About the B.A. in Early Childhood Education
Our Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education degree program prepares you to work with children from birth through grade 2. In this program, you will do coursework aligned to meet the new Illinois Professional Teaching Standards (IL-PTS). Upon successful completion of all required coursework, you will earn a Professional Educator License (PEL) endorsed for early childhood and self-contained general education (birth to 2nd grade).
Program Highlights
In-Demand Credentials
Not only will you achieve your Professional Educator License on the way to your degree, but you’ll also have the option to obtain Special Education and ELL endorsements, highly sought-after credentials in the job market.
Hands-On Experience
Build your knowledge and expertise with two consecutive terms of student teaching in a primary school setting (grades K-2) under the guidance of an experienced teacher, totaling over 680 hours of field experience.
A History of Excellence
Join a program with 130 years of experience preparing teachers to make a difference and that has graduated more Golden Apple Award winners than any other school in Illinois.
Flexible Class Schedule
Choose from online, campus-based, and blended class formats that allow you to structure your degree around the demands of your everyday life.
Expert Faculty
Learn from real-world practitioners who currently work as teachers, administrators, and leaders in early childhood education. They come to the classroom with a wealth of knowledge, contacts, and resources to shape the next generation of teachers.
What You Will Learn
33% General Skills Development; 67% Major, Concentration, or Minor Coursework: You’ll be given a strong foundation of teaching skills to apply in the classroom from day one. You’ll graduate not only with presentation and lesson-planning skills, but also with an understanding of children’s learning differences and how to best reach them. In addition, our faculty members are well-connected within the field, and the career services team is dedicated to matching students with ideal employment opportunities.
Through the B.A. in Early Childhood Education, you'll learn:
- Principles of child development that affect teaching and learning
- Different instructional and evaluative methods and their historical and theoretical foundations
- Methods for teaching content and skills in a supportive learning environment
- How to incorporate technology into practice
- Techniques for developing curriculum and lesson plans that impact student learning and allow for differentiation
- An appreciation of diverse needs and perspectives in working with children and families
- How to teach fluency in both written and spoken English
Students will graduate with over 100 hours of preclinical experiences in infant/toddler, pre-primary and primary school settings required for the program.
Career Outlook
Kindergarten and elementary school teaching jobs are projected to grow 4% between 2019-2029, keeping pace with the average growth rate for all jobs. Additionally, Illinois has one of the top five highest concentrations of jobs for preschool teachers in the country. The demand for childcare centers and the professionals to staff them will increase as states implement preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-old children. As it stands nearly 25% of preschool-aged children are enrolled in some sort of preschool. The number of subsidies for children from low-income families attending child care programs is rising. In addition to becoming Kindergarten or Pre-K teachers, bachelor’s degree holders in Early Childhood Education are set up for these fast-growing careers:
Child Support Services, +16%
Community Service Manager, +18%
Special Education Teacher, +8%
Early Childhood Education Curriculum Coordinator, +11%
Child Care Center Program Director, +6%
Instructional Coordinator, +11%
