2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Early Childhood Education Major, 75 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)

See Professional Education Handbook for which of the Northwest Core classes require a C or better.

Institutional Requirements (4 hours)

Recommended:

EDCI 62130Educational Computing and Technology

3

Collateral Courses (23 hours)

BIOL 04102General Biology *

3

BIOL 04103General Biology Laboratory *

1

COM 29102Fundamentals of Oral Communication *

3

PSYC 08299Educational Psychology

3

GEOG 32101Introduction to Geography *

3

MATH 17171Fundamentals of Mathematics

3

 

MUS 19201The Enjoyment of Music *

3

OR

MUS 19202Jazz Appreciation *

3

OR

MUS 19222American Popular Music *

3

OR

ART 13102Art Appreciation *

3

OR

THEA 43101Theatre Appreciation *

3

 

PHSC 40102The Physical Sciences: Integrated Approach *

3

PHSC 40103Physical Science Laboratory: Integrating Inquiry *

1

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 61569Multiculturalism in Education

3

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)

See Professional Education Handbook for which of the courses below require a C or better.

EDCI 62107Ecology and Developmental Foundations of Education

2

EDCI 62108Introduction to Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

2

EDCI 62113Professional Learning Community I

1

EDCI 62116Professional Learning Community II

1

 

PSYC 08312Child Psychology

3

OR

PSYC 08333Developmental Psychology *

3

 

EDCI 62371Introduction to Special Education

3

Professional Education and Mid-Level Clinical Experiences Phase II (44 hours)

EDCI 62226Early Childhood Literacy

3

EDCI 62231Early Childhood Professional Learning Community IV

1

EDCI 62232Early Childhood Professional Learning Community V

1

EDCI 62302Early Childhood Developmental Foundations

3

EDCI 62303Early Childhood Assessment

3

EDCI 62304Early Childhood Practicum I

3

EDCI 62322Literacy Assessment and Intervention: Theory and Techniques

3

EDCI 62326Early Childhood Professional Learning Community VI

1

EDCI 62330Health, Nutrition, and Safety of Young Children

2

EDCI 62421Early Childhood Curricular Approaches

3

EDCI 62426Curriculum and Assessment Grades K-3

3

EDCI 62435Practicum II

3

EDCI 62455Family and Community Resources in Early Childhood

2

EDCI 62446Trauma Informed Practices and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

3

EDCI 62447Methods in Early Childhood Special Education

3

MATH 17226Math in the Early Elementary School

2

PSYC 08405Parenthood Education

3

 

SCED 28225Science in the Elementary Classroom

2

OR

SCED 28226Science in the Elementary School

3

Capstone Courses and Culminating Clinical Experiences Phase III (19 hours)

EDCI 62441Early Childhood Leadership and Program Management

3

EDCI 62443Early Childhood Professional Learning Community VII

1

EDCI 62445Early Childhood Professional Learning Community VIII

1

 

EDCI 62203Pedagogy of Reggio Emilia, Italy

2

OR

EDCI 62472Capstone Practicum Experience

2

 

EDUC 61473Directed Teaching Early Childhood

1 to 12

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

Free electives as needed to reach minimum 120 graduation hours

Professional Education and Content Certification Courses (Required by DESE)

The following courses are required to be completed by DESE (but can be fulfilled both here at in the above areas mentioned simultaneously). This area allows for a complete review and understanding of the professional/content GPA required by DESE . 

EDCI 62108Introduction to Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

2

EDCI 62116Professional Learning Community II

1

EDCI 62226Early Childhood Literacy

3

EDCI 62302Early Childhood Developmental Foundations

3

EDCI 62303Early Childhood Assessment

3

EDCI 62304Early Childhood Practicum I

3

EDCI 62322Literacy Assessment and Intervention: Theory and Techniques

3

EDCI 62326Early Childhood Professional Learning Community VI

1

EDCI 62330Health, Nutrition, and Safety of Young Children

2

EDCI 62371Introduction to Special Education

3

 

EDCI 62421Early Childhood Curricular Approaches

3

OR

EDCI 62446Trauma Informed Practices and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

3

 

EDCI 62426Curriculum and Assessment Grades K-3

3

EDCI 62435Practicum II

3

EDCI 62441Early Childhood Leadership and Program Management

3

EDCI 62455Family and Community Resources in Early Childhood

2

EDCI 62447Methods in Early Childhood Special Education

3

MATH 17226Math in the Elementary Classroom

2

 

SCED 28225Science in the Elementary Classroom

2

OR

SCED 28226Science in the Elementary School

3

 

EDCI 62203Pedagogy of Reggio Emilia, Italy

2

OR

EDCI 62472Capstone Practicum Experience

2

 

EDUC 61473Directed Teaching Early Childhood

1 to 12

EDUC 61569Multiculturalism in Education

3

PSYC 08299Educational Psychology

3

 

PSYC 08312Child Psychology

3

OR

PSYC 08333Developmental Psychology *

3

 

PSYC 08405Parenthood Education

3