Early Childhood Education (Bachelor of Science in Education, B.S.E.)
The Department of Education faculty is committed to the professional preparation of teachers for employment in early childhood education programs. The goals are to prepare teachers who are:
- Classroom leaders, professionally prepared to accept responsibility for student learning (MWSU Conceptual Framework);
- Highly knowledgeable in their cognitive areas (MoSPE/MWSU/INTASC Standards);
- Skilled in the techniques and methods of teaching across a diverse student population (MoSPE/MWSU/INTASC Standards);
- Practiced in the application of six domains of positive teacher dispositions (MWSU Disposition).
Admission Requirements
- ACT composite score of 17 or higher
- Overall GPA of 2.50
- Professional GPA of 3.0
- Content GPA of 3.0
- Completion of EDU 202 with a C or higher and credit in EDU 203
*Contact the Department Chairperson for guidelines and procedures regarding alternative pathways to certification.
Students who choose this bachelor degree program will have no more than 6 years from admission or subsequent declaration to meet the requirements listed below. If certification, accreditation or statutory requirements change and additional requirements become effective during this time, the new requirements take precedence.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies | 42 | |
| Students must complete General Studies courses | ||
| Major Requirements | 80 | |
| EDU 150 | Psychological Development for Children & Adolescents for Educators | 3 |
| EDU 202 | Introduction to Education | 3 |
| EDU 203 | Participation in Teaching I | 1 |
| EDU 225 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EDU 300 | Introduction to Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| EDU 308 | Multicultural Education | 3 |
| EDU 313 | Family, Community, and Schools: Partnering for Young Children | 3 |
| EDU 314 | Issues & Trends in the Education of Young Children and the Management of Programs for Young Children | 3 |
| EDU 315 | Psychology and Education of the Exceptional Child | 3 |
| EDU 316 | Organizing, Developing, and Managing Environments for Young Children | 3 |
| EDU 325 | Introduction to Reading and Language Arts Methods | 5 |
| EDU 332 | Teaching in the Integrated Areas | 3 |
| EDU 333 | Science and Mathematics for Young Children | 3 |
| EDU 334 | Play-Based Instruction | 3 |
| EDU 344 | Early Childhood Assessment | 3 |
| EDU 348 | Language Development for Educators | 3 |
| EDU 351 | Mathematics Methods for Early Childhood and Elementary Educators | 3 |
| EDU 360 | Assessing and Individualizing Reading | 3 |
| EDU 370 | Behavior Management | 3 |
| EDU 374 | Literacy Development in Early Childhood | 3 |
| EDU 376 | Applied Teaching Methods and Management | 3 |
| EDU 377 | School Experience in Teaching | 2 |
| EDU 400 | Seminar in Early Childhood Education and Human Relations | 3 |
| EDU 462 | Early Childhood Student Teaching III | 9 |
| SWK 410 | Family and Child Welfare | 3 |
NOTE: In addition to the above major coursework, students may be required to take an Orientation Workshop, EDU 110. Also, upon Education Department determination, some students will be required to enroll in EDU 200 for state certification requirements.
The Professional Semester - Early Childhood
A student enrolled in Early Childhood Student Teaching will assume the daily teaching schedule of the cooperating teacher.
Early Childhood Student Teaching (EDU 462 Early Childhood Student Teaching III) is to be taken during the student’s senior year. Seminar in Early Childhood Education & Human Relations (EDU 400 Seminar in Early Childhood Education and Human Relations) is to be taken concurrently with Early Childhood Student Teaching. A passing score on the appropriate Content Area Assessment is required before enrollment in EDU 400 Seminar in Early Childhood Education and Human Relations and EDU 462 Early Childhood Student Teaching III.
Course work during the professional education semester is usually limited to EDU 400 Seminar in Early Childhood Education and Human Relations and EDU 462 Early Childhood Student Teaching III. Petition for any additional course work must be submitted to the Education Department in the semester prior to Student Teaching.
Program Graduation Requirements
- Earn an overall GPA of at least 2.50 and a major GPA of 3.0.
- Earn a grade of C or higher in all major coursework.
University Graduation Requirements
- Earn a minimum of 120 credit hours (100 level and higher, maximum of 6 CED credit hours applicable).
- Earn a minimum of 30 credit hours in upper-division courses. Lower-division transfer courses accepted as meeting upper-division departmental course requirements cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.
- Earn 30 of the last 45 credit hours at MWSU in institutional coursework (exclusive of credit by examination).
- Participate in required departmental and campus wide assessments.
- Fulfill the Missouri Constitution requirement.
- Successfully pass the Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement exam.