Navy Recognizes Excellence of CSP’s Child Developement Degree

The long-standing relationship between Concordia’s B.A. Degree Completion Program in Child Development and the Air Force now includes the Navy as well. Military personnel employed on bases in child development centers are now able to apply their required military training modules as credits toward their B.A. in Child Development.

“The military’s training modules contain similar content as the B.A.-Child Development degree; very current and focused on theory, practice, and safety,” said Lynn Gehrke, chair of the Department of Child and Family Education in the College of Education. This partnership gives child development center staff a chance to get a head start in advancing their education and, in turn, their career. Gehrke said many of the students have a goal of becoming a center director or a training and curriculum specialist.

Gehrke is excited about the department’s strong reputation within the military and its contribution to the rapid expansion into another branch of the military. “So many people go back to work and tell their colleagues,” Gehrke said.

Since the partnership with the Air Force began in March of 2001, Gehrke said, there has been at least one staff member from an Air Force child development center enrolled in every cohort. The same is expected to happen with the Navy partnership.