Early Childhood Education

Major(s)

Early Childhood Education

Bachelor of Science in Education (Certifiable Birth-Grade 3)

The curriculum for early childhood teaching leads to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Education and carries with it an initial professional certificate (PCI) to teach in the state of Missouri. Holders of this early childhood certificate may be employed to teach from birth through grade 3.

Admission requirements

All students must be admitted to Teacher Education. Refer to Teacher Education for application procedures.

Degree requirements

In order to meet Missouri state teacher certification requirements, candidates for the Bachelor of Science in Education degree are required to meet the following grade point average requirements. All GPA requirements are a combination of Missouri State and transfer grades.

  1. a grade of “C” or higher in all courses listed under 1.
  2. a combined (Missouri State and transfer) GPA of 3.00 or higher across all courses listed under 2; and a grade of "C" or higher in all courses listed under 2 (except items 2d and 2g, which requires a grade of “B” or higher).

Additionally, students must earn a composite score or superscore of 20 or higher on the ACT or earn passing scores on all four sub-tests of the Missouri General Education Assessment (MoGEA) and successfully complete the Missouri Educator Gateway Assessments (MEGA) as established by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MoDESE).

All students must be admitted to Teacher Education Program and have successfully completed Supervised Teaching in order to earn this degree. Refer to Teacher Education for application procedures.

Program requirements

  1. Specific courses required for major and/or certification which may be used to satisfy General Education Requirements:
    1. Focus on Written Communication (6 hours): Completion of general education requirement with a grade of "C" or better: ENG 110(3) and ENG 210(3).
    2. Focus on Quantitative Literacy: Completion of general education requirement with a grade of "C" or better. MTH 130(3) recommended.
    3. Focus on Oral Communication: Completion of general education requirement with a grade of "C" or better: COM 115(3).
    4. Focus on Life Sciences: Completion of general education requirement with a grade of "C" or better: BIO 100(4).
    5. Focus on Physical Sciences: Completion of general education requirement with a grade of "C" or better: Choose one course from PHY 101(4), GLG 110(4), GLG 171(3), GRY 142(4), GRY 135(4).
    6. Focus on Social and Behavioral Sciences: Completion of general education requirement with a grade of "C" or better: PSY 121(3).
    7. Focus on Constitution of U.S. and Missouri and American History and Institutions: Completion of general education requirement with a grade of "C" or better: HST 121(3) or HST 122(3); and PLS 101(3).
  2. Professional Education Degree Requirements for Teacher Certification (78 hours):
    1. Content Planning and Instruction. Completion of requirement with a grade of “C” or better: LTC 318(3).
    2. Individual Student Needs. Completion of requirement with a grade of “C” or better: CFD 160(3), SPE 310(3), SPE 523(3), ECE 315(3), EDC 345(3), PSY 360(3).
    3. Schools and the Teaching Profession. Completion of the requirement with a grade of “C” or better: ECE 304(3).
    4. Teaching and Supporting Learning of the Young Child (minimum of 30 hours). Completion of requirements with a grade of “B” or higher: CFD 260(4), CFD 455(4), CSD 312(3), ECE 301(3), ECE 302(2), ECE 303(3), ECE 401(3), ECE 402(2), ECE 403(1), LTC 420(3), LTC 421(2).
    5. Home-School-Community Relations (minimum of 6 hours). Completion of requirement with a grade of “C” or better: CFD 560(3), ECE 501(3).
    6. Program Management (minimum of 6 hours). Completion of requirement with a grade of “C” or better: CFD 110(3), CFD 563(3).
    7. Field and Clinical Experiences (minimum of 12 hours). Completion of requirement with a grade of “B” or better: ECE 495(6), ECE 496(6).
    8. Public Affairs Capstone Experience will be fulfilled by completion of ECE 401(3).
  3. This program also requires compliance with Teacher Education for eligibility to enroll in Professional Education courses; admission to and continuance in Teacher Education; approval for supervised teaching; and recommendation for certification.

University level requirements

  1. General Education Program and Requirements
  2. General Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Accelerated graduate program in Early Childhood and Family Development

Eligible Missouri State undergraduate students may apply for admission to the Early Childhood and Family Development program and begin taking graduate course work as they complete the work for a bachelor’s degree. A maximum of 10 hours of graduate credit may be counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree (Mixed Credit). Refer to the Graduate Catalog for specific admission requirements.

Refer to Undergraduate Students Taking Graduate Classes for additional information and procedures for obtaining permission for Mixed Credit.

Accelerated graduate program in Early Childhood Special Education

Eligible Missouri State undergraduate students may apply for admission to the Early Childhood Special Education program and begin taking graduate course work as they complete the work for a bachelor’s degree. A maximum of 12 hours of graduate credit may be counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree (Mixed Credit). Refer to the Graduate Catalog for specific admission requirements.

Refer to Undergraduate Students Taking Graduate Classes for additional information and procedures for obtaining permission for Mixed Credit.