Early Childhood (BS)

The Department of Child and Family Studies offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S) major in Early Childhood (EC) for preparation to teach in prekindergarten classrooms, early childhood program administration, and work in community agencies providing services for young children and families such as Head Start, home visiting, and early intervention. Students gain a strong foundation in child development and guidance, curriculum design for inclusion, partnering with families, and leadership.  This is an online asynchronous program and 460 hours of applied in-person field experience.

Students who wish to obtain certification to teach in kindergarten through 3rd grade graduate with a major in Early Childhood Education.

• Program Prerequisite: Not required.
• Minor: Required. In lieu of a minor, a specialization of 15 credit hours may be substituted as approved by the advisor. Six of these hours must be upper division (courses numbered 3000 or above).
• Grade Requirements: Early Childhood students must meet minimum major course grade requirements and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher for all college courses. Students must receive at least a “C” in CHF 1500 & 2400, and a B- or better in each major course. If a grade in a major course does not meet the minimum requirement for graduation, the student may retake the course. In special circumstances, by the judgment of the department chair, the student may petition to the Early Childhood/Early Childhood Education Program to graduate with the lower grade.
• Credit Hour Requirements: A minimum of 120 credit hours is required for graduation. The program requires the following: Early Childhood Major required and elective courses: 75 credits; Specialization or minor: 15-18 credits. A minimum of 40 credit hours must be upper division (courses numbered 3000 and above); 37-43 are required within the major core courses.
• Program Code: 5000BS
• CIPC: 190706

Advisement

Students must follow the Department of Child and Family Studies Advisement procedures. Contact the department advisor located in the McKay Education Building (801-626-6411). Every student is assigned a Faculty Advisor. Also refer to the Child and Families Studies Advising.

Use Grad MAPs to plan your degree

Admission Requirements

Contact the Child and Family Studies Department Academic Advisor located in the McKay Education Building (801-626-6411). Every student is assigned a Faculty Advisor. Also refer to the Child and Family Studies Advising.

Use Grad MAPs to plan your degree

Admission Requirements

Declare your program of study (see Declaring Your Major or Minor under Child and Family Studies Admissions) with the Department of Child and Family Studies Academic Advisor. Contact the department advisor, 801-626-6411, Child and Family Studies Advising.

To complete ECED 4720 Early Childhood Education Student Teaching Pre-K in the Melba S. Lehner Children’s School, students must submit an Early Childhood Student Teaching Application and obtain paperwork including clearance of criminal background and CPR/First Aid and Food Handling certifications. Look for more information on Early Childhood On-Campus Field Experience.

General Education

Refer to Degree Requirements  for Bachelor of Science requirements. CHF 1500  will satisfy a general education requirement and is prerequisite to most major courses.

Program Learning Outcomes

Successful candidates demonstrate the National Association for the Education of Young Children Professional Standards and Competencies for an Early Childhood Education III designation.

• 1. Child Development and Learning in Context 
  • 1a. Understanding of the developmental period of early childhood from birth through age 8 across developmental domains.
  • 1b. Understand each child as an individual with unique developmental variations.
  • 1c. understand that children learn and develop within relationships and within multiple contexts, including families, cultures, languages, communities, and society.
  • 1d. use this multidimensional knowledge to make evidence-based decisions about how to carry out their responsibilities
• 2. Family-Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections.
  • 2a. Know about, understand, and value the diversity of families.
  • 2b. Collaborate as partners with families in young children’s development and learning through respectful, reciprocal relationships and engagement.
  • 2c. Use community resources to support young children’s learning and development and to support families, and build partnerships between early learning settings, schools, and community organizations and agencies.
• 3. Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment.
  • 3a. Understand that assessments (formal and informal, formative and summative) are conducted to make informed choices about instruction and for planning in early learning settings.
  • 3b. Know a wide range of types of assessments, their purposes, and their associated methods and tools.
  • 3c. Use screening and assessment tools in ways that are ethically grounded and developmentally, ability, culturally, and linguistically appropriate in order to document developmental progress and promote positive outcomes for each child. 3d: Build assessment partnerships with families and professional colleagues.
• 4. Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices
  • 4a. Understand and demonstrate positive, caring, supportive relationships and interactions as the foundation of early childhood educators’ work with young children.
  • 4b. Understand and use teaching skills that are responsive to the learning trajectories of young children and to the needs of each child, recognizing that differentiating instruction, incorporating play as a core teaching practice, and supporting the development of executive function skills are critical for young children.
  • 4c. Use a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically relevant, anti-bias, evidence-based teaching skills and strategies that reflect the principles of universal design for learning.
• 5. Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum
  • 5a. Understand content knowledge- the central concepts, methods and tools of inquiry, and structure-and resources for the academic disciplines in an early childhood curriculum.
  • 5b. Understand pedagogical content knowledge-how young children learn in each discipline-and how to use the teacher knowledge and practices described in Standards 1 through 4 to support young children’s learning in each content area.
  • 5c. Modify teaching practices by applying, expanding, integrating, and updating their content knowledge in the disciplines, their knowledge of curriculum content resources, and their pedagogical content knowledge.
• 6. Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator
  • 6a. Identify and involve themselves with the early childhood field and serve as informed advocates for young children, families, and the profession.
  • 6b. Know about and uphold ethical and other early childhood professional guidelines.
  • 6c. Use professional communication skills, including technology-mediated strategies, to effectively support young children’s learning and development and to work with families and colleagues.
  • 6d. Engage in continuous, collaborative learning to inform practice.
  • 6e. Develop and sustain the habit of reflective and intentional practice in their daily work with young children and as members of the early childhood profession.