This course draws from research in neuroscience, psychology, economics, anthropology and program implementation and evaluation in order to discuss Early Childhood Development and explore its role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Completing the course will lead to understanding:

• The ways in which children grow during this most rapid phase of development (physical, social, cognitive, emotional)
• How the environment interacts with the body to build brain architecture and influence children’s growth and development
• Milestones of child development, what is it that children know and can do at birth, by the second year, by preschool age
• How child development and its contexts vary across cultures and societies
• How can programs and policies support children’s development?
• How can they best be implemented to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals related to children and youth?
• How can innovation push forward the field of ECD program development and how can you participate?