Applying for:

Child Development Master Teacher Permit

Allows you to:

Provide service in the care, development, and instruction of children in a child care and development program, supervise educators with lower level permits and aides, and serve as a coordinator of curriculum and staff development in a child care and development program.

A red octagon shape surrounded by a gray border Before You Apply

You will need to obtain your fingerprint clearance specifically for the Commission. If you already have valid fingerprints on file with the Commission, it is not necessary to fingerprint each time you apply for a credential or permit. However, if your fingerprints are expired then you must re-establish fingerprints. Details on how to check your fingerprint status can be found at Check Application Status.

The online application will require you to answer questions related to your professional fitness. Please review How to Complete the CTC Online Professional Fitness Questions before completing the application. If you must answer "yes" to any of the professional fitness questions, please gather all documentation, including any required police reports, certified court records, and miscellaneous documents related to the incident and have them ready to upload as attachments along with the materials for verifying academic requirements listed below. If any of the records have been purged or are otherwise not available, provide an original statement from the agency on its official letterhead verifying that fact.

A green circle surrounded by a gray ring Ready to Apply?

The items below are required for this application. The Commission reserves the right to request the original(s) of any supporting documentation by mail to ensure authenticity.

 

Which option will you choose?

Below you will find two options for qualifying for this document. Please note that you only have to qualify through one of the options, not both.

Option 1

ItemImportant Details and Tips

Transcripts

  • The college or university must be regionally accredited.
    • If your coursework was completed outside of the U.S., you cannot provide the official transcripts. You must obtain a foreign transcript evaluation from an approved agency.
  • Submitting paper transcripts or foreign transcript evaluations:
    • Upload a scan of the original, official paper transcripts or foreign transcript evaluation. Clear photographs will also be accepted. All pages, front and back, must be included in the upload.
  • Submitting electronic transcripts or foreign transcript evaluations:
    • Upload the original file sent to you by the college, transcript service provider, or foreign transcript evaluation agency.

  • NOTE: The above transcript requirements apply to all coursework-related items in this option.

Completion of all General Requirements

  • The General Requirements are fulfilled by completing 24 semester units of coursework in early childhood education or child development including at least one 3-semester unit (or 4-quarter unit) course in each of the following core areas:
    • Child/human growth and development
    • Child, family, and community, or child and family relations
    • Programs/curriculum
  • The following can be used as partial fulfillment of the 24 semester unit requirement:
    • Supervised field experience may be used toward the overall 24-semester unit requirement as long as the course included both a field work and classroom component. The same field work course may not be used toward the experience requirement. Submission of a course description may be necessary.
    • Possession of a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential may be used as 9 semester units of credit toward the overall 24 semester unit requirement. For information on obtaining the CDA Credential, visit the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition webpage or contact them at 1-800-424-4310.

  • NOTE: School-Age Emphasis under Option 1 requires that 12 of the 24 semester units of early childhood education/child development be in school-age course work.
 

Completion of 16 semester units in general education, including at least one course in each of the 4 required areas

  • The required areas are:
    • Humanities and/or fine arts
    • Social sciences
    • Math and/or science
    • English and/or language arts
     

    Completion of 6 additional semester units in one area of specialization

    • An acceptable area of specialization may include, but is not limited to the following:
      • Infant and toddler care
      • Bilingual and bicultural development
      • Children with exceptional needs
      • Preschool programming
      • Parent/teaching relations
      • Child health
      • Specific areas of developmentally appropriate curriculum
     

    Completion of 2 additional units of adult supervision coursework

    • Adult supervision coursework is coursework designed to help individuals to develop knowledge and skills for effective communication with, and supervision of, adults and is designed to help communication, collaboration, and evaluation of staff members in an effective manner. It should include basic issues of personnel management, skills in interpersonal communication, and knowledge of how adults learn.

    Completion of 350 days of experience in an instructional capacity in a child care and development program, working at least 3 hours per day within the last 4 years, verified by submitting a letter from the employer

    • The letter must be a scanned copy of an original letter or an electronic PDF. If the letter is a scanned copy, the original letter that was scanned must be signed with a wet ink signature. If the letter is an electronic PDF, it must be signed with an acceptable electronic signature. Screenshots are not acceptable.
    • Must be on official school or district letterhead.


    Option 2

    ItemImportant Details and Tips
     

    Transcripts showing conferral of a bachelor's degree or higher

    • The college or university must be regionally accredited.
      • If you earned your degree outside of the U.S., you cannot provide the official transcripts. You must obtain a foreign transcript evaluation from an approved agency.
    • Submitting paper transcripts or foreign transcript evaluations:
      • Upload a scan of the original, official paper transcripts or foreign transcript evaluation. Clear photographs will also be accepted. All pages, front and back, must be included in the upload.
    • Submitting electronic transcripts or foreign transcript evaluations:
      • Upload the original file sent to you by the college, transcript service provider, or foreign transcript evaluation agency.

    • NOTE: The above transcript requirements apply to all coursework-related items in this option.

    Completion of 12 semester units of early childhood education or child development coursework

    • Early childhood education or child development course work is primarily related to children ages five years or younger. 
    • NOTE: School-Age Emphasis under Option 2 requires that 6 of the 24 semester units of early childhood education/child development be in school-age course work.
     

    Completion of 3 semester units or 4 quarter units of supervised field experience in an early childhood education setting

    • Supervised field experience is instruction performed in a child care and development program for college credit which is supervised by a person approved by a regionally accredited institution of higher education. It may be classified as a lab, practicum, or student teaching (grade K or below). The course must include observation of the student interacting with children.

      Important Notes:

      • This checklist is ONLY for submission of an online application.
      • This web-based checklist is a guide and does not need to be uploaded with the online application.
      Updated March 04, 2025