Educational Studies (Early Childhood Studies)

The BAE program in educational studies with a concentration in early childhood studies prepares students for careers working with and advocating for children from birth to age 5. 

Students gain skills in communication, critical thinking and leadership so they can  positively affect school readiness for children from birth to age 5. Through online coursework, students deepen their understanding of the social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of young children. Students learn to set developmentally appropriate learning goals, create and support effective instructional strategies and develop highly individualized instruction for young learners. 

This program integrates experiential learning opportunities into the curriculum, allowing students to put coursework into practice. Students must be able to work or volunteer with learners in an early childhood setting for at least 15 hours per month throughout their junior and senior year.

Transfer students who already have an AAS degree in early childhood education or a closely related field should consider the BAS in Applied Science (Early Childhood Studies) program, which has a parallel curriculum.

This program does not lead to teacher certification. Students seeking teacher certification should enroll in one of the other Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College undergraduate programs.