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College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions

BS in Early Childhood Education

At a Glance

Our bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education will give you the knowledge and training to pursue a variety of careers in public and private schools as well as childcare centers and community programs. The degree leads to preparation for Connecticut teacher certification with a focus in birth to age 5/kindergarten or nursery/preschool through grade 3.

Full Time
Rolling Admission

Degrees Offered

Total Credits

Bachelor of Science

125

About the Major

For Placement Only

Our program in Early Childhood Education prepares students for careers working in school settings (including as certified public school teachers) with children between birth and kindergarten or nursery and third grade. The program addresses the theories and the physical, cognitive, language, social, emotional, and creative development of young children. 

In our Early Childhood program, you’ll receive extensive professional preparation including site-based observations, real-world fieldwork experiences, and two student teaching semesters in area schools. A key focus of our Early Childhood program is the integration of services for children, including the needs of the family and collaboration with other professions.

Program highlights:

  • Learning focuses on the complete early childhood span from infants through age 8.
  • The program integrates understanding of typical and atypical child development to prepare students to teach children across the learning spectrum.
  • Cross-disciplinary coursework includes early childhood development, psychology, sociology, and teacher preparation.
  • Our small class sizes allow students to receive plenty of individual mentoring from our experienced faculty.

Students have placements with children in pre-k or kindergarten and then, depending upon areas of interest, complete another placement in either birth to pre-k or grades 1, 2, and 3.

Accelerated 4+1 Program

Fast-track your education by earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree in only five years in our 4+1 option. You can earn a BS in Early Childhood Education and a Master of Education (MEd) in Special Education Cross-Endorsement in one program. The entire curriculum can be completed in five years, including summer classes after your senior year. 

Connecticut and many other states require teachers to complete a master’s degree in order to maintain their teaching certification. In addition, teachers with master’s degrees typically earn higher salaries than those with only a bachelor’s degree.

The MEd in Special Education Cross-Endorsement is a 36-credit program and includes 14 weeks of student teaching.

Additional benefits:

The UHart Difference

On-Campus Magnet School
front entrance of University Magnet School

The University of Hartford Magnet School, a pre-K to grade 5 elementary school, is one of several schools located on campus or within walking distance. All provide opportunities for fieldwork and student teaching.

  • Real-world learning begins right away - you’ll have supervised classroom experience beginning your first semester.
  • With five schools on campus or within walking distance, we have multiple opportunities for teacher training right in our backyard.
  • Undergraduates can pursue research with our experienced faculty members.
  • In our honors program you can complete an honors thesis or independent project. You can also join the UHart chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society in education.
  • Class sizes are small, and you’ll receive ample individual mentoring from our faculty.

Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education is a 125 credit program.  In addition to General Education Requirements, students must complete additional courses in the following areas. This is just a sample of available courses; view the complete curriculum here.

Professional Education Courses - 27 credits

Introduction to Education: Schooling and Human Services

Psychology of Exceptionalities

Educational Psychology

Assessment of the Whole Child

Working with Families and Community Services

Human Growth and Development - 15 credits

Human Development

Infant and Child Development

The Sociology of the Family

Option 1: Birth-Kindergarten Endorsement - 18 credits

Birth-3: Early Identification and Intervention

Student Teaching: Nursery-Kindergarten

Student Teaching: Infant/Toddler

Programs and Curriculum for Exceptional Children

Option 2: PreK-Grade 3 Endorsement - 19 credits

Reading and Language Arts Instruction

Foundations of Literacy Learning

Student Teaching: Nursery-Kindergarten

Student Teaching: Grades 1-3

Option 3: Early Childhood Teacher Credential (ECTC) - 18 credits

Birth-3: Early Identification & Intervention

Programs and Curriculum for Exceptional Children

Professional Internship

Career Outlook

For Placement Only

Job growth for preschool teachers is projected to grow 10 percent from 2016 to 2026 according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth is expected due to a continued focus on the important of early childhood education.

Real-world learning from the start

All of UHart's education programs get students out into the classroom starting in your first semester, giving you hands-on experience with children right from the start. Hear more from student Brian Durocher '21 and Department Chair Sheetal Sood in this short video.

Admission

Students applying to the early childhood education program are accepted for admission in either the fall or the spring semester. Although there are no strict application deadlines, we recommend that you apply by December 1 for entrance in January and by March 1 for entrance in September.

For admission to programs in the Department of Education, 16 units of secondary subjects are expected and should include the following at a minimum:

  • English, 4 units
  • Social studies, 2 units
  • Foreign language, 2 units
  • Science, 2 units
  • Mathematics, 2 units (including 1 unit of algebra)
  • Other academic subjects, 4 units

Professional Program Requirements

Education students must apply for admission to the professional program during the fall of sophomore year. Professional program admission requirements include:

  • SAT, ACT or Praxis Core scores. Although the University does not require SAT, ACT or Praxis scores for admission, the State of Connecticut requires these scores for teaching certification.
  • Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
  • Completed dispositions interview form  

Please see the Catalog for grade requirements for preprofessional and professional level courses.

Transfer Admission

To transfer into a teacher education program as a college junior (48 credits or more), you must show evidence of having taken the SAT, ACT, or the Praxis Core. In addition, you must have obtained a minimum of a 3.0 (B) grade point average (GPA) in your previous coursework. Your ability to complete the program in two calendar years will depend on the specific courses required and your flexibility regarding summer coursework. Once admitted you must immediately complete the Professional Program Application. We would be happy to review your records and map out a sample plan of study. Please contact the Office of Admission:

Office of Admission
860.768.4296
admission@hartford.edu

Additional Information

Upon completion of the program, candidates will:

PLANNING: Apply a variety of developmentally appropriate strategies and differentiation techniques when planning for educational and caring environments for young children birth to age 8.

ASSESSMENT: Assess young children in the classroom environment using non-invasive, developmentally appropriate strategies for collecting, organizing, and analyzing information.

ADAPT INSTRUCTION: Plan and adapt instruction for all children between the ages of birth through age 8, taking into account each child’s diversity.

INSTRUCTION: Utilize teacher inquiry inclusive of student work sampling to inform an effective teaching practice that reflects appropriate instructional strategies respectful of all forms of diversity in order to achieve successful student outcomes.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION: Effectively articulate a philosophy of working with children and families, communities and community agencies, and related educational and support professionals.

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS: Knowing the ethical guidelines for early childhood practice includes the following: Reflect on their practice in light of research on teaching and resources available for professional learning. Connect to the professional community through professional associations and opportunities for ongoing professional development. Be Informed advocates acting on behalf of children and their families.

If you are a full-time undergraduate student applying to the early childhood education program, you will be considered for financial aid programs that the University administers. In addition to our own funds, the University participates in all Federal Title IV programs and Federal Family Education Loan programs. Residents of Connecticut and those states with reciprocal agreements with the State of Connecticut may also be eligible to receive state scholarships or grants.

View detailed Information on tuition and fees here

View financial aid information here

Phone: 860.768.4296

finaid@hartford.edu

Department of Education 

860.768.5263

deptofed@hartford.edu

Accreditation

Accreditation and State of Connecticut Certification

Certification programs in the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions are accredited based on the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) through the CAEP Accreditation System (CAEP), as well as the State of Connecticut Department of Education. The Educational Testing Service's Praxis II exam is utilized for certification of teachers in Connecticut. See Pass rate.

Professional Licensing Disclosure

Visit Out-of-State Educators to see the Connecticut State Department of Education reciprocity agreement. The NASDTEC website details the interstate reciprocity agreement across states.

 

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