 semester hours of business administration on a college transcript, you may have met this part already, and DCDEE can tell you after reviewing your transcripts.
It can also suit people who want business skills for running a centre: budgets, hiring and supervision, and communication. Some owners prefer a director with that background, and the same courses may count toward a later degree.
- Former business students
- Owners who run the business side themselves
- Directors planning a business or management degree
What it does not cover
The business option covers only the administration coursework part. Level I still needs at least 7 semester hours of early childhood or child development coursework and a portfolio of 6 assignments, or the equivalencies DCDEE lists for those parts. The portfolio is usually completed inside EDU 261 and EDU 262, so someone who skips those courses must complete it independently or qualify for the five-year director waiver.
It also changes what you receive: an equivalency letter instead of the credential certificate. DCDEE says both carry equal weight in the Star Rated License.
Which courses count as business administration
The grid says business administration but does not list courses. Courses titled management, human resources, accounting, business law, business communication or introduction to business are typical of a business administration curriculum. DCDEE decides what counts, from the official transcript.
Courses with ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations reach DCDEE only after a college posts them via a college transcript. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit, and Newlane is a third; each decides for itself.
| Course | Typical business area |
|---|---|
| Principles of Management | Management |
| Human Resources Management | Staffing and supervision |
| Managerial Accounting | Budgets and costs |
| Business Communication | Communication |
The email to send DCDEE
Keep it short. Say you are a current or new child care administrator, list the three business courses you plan to take with course titles and credit hours, and say they would appear on a college transcript. Ask whether those 9 semester hours would meet the administration coursework component of the Level I credential or equivalency for you, and how DCDEE would like the portfolio handled.
Attach any transcripts you already have. Keep the reply in your staff file; it is your record if a licensing consultant asks how you meet the rule.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Email DCDEE with your planned courses and ask it in writing whether 9 semester hours of business administration from a college transcript would meet the administration coursework component for you. Keep the reply in your staff file.
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
Is the business administration option still on DCDEE's form?
It appears on the administrator grid DCDEE hosts today, which is dated October 2007. Rules and forms change, so ask DCDEE in writing whether the option is current before you enrol, and keep the answer.
Do I still need a portfolio if I use business hours?
Yes, unless DCDEE agrees another option fits. The grid lists a portfolio of 6 assignments for Level I, or a waiver for administrators who have been directors for five years with a detailed explanation.
Will online business courses count?
DCDEE reviews official college transcripts. Online courses with ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations appear only after a college posts them. Ask DCDEE in writing whether those courses would meet the requirement for you, before you pay.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Human Resources Management
Self-paced online Human Resources Management course (Business 306). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Managerial Accounting
Self-paced online Managerial Accounting course (Accounting 210). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Take management, human resources and accounting courses with ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations, then move the credit via a college transcript once DCDEE confirms in writing.
Sources
- DCDEE: North Carolina Early Childhood Administration Credential (NCECAC) and administrator requirements grid (official)Three components: administration coursework (EDU 261 and 262), early childhood/child development coursework (Level I: 7 semester hours; Level II: associate degree; Level III: bachelor's), and a portfolio (6, 12 or 18 assignments). Grid Section D-2, administration coursework options at every level: EDU 261 and EDU 262, or test out, or 6 sch in Child Care Administration, or 9 sch in Business Administration. Non-star boxes give an equivalency letter only; credential and equivalency have equal weight in the Star Rated License. Form dated October 2007. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- DCDEE: North Carolina Early Childhood and Administration Credentials (official)Level I is the minimum level required by law for all child care administrators; Levels II and III are voluntary; EDU 261 and EDU 262 are 3 semester credit hours each at all 58 community colleges; each component has equivalency options listed on the education and equivalency form; meeting components by equivalency gives an administration equivalency. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- DCDEE: Child Care Center Handbook, Chapter 2: Staff (official)G.S. 110-91(8): all administrators must have or complete at least a Level I NCECAC or its equivalent as determined by the Division; begin within 6 months and complete within 2 years; apply with education and equivalency (E&E) forms and official transcripts; Rule .0704 preservice requirements for administrators without the credential; lead teachers need the NC Early Childhood Credential (NCECC) or its equivalent under Rule .0703. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.