Early Childhood Education, BS
for the degree of Bachelor of Science Major in Early Childhood Education (on campus & online)
The Early Childhood Education, BS prepares student candidates to teach birth to grade 2. A minimum of 120 semester hours of credit is necessary for graduation.
Students pursuing teacher licensure programs in the College of Education (COE) must meet requirements in a series of sequential gateways. Included in the gateway requirements are successful completion of specified coursework, achievement of appropriate grade point averages, requirements for clinical experiences, and appropriate tests for the licensure area. Meeting all Gateway requirements leads to degree and licensure completion.
In order to be recommended for licensure, candidates are required to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (A=4.0). Candidates in teaching licensure programs must maintain a C- or better in ALL content and professional education coursework. For teacher education licensure requirements applicable to all curricula, see the Council on Teacher Education.
Licensure requirements are subject to change without notice as a result of new mandates from the Illinois State Board of Education or the Illinois General Assembly.
This is a Gateways to Opportunity approved program.
for the degree of Bachelor of Science Major in Early Childhood Education (on campus & online)
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation Seminar | ||
| EDUC 101 | Education Orientation Seminar | 1 |
The following degree requirements also meet general education course requirements and must be selected from the campus general education course list. Across these gen ed categories, students will need to take at least one course from each of the following four different rubrics: ECON, GEOG, HIST, PS to meet the ISBE Social Science requirement.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | ||
| Composition | ||
| Composition I | 4-6 | |
| Advanced Composition | 3-4 | |
| Natural Sciences and Technology | ||
Required to meet ISBE Science requirement. Exclusions apply including, but not limited to: Horticulture, Dance, and Urban Planning. Must be a science rubric. Consult with advisors for further information. | ||
| Life Science | 3-4 | |
| Physical Science | 3-4 | |
| Earth and Space Science 2 | 3-4 | |
Courses must be selected from a College of Education approved list. | ||
| Cultural Studies | ||
| Western/Comparative Cultures | 3-4 | |
| U.S. Minority Cultures | 3-4 | |
| Non-Western | 3-4 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | ||
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 6-8 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning I | 3-5 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning I or II | 3-4 | |
| Humanities and the Arts | ||
| Humanities and the Arts | 6 | |
| Intro Psych (Recommended course, a prerequisite for EPSY 201) | ||
| Language other than English | ||
| Three years of one language other than English in high school or completion of the third semester of college-level language. | 0-12 | |
The total hours required for the degree may be higher for students who have not already completed the language other than English requirement. | ||
| Electives | ||
| Elective Courses (if needed to complete the 120 hour graduation requirement) | 0-6 | |
A maximum of six hours of upper-level ROTC coursework can count toward the degree as free electives. | ||
| Professional Education | ||
| ART 201 | Art in Early Childhood | 2 |
| CI 415 | Language Varieties, Cultures and Learning | 3 |
| CI 420 | Foundations of Early Childhood Education | 5 |
| CI 421 | Principles and Practices in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| CI 422 | Families, Communities, Schools | 3 |
| CI 424 | Child Development & Technology | 3 |
| CI 443 | Mathematics in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| CI 445 | Science and Social Studies Inquiry | 3 |
| CI 465 | Language Literacy in Early Childhood Education I | 3 |
| CI 466 | Language Literacy in Early Childhood Education II | 3 |
| EDPR 420 | School Access & Supports | 4 |
| EDPR 432 | Ed Prac in EC & ELED | 12 |
| EDUC 201 & EDUC 202 | Identity and Difference in Education and Social Justice, School and Society | 6 |
| EPSY 201 | Educational Psychology (PSYC 100 is the prerequisite) | 3 |
| EPSY 401 | Child Language and Education | 3 |
| HDFS 301 | Infancy & Early Childhood | 4 |
| MUS 345 | Mus Methods in Early Childhood | 2 |
| SPED 414 | Assessment in Early Childhood Special Education | 3 |
| SPED 450 | Introduction to Early Childhood Special Education | 2 |
| SPED 465 | Curriculum and Methods in Early Childhood Special Education | 3 |
| Total minimum hours for degree | 120 | |
for the degree of Bachelor of Science Major in Early Childhood Education (on campus & online)
Sample Sequence
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a third level of a language other than English. For more information, see the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| EDUC 101 | 1 | Composition I or General Education course | 3 |
| EDUC 201 | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Composition I or General Education course | 4 | General Education course | 3 |
| Language Other Than English (3rd level) or Elective course | 4 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Elective course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| CI 415 | 3 | EDUC 202 | 3 |
| EPSY 201 | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Elective course | 3 | Elective course | 3 |
| Elective course | 3 | Elective course | 1 |
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| CI 422 | 3 | CI 420 | 5 |
| CI 465 | 3 | CI 424 | 3 |
| EPSY 401 | 3 | CI 443 | 3 |
| HDFS 301 | 4 | CI 466 | 3 |
| SPED 450 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| ART 201 | 2 | CI 445 | 3 |
| CI 421 | 3 | EDPR 432 | 12 |
| EDPR 420 | 4 | ||
| MUS 345 | 2 | ||
| SPED 414 | 3 | ||
| SPED 465 | 3 | ||
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||
for the degree of Bachelor of Science Major in Early Childhood Education (on campus & online)
- Students will acquire deep knowledge of child development as it relates to the field of Education.
- Students will effectively plan and implement relevant, culturally responsive and developmentally appropriate instruction children from birth to grade two.
- Students will use assessment data to drive decisions and solve problems in and out of the classroom.
- Students will display the expectations of professionalism related to success in the field of education and beyond (fairness, commitment to collaboration, community, reflective practice, and attention to 21st century skills and practices).
for the degree of Bachelor of Science Major in Early Childhood Education (on campus & online)
College of Education
Education Building, 1310 S. Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820
College of Education website
Department of Curriculum & Instruction
306 Education Building
Department of Curriculum & Instruction email: ci@education.illinois.edu
(217) 244-8286
Department of Curriculum & Instruction website
Department of Curriculum & Instruction faculty
Office of Undergraduate Programs
110 Education Building
Education Academic Affairs email: saao@education.illinois.edu
(217) 333-2800
Admissions & Academics website
Student Academic Affairs website