uwlogoooIn an attempt to fix a “national crisis in early childhood education,” the University of Washington is introducing its first-ever online-only degree program.

The Early Childhood and Family Studies degree will be offered this fall at $160 per credit, regardless of your location — a lower cost than typical UW degrees and up to five times less than other online programs.

The program is designed to prepare early care and education workers who have completed a two-year associate degree or started college but did not complete it. It’s also convenient for those already working a early childhood full-time job.

When I was at the UW, I took a few online courses. They were really nice, as I could learn at my own pace and have a lot more control over everything — the convenience of it was great. But at the same time, you lose that in-person, peer-to-peer interaction that can be really valuable to the overall learning process, depending on the subject you’re studying.

The university will begin accepting applications in May.

Previously on GeekWire: UW-Bothell becomes first university in Wash. to create School of STEM

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