Early Childhood Education BSEd, Special Education Emphasis
Undergraduate educator preparation is both engaging and innovative. Our high quality undergraduate educator preparation programs are designed around research-based scholarship and practical community-based contexts. To prepare our undergraduate students as the highest quality educators for our region, we contribute to and harness the resources of our deep community partnerships. The community-based experiences broaden candidates’ understanding of their own identity as educators as well as enhancing their ability to build relationships, extend their skills, and understand family/community dynamics and interactions.
The Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) in Early Childhood Education prepares those who desire to teach birth through grade 3. Students electing this program will work directly with young children as a part of the professional courses offered. The curriculum provides learning background, applied knowledge, and best practice interventions for children of diverse populations who demonstrate varied abilities and levels of developmental growth.
Early Childhood Education with an add-on Early Childhood Special Education can be achieved with courses satisfactorily completed in this program of study. The core courses are combined with the emphasis area in Early Childhood Special Education. Please see the degree requirements listed below.
The Bachelor’s of Science in Early Childhood Education degree prepares candidates to teach in early childhood and preschool settings. Candidates who complete this program are eligible for Missouri teacher certification in Early Childhood (Birth-Grade 3).
University General Education and Graduation Requirements
Education majors must complete all General Education requirements and Graduation Requirements of the University as outlined in this Bulletin.
The courses listed below fulfill General Education requirements and best prepare students for advanced education coursework and licensure exams.
| First Year Writing | ||
| ENGL 1100 | First-Year Writing (MOTR ENGL 200) | 3 |
| Communication Proficiency | ||
| EDUC 2222 | Interpretation: Connecting Audiences and Meaning | 3 |
| or COMM 1040 | Introduction to Public Speaking (MOTR COMM 110) | |
| Mathematics Proficiency | ||
| MATH 1020 | Contemporary Mathematics (MOTR MATH 120) | 3 |
| or MATH 1030 | College Algebra (MOTR MATH 130) | |
| Information Literacy | ||
| ED TECH 2230 | Information Literacy | 3 |
| US History and Government | ||
| POL SCI 1100 | Introduction to American Politics (MOTR POSC 101) | 3 |
| or HIST 1001 | American Civilization to 1865 (MOTR HIST 101) | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts | ||
| Choose any 9 hours from approved fields. | 9 | |
| Social Sciences | ||
| Choose any 9 hours. At least one course must meet the cultural diversity requirement. | 9 | |
| Math and Life/Natural Sciences | ||
| Choose any 9 hours. | 9 | |
| Junior Level Writing | ||
| ENGL 3100 | Junior-Level Writing | 3 |
| Total Hours | 45 | |
Program Requirements
All candidates in the B.S.Ed. Early Childhood Education program are required to successfully complete the following Teacher Education courses as well as the required Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) performance assessment.
Professional Education courses must be completed with a grade of C or better (a grade of C- or below must be retaken).
To be recommended for certification, candidates must satisfy all DESE requirements for grade point average and for certification-specific assessments.
Preparing for the Teacher Education Program
The following courses must be completed prior to applying for admission to the teacher education program:
| TCH ED 1000 | Building Community, Culture, and Learning in Education | 1 |
| TCH ED 1001 | Early Clinical Experience: Community Agency | 1 |
| TCH ED 2000 | Becoming a Professional Educator | 1 |
| TCH ED 2001 | Early Clinical Experience: Schools | 1 |
| TCH ED 2209 | Foundations of Teaching in American Schools | 2 |
| ED PSY 2212 | Child and Adolescent Development | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Teacher Education Program
The following courses are completed after acceptance into the teacher education program:
| ART ED 2179 | Visual Art Activities for Elementary School | 3 |
| MUS ED 2770 | An Introduction to Music for the Elementary School Teacher | 3 |
| HLTH PE 3432 | Teaching Health and Physical Education in Elementary Schools | 3 |
| TCH ED 3001 | Mid-Level Clinical Experience: Diverse Learners | 1 |
| TCH ED 3212 | Sociolinguistics and Communication in the Classroom | 3 |
| ED PSY 3312 | Psychology of Learning, Instruction, and Assessment | 3 |
| ELE ED 3339 | Teaching Elementary Literacy in Inclusive Settings: Literacy Instruction and Learning | 4 |
| ELE ED 4246 | Teaching Elementary Mathematics in Inclusive Settings I | 3 |
| ELE ED 4342 | Teaching Elementary Mathematics in Inclusive Settings II | 3 |
| SPEC ED 3318 | Inclusive Classrooms | 3 |
| SPEC ED 4323 | Classroom Management and Positive Behavioral Supports in Inclusive Educational Settings | 3 |
| Total Hours | 32 | |
Emphasis Area Requirements
In addition to the above courses, students must complete all required coursework for the emphasis area in Early Childhood Special Education:
| ECH ED 3302 | Introduction to Inclusive Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| ECH ED 3303 | Curriculum and Practice Laboratory: Infant/Toddler | 1 |
| ECH ED 3304 | Curriculum and Practice Laboratory: Preschool | 1 |
| ECH ED 3313 | Curriculum and Practice: Infant/Toddler | 2 |
| ECH ED 3314 | Curriculum and Practice: Preschool Education | 2 |
| ECH ED 3332 | Literacy, Learning and Instruction For The Young Child | 3 |
| ECH ED 3350 | Family and Professional Partnerships within School/Community | 3 |
| SPEC ED 4315 | Language and Communication of Children with Special Needs | 3 |
| ECH ED 4317 | Implementation, Evaluation, and Assessment in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| ECH ED 4348 | The Acquisition of Mathematical and Science Concepts | 3 |
| Total Hours | 24 | |
The program will culminate in the completion of two sequential site-based practicum experience courses.
| ECH ED 4989 | Practicum I: Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Special Education Site Based Experience | 3 |
| ECH ED 4990 | Practicum II: Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Special Education Site Based Experience | 12 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Total Credit Hours: 126
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to:
- Continually reflect on professional growth to improve student learning outcomes/enhance student learning.
- Integrate technology to create meaningful student learning within the context of a global digital society.
- Apply content and pedagogical knowledge to create authentic and deep learning experiences.
- Use learning science principles to design, implement, and evaluate curriculum based on learning standards.
- Foster effective working relationships with students, school colleagues, families, and community members to enhance student learning and well-being.
- Design and establish a safe, inclusive, and respectful learning environment that nurtures the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students.
- Use equitable frameworks and inclusive practices to create a variety of instructional and assessment opportunities adapted to diverse learners to encourage all students’ critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.