Early Childhood Education
(BS in Education)
Students selecting Early Childhood (birth-grade 3) will receive an 04 Certificate. Individuals with an Early Childhood major may achieve Illinois dual endorsements on the State of Illinois Early Childhood certificate by successful completion of Special Education course work (see below).
This major requires that all students (including native, dual majors, transfer students from community colleges or senior institutions, internal transfers, and post-baccalaureate) follow and meet the requirements for Admission, Retention and Graduation from Teacher Certification programs as described in the “Teacher Certification Programs” section of this catalog and as explained at the University Admission to Teacher Education Meeting which all students must attend. Students must gain University Approval to Take Teacher Education Courses no later that the end of their first semester Junior year in order to use this suggested plan. Additional information on Admission, Retention and Graduation for Teacher Certification programs can be found on the College of Education & Professional Studies website at www.eiu.edu/ceps/teached.
All students must pass the Illinois Certification Test of Basic Skills for selection into teacher education and should complete this requirement no later than their sophomore year.
Students must receive a “C” or better in all professional education courses and maintain a minimum cumulative and major GPA of 2.65 in order to continue in the program.
Professional Course Work
- Concentration 1: Special Education
(See footnote 2) - Concentration 2: Child and Family Studies
(See footnote 3)
or MUS 3420
(See footnote 1)
(See footnote 2)
or ART 2440
(See footnote 4)
Footnotes:
1 ELE 4000 must be taken twice.
2 Individuals with an Early Childhood major may achieve Illinois dual endorsements on the State of Illinois Early Childhood certificate by successful completion of: SPE 2000, 3000, 3220, 3600, 4720, 4820, 4920 and 4925, and student teaching 8 sem. hrs. in an Early Childhood Special Education preschool setting with 8 sem. hrs. in a primary (first, second or third grade) classroom. Individuals will also delete FCS 4854 and substitute SPE 4600 to accomplish the dual endorsement requirements. All courses must be completed with a “C” or better, and practica must be successfully completed.
3 Fifteen semester hours (6 semester hours upper division credit) from Family & Consumer Sciences, Sociology, or Psychology. See advisor for suggested courses.
4 Must be taken prior to student teaching.
Early Childhood Education Certificate (Birth-Grade 3) Concentration: Child & Family Studies
Early Childhood Education majors pursuing the Child & Family Studies concentration must complete fifteen semester hours, six of which must be at the upper division level, from Family & Consumer Sciences, Sociology, or Psychology. See advisor for suggested concentration courses.
Suggested Four-Year Plan of Study
A possible four-year plan of study for the Early Childhood Education major follows. (Note: An additional semester will be required if the Foreign Language graduation requirement has not been met prior to EIU admission.) This plan includes all university general education requirements as well as all professional education coursework required for this major. Other plans are possible and the student should consult with his/her advisor to develop the study plan best suited to his/her needs and interests.
First Year, First Semester - Total Hours: 15
- Concentration: Lower Division. Credits: 3
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
First Year, Second Semester - Total Hours: 15-16
- Physical Sience G Elective. Credits: 3-4
(See footnote 5) - Humanities G ART or Music. Credits: 3
- Concentration: Lower Division. Credits: 3
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
Second Year, First Semester - Total Hours: 17
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. Selection requires that students pass the Illinois Certification Test of Basic Skills.
- Humanities G ENG. Credits: 3
- Humanities G Elective. Credits: 3
- Social/Behavioral Science Elective. Credits: 3
(See footnote 4)
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
Second Year, Second Semester - Total Hours: 14-15
- Physical Science Elective. Credits: 3-4
- Concentrtion: Lower Division. Credits: 3
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
Third Year, First Semester - Total Hours: 17
University Approval to Take Teacher Education Courses should occur at the end of the first semester junior year with Formal University Admission to Teacher Education occurring at the end of the junior year. See the Teacher Certification Program section of this catalog for more information.
- Concentration: Upper Division. Credits: 3
- Science Elective. Credits: 1-2
or MUS 3420
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
or Art 2440
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
Third Year, Second Semester - Total Hours: 16
- Block I (See footnote +)
- Concentration: Upper Division. Credits: 3
(See footnotes +, 1)
(See footnotes +, 1)
(See footnotes +, 1, 3)
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
Fourth Year, First Semester - Total Hours: 16
Departmental Approval to Student Teach must be granted prior to Student Teaching. Students must also pass the Illinois Certification Subject Area test for Early Childhood Education prior to student teaching.
- Block II
(See footnote +) - Senior Seminar. Credits: 3
(See footnote 2) - Social/Behavioral Science Elective. Credits: 3
(See footnote +, 1, 3)
(See footnote +, 1)
(See footnote +, 1)
(See footnote +, 1)
Fourth Year, Second Semester - Total Hours: 17
Footnotes:
+ Requires a “C” or better
1 Requires University Approval to Take Teacher Education Courses.
2 Senior Seminar must be taken outside of major
3 ELE 4000 must be taken twice
4 Elective must meet University requirements Gen Ed Diversity
5 Select course from CHM 1040G, CHM 1310G/1315G, CHM 2040G, PHY 1052G/1053G, PHY 1151G/1152G, or PHY 3050G.
Early Childhood Education Certificate (Birth-Grade 3) Concentration: Special Education
Individuals may achieve Illinois dual endorsements on the State of Illinois Early Childhood certificate by successful completion of the following course work plan.
Suggested Four-Year Plan of Study
First Year, First Semester - Total Hours: 16
or MUS 3420 (See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
or ART 2440 (See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
First Year, Second Semester - Total Hours: 15-16
- Physical Science G Elective. Credits: 3-4
(See footnote 5) - Humanities G ART or Music. Credits: 3
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
Second Year, First Semester - Total Hours: 16
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. Selection requires that students pass the Illinois Certification Test of Basic Skills.
- Humanities G ENG. Credits: 3
- Social/Behavioral Science Elective. Credits: 3
(See footnote 4)
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
Second Year, Second Semester - Total Hours: 15-16
- Physical Science Elective. Credits: 3-4
- Humanities G Elective. Credits: 3
(See footnote +)
(See footnote +)
Third Year, First Semester - Total Hours: 16
University Approval to Take Teacher Education Courses should occur at the end of the first semester junior year with Formal University Admission to Teacher Education occurring at the end of the junior year. See the Teacher Certification Program section of this catalog for more information.
- Block I
(See footnote +)
(See footnotes +, 1)
(See footnotes +, 1)
(See footnotes +, 1, 3)
(See footnotes +, 1)
Third Year, Second Semester - Total Hours: 17
- Social/Behavioral Science Elective. Credits: 3
- Senior Seminar. Credits: 3
(See footnote 2)
(See footnote +)
(See footnote 1)
Fourth Year, First Semester - Total Hours: 18
Departmental Approval to Student Teach must be granted prior to Student Teaching. Students must also pass the Illinois Certification Subject Area test for Early Childhood Education prior to student teaching.
- Block II
(See footnote +) - Science Elective. Credits: 2
(See footnote +, 1, 3)
(See footnote +, 1)
(See footnote +, 1)
(See footnote +, 1)
Fourth Year, Second Semester - Total Hours: 17
Footnotes:
+ Requires a “C” or better
1 Requires University Approval to Take Teacher Education Courses.
2 Senior Seminar must be taken outside of major.
3 ELE 4000 must be taken twice.
4 Elective must meet University requirements Gen Ed Diversity
5 Select course from CHM 1040G, CHM 1310G/1315G, CHM 2040G, PHY 1052G/1053G, PHY 1151G/1152G, or PHY 3050G.
Information sourced from the 2004-2005 EIU Undergraduate Catalog.