Early Childhood Education Major, 77 hours: B.S.Ed., Certifies Birth through Grade 3

CIP: 131210

The early childhood education program prepares students to successfully complete the licensure requirements of the program and earn their teaching license with an endorsement in early childhood education. This license enables students to teach children birth through the third grade in multiple settings including public and non-public schools, homes, and other community settings.

This program offers a strengths-based approach in working with all children including those with special needs and rights. Along with coursework that is focused on child-centered and culturally sensitive practices, students participate in embedded field experiences in the Phyllis and Richard Leet Center and Horace Mann Laboratory School and partnering community settings. Combined, these learning experiences provide the basis from which theories about development, learning, and curriculum come to life for our students.

Individually and as a cohort of learners, students learn an integrated approach to teaching and learning through constructivist curriculum practices and strategies that offer meaningful learning within diverse systems and settings. Opportunities to learn together as critical colleagues who further each other’s reflective thinking skills prepares students for professional collaboration in their future careers.

The Early Childhood major is comprised of clusters and modules that develop and assess teacher candidate competencies in teaching and reflective practices. The courses/modules integrate the quality indicators from the Missouri Teacher Standards, standards in special education required of all teacher candidates, standards related to working with diverse student populations and in diverse school settings, including working with ELL students, and competencies related to classroom management including student motivation and engagement. All students interested in teaching in a self-contained Kindergarten classroom in Missouri must complete the Major in Early Childhood Education.

Required Courses

The Northwest Core (44-47 hours)

Institutional Requirements (4 hours)

Recommended:

EDCI 62130

Educational Computing and Technology

Collateral Courses (23 hours)

PSYC 08299	Educational Psychology	3
MATH 17171	Fundamentals of Mathematics	3
COM 29102	Fundamentals of Oral Communication *	3
BIOL 04102	General Biology *	3
BIOL 04103	General Biology Laboratory *	1
PHSC 40102	The Physical Sciences: Integrated Approach *	3
PHSC 40103	Physical Science Laboratory: Integrating Inquiry *	1

MUS 19201	The Enjoyment of Music *	3
	OR
MUS 19202	Jazz Appreciation *	3
	OR
MUS 19222	American Popular Music *	3
	OR
ART 13102	Art Appreciation *	3
	OR
ART 13235	Intersections in the Arts	3

GEOG 32101	Introduction to Geography *	3

These courses fulfill Northwest Core requirements as well as a requirements of the major, but the number of credit hours may be counted only once toward the total number of credit hours required for graduation.

Must achieve a grade of C or better in PSYC 08299, MATH 17171, and COM 29102.

Degree Requirement (3 hours)

EDUC 61569

Multiculturalism in Education

The degree requirement for Multiculturalism in Education is separate from the Humanities requirement in The Northwest Core.

Professional Requirements

Professional Education and Beginning Clinical Experiences Phase I (12 hours)

EDCI 62111	Ecology of Teaching	1
EDCI 62112	Developmental Foundations	1
EDCI 62113	Professional Learning Community I	1
EDCI 62114	Introduction to Curriculum and Instruction	1
EDCI 62115	Principles of Assessment	1
EDCI 62116	Professional Learning Community II	1
EDCI 62117	Inclusive Classrooms and Positive Learning Environments	1
EDCI 62118	Teaching is Communication	1
EDCI 62119	Professional Learning Community III	1

PSYC 08312	Child Psychology	3
	OR
PSYC 08333	Developmental Psychology *	3

Professional Education and Mid-Level Clinical Experiences Phase II (43 hours)

EDCI 62302	Emotion and Language-Centered Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers	3
EDCI 62303	Observation and Assessment in Infant Toddler Settings	3

EDCI 62202	Understanding the Whole Child: Infants and Toddlers	2
	OR
EDCI 62203	Constructivist Pedagogy of Reggio Emilia	2

EDCI 62304	Field Experiences in Infant Toddler Settings	2
EDCI 62231	Early Childhood Professional Learning Community IV	1
EDCI 62421	Constructivist Philosophy, Integrated Curriculum, and Curriculum Approaches in Early Childhood	3
EDCI 62532	Family and Community Resources in Early Childhood	2
EDCI 62305	Understanding the Whole Child in Preschool and Kindergarten	1
EDCI 62403	Observation and Documentation as Assessment in Preschool and Kindergarten	3
EDCI 62404	Practicum in Preschool	2
EDCI 62405	Practicum in Kindergarten	2
EDCI 62232	Early Childhood Professional Learning Community V	1
EDCI 62426	Integrated Curriculum and Authentic Assessment for Evidence-Based Decision Making in Grades 1-3	3
EDCI 62401	Understanding the Whole Child in Grades 1-3	1
EDCI 62435	Practicum in Grades 1-3	2
EDCI 62326	Early Childhood Professional Learning Community VI	1
PSYC 08405	Parenthood Education	3
EDCI 62330	Health, Nutrition, and Safety of Young Children	2
MATH 17227	Math in the Elementary School	2
EDCI 62221	Literacy in the Elementary School	3
EDCI 62322	Literacy Assessment and Intervention: Theory and Techniques	1 to 2

Capstone Courses and Culminating Clinical Experiences Phase III (22 hours)

EDCI 62341	Early Childhood Program Management	3
EDCI 62472	Capstone Practicum Experience	2
EDCI 62442	Early Childhood Professional Capstone	3
EDCI 62443	Early Childhood Professional Learning Community VII	1
EDUC 61473	Directed Teaching Early Childhood	1 to 6
EDCI 62445	Early Childhood Professional Learning Community VIII	1

Note: Directed teaching from other certification or other degrees may count for up to 6 hours of the 12 required hours.