Early Childhood Education: Education Studies Option (B.S. in Education)
Total Semester Hours Required for the Degree: 121 semester hours
The B.S. in Early Childhood Education, Education Studies option is a non-licensure degree focusing on children birth thru seven years old.
This major requires that all students (including native, transfer students from community colleges or senior institutions, internal transfers, and post-baccalaureate) follow and meet the requirements for Admission and Retention in Teacher Licensure programs as described in the "Teacher Licensure Programs" section of this catalog. Additional information on Admission and Retention is found on the College of Education website at https://www.eiu.edu/coe/teached.php.
Students must receive a "C" or better in all courses used toward graduation, regardless of where they are taken. This includes general education, professional education, major and minor course, all university required courses, and electives. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative and major GPA of 2.65 in order to continue in the program.
Professional Course Work (66-69 hours)
All professional education coursework must be completed with a "C" or better prior to internship.
ART 3440
Art for Teachers in the Elementary Grades. (2 credits)
CDS 2200
Language Acquisition. (3 credits)
EDF 2555G
Education in a Diverse Society: The Multilingual/Multicultural Classroom. (3 credits)
EDU 2022
Teaching and Learning with Technology in Classrooms. (2 credits)
ELE 1050
Introduction to Teaching as a Profession. (1 credits)
ELE 2050
The Whole Child: Teaching and Learning in the Educational Environment. (3 credits)
ELE 3225
Early Childhood Curriculum, Methods, and Assessment: Birth – Age Five. (4 credits)
ELE 3250
Early Childhood Curriculum, Methods, and Assessment in the Primary Grades (K-3). (4 credits)
ELE 3281
Developmental Reading in Early Childhood. (3 credits)
ELE 4100
Assessing Student Learning: A Field-Based Experience. (3 credits)
ELE 4280
Content Area Reading in the Elementary, Middle and Secondary School. (3 credits)
ELE 4770
Teaching Science and Social Science in the Primary Grades (K-3). (3 credits)
ELE 4775
Language and Language Arts in Early Childhood. (3 credits)
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students/English Language Learners: Instructional Methods. (3 credits)
ENG 3405
Children's Literature. (3 credits)
KSR 2400
Introduction to Elementary School Physical Education. (2 credits)
MAT 3420
Teaching Mathematics in Grades PreK-6. (2 credits)
MUS 3420
Music in Elementary Schools. (2 credits)
PUBH 3200
School Health for K-12 Teachers. (3 credits)
SPE 2000
Disabilities in the Context of Education and the Life Span. (2 credits)
SPE 3000
Education of Individuals with Exceptional Learning Needs. (3 credits)
ELE 4275
Internship in Education Studies. (6 to 9 credits)
Departmental Requirements (in addition to University General Education Requirements)
University General Education and additional departmental required courses: 49 semester hours
Some courses may also count toward University general education requirements. Consult with Departmental Advisor.
HIS 3600G
The U.S. Constitution and the Nation. (3 credits)
or
PLS 1153G
American Government and Constitution. (3 credits)
AND
HIS 2010G
History of the United States to 1877. (3 credits)
or
HIS 2020G
History of the United States Since 1877. (3 credits)
AND
BIO 1001G
Biological Principles and Issues. (3 credits)
And one course from the following list:
CHM 1040G
The World of Chemistry. (4 credits)
or
CHM 1310G
General Chemistry I. (3 credits)
and
CHM 1315G
General Chemistry Laboratory I. (1 credits)
or
CHM 3025G
The Chemistry in Your Life. (3 credits)
or
PHY 1051G
Physics of the Modern World. (3 credits)
or
PHY 1052G
Adventures in Physics. (3 credits)
and
PHY 1053G
Adventures in Physics Laboratory. (1 credits)
or
PHY 1151G
Principles of Physics I. (3 credits)
and
PHY 1152G
Principles of Physics I Laboratory. (1 credits)
or
PHY 3050G
Excursions in Physics. (3 credits)
AND
GEO 1120G
The Natural Environment. (4 credits)
or
GEO 1300G
Introduction to Earth Sciences. (4 credits)
or
GEO 1400G
Weather and Climate. (4 credits)
or
GEO 2450G
Oceanography. (3 credits)
or
GEO 3200
Human Impacts on the Environment. (3 credits)
or
PHY 1055G
Principles of Astronomy. (3 credits)
and
PHY 1056G
Principles of Astronomy Laboratory. (1 credits)
or
PHY 3045G
Wonders of Astronomy. (3 credits)
AND
MAT 1420
Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I. (3 credits)
MAT 2420G
Mathematics for Elementary Teachers II. (3 credits)
AND
ENG 1001G
College Composition I: Critical Reading & Source-Based Writing. (3 credits)
ENG 1002G
College Composition II: Argument & Critical Inquiry. (3 credits)
CMN 1310G
Introduction to Speech Communication. (3 credits)
AND
ENG 2901
Structure of English. (3 credits)
or
ENG 3001
Advanced Composition. (3 credits)
AND
English elective from General Education Humanities courses. Credits: 3
AND
Art, Music, or Theatre course from General Education Fine Arts courses. Credits: 3
AND
GEO 1100G
Cultural Geography. (3 credits)
or
GEO 1200G
World Regional Geography. (3 credits)
AND
HIS 3810
History of Illinois. (3 credits)
AND
ANT 2200G
Introduction to Anthropology. (3 credits)
or
ECN 2800G
Economics of Social Issues. (3 credits)
or
PLS 2253G
Introduction to International Relations. (3 credits)
or
PSY 1879G
Introductory Psychology. (3 credits)
or
SOC 2750G
Social Problems in Contemporary Society. (3 credits)
Footnotes:
Senior Seminar must be taken outside of major.
Selection to Teacher Education programs should occur following the freshman year but no later than the end of the sophomore year (for transfer students this should occur no later than the end of their first semester).
Major GPA is based on all coursework taken at EIU.
Information sourced from the 2025-2026 EIU Undergraduate Catalog.
