The program offers three plans:
Guidance and Counseling, Mental Health and Policy and Management.
The core of knowledge is common to all students, but each major has unique fields of study:
In training and counseling, the students acquire knowledge and skills for training and counseling in early childhood educational settings.
In the field of mental health, the students acquire knowledge and skills in intervening with boys and girls and families in situations of risk and stress.
In the policy and management plan, the students acquire knowledge and skills in the development and management of frameworks and services for preschool children and girls.
It is important to note that studies in the field of counseling and guidance and in the field of mental health, require practical studies in addition to the day of lectures at the university.
Moreover, individual instruction does not necessarily take place on the school day at the university.
The program is designed to prepare both female and male students for guidance and counseling positions in early childhood educational settings, individually and in groups. Studies in the field include theoretical and professional courses, a research seminar and research courses, a practicum accompanied by individual guidance and a group workshop.
The studies in the field of guidance and counseling are intended to achieve the following goals:
Assimilation of the ecological-developmental approach to understanding the training needs of the educational framework.
Providing knowledge and tools for systematic and analytical thinking in the field of early childhood, for the purpose of identifying needs and challenges, evaluation and intervention in the work of the educational framework staff.
Familiarity with early childhood services in the community to increase cooperation between all those involved in the welfare of preschool children and their families.
Development of tools and skills of individual and group training in educational settings.
Developing an infrastructure of theoretical research that will advance knowledge in the field of early childhood guidance and counseling.
Leadership development that promotes the understanding that the quality of educational-therapeutic work depends first and foremost on the degree of guidance provided to staff in the framework.
The program is designed to train people from a variety of therapeutic professions to work with at-risk boys and girls and their families, and with the staff in the educational settings in which they reside. Studies in the field include theoretical and professional courses, a research seminar and research courses, a practicum accompanied by individual guidance and a group workshop.
The studies in the field of mental health are intended to achieve the following goals:
Expanding the toolbox and knowledge in the field of therapeutic intervention in early childhood children.
Assimilation of an integrative approach to professional intervention with preschool children, with their parents and with their families.
Providing knowledge and tools for systematic and analytical thinking in the field of early childhood, for the purpose of locating, evaluating and intervening in situations of risk, distress and trauma in infancy and early childhood.
Familiarity with agencies and systems which are beliefs about providing services to at-risk boys and girls.
Develop social policy among early childhood caregivers, while imparting guidance, counseling, intervention, and leadership skills.
Developing an infrastructure of theoretical research that will advance knowledge in the field of mental health and work with at-risk boys and girls.
This trend is being supported by the Irving Harris Foundation.
The early childhood policy and management trend develops and imparts early childhood knowledge focused on the development of programs, policies and management in the field of early childhood services. The program is intended for male and female students who are interested in acquiring knowledge about parenting children and early childhood frameworks out of a desire to learn to develop new programs in the field of early childhood or to manage services in this field.
The policy and management studies are designed to achieve the following goals:
Assimilation of an integrative approach to professional intervention with preschool boys and girls, with their parents and their families.
Providing knowledge and tools for systematic and analytical thinking in the field of early childhood, along with familiarity with the field of services, understanding policy in the field, and managing and developing existing and new programs in the field of early childhood.
Familiarity with the various policy systems, frameworks and institutions that provide services to preschoolers. Knowledge and tools in management, organizational change, human resource development and team development. As well as in community development and resource mobilization, public relations and marketing and organizational leadership development.
Development of social policy among early childhood therapists, while imparting training management skills and leadership.
Development of an infrastructure of theoretical research that will promote the knowledge in the field of early childhood and the knowledge about the frameworks and services provided to families and boys and girls in early childhood.