Nova Southeastern University's Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies, formerly known as the Family Center, provides a range of programs designed to strengthen families and enhance the ability of parents and caregivers to foster the healthy development of children. The institute, housed at the Jim & Jan Moran Family Center Village on NSU's main campus, showcases best practices in the fields of early childhood education, family support, and parenting education, achieving its mission through direct services to families and children, and development and implementation of early childhood education and training programs, community outreach programs, and advocacy. Some of the institute's programs include Early Learning Programs designed for children birth through five years of age, an infant/toddler childcare center, the Family Center Preschool, and the Baudhuin Preschool.

NSU's Autism Center is comprised of the Baudhuin Preschool, Unicorn Children's Clinic, and the Autism Consortium and, in conjunction with NSU's Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services, offers a four-course specialization in Autism at the master's and doctoral levels. The Unicorn Children's Clinic provides consultation and therapeutic services to patients facing typical child rearing challenges, as well as more complex developmental delays. The Autism Consortium consults nationally, providing professional development and program support to school systems and agencies serving individuals with Autism and their families.

Part of Nova Southeastern University since 1983, the Mailman Segal Institute's Baudhuin Preschool is an internationally recognized model program for children ages two to four with autism spectrum disorder. Its reputation for expertise in the field has attracted families from across the nation to Broward County. The program is built on the belief that each child is unique in ability, talent and learning style. The program focuses on the education of children with a strong family support component. In partnership with Broward County Schools, the program benefits from its affiliation with NSU, and from the natural collaboration with other NSU programs. For more information on the Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies and its programs, visit http://www.nova.edu/msi .

Nova Southeastern University, with its main campus in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and student educational centers in Tampa, Orlando, Miami, West Palm Beach, and Jacksonville, Florida, and Las Vegas, Nevada, is the largest independent institution of higher education in the Southeast, and the 10 th largest nationally. It awards bachelor's, master's, educational specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, psychology, and other social sciences. The university also offers 16 undergraduate majors through the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences.