Program of Study
Early Childhood Education - Bachelor of Arts

Undergraduate students at Roosevelt University can earn a BA degree in education and a Type 04 state teaching certificate in early childhood education.  Integrated with this degree and certificate program is a state approval in early childhood special education.  This means that all students who earn this degree and certificate are eligible to teach in educational settings from birth through 3rd grade, including those in which children with special needs are integrated. 

Admission Requirements

All undergraduates must fulfill Roosevelt University general education requirements before they can be admitted to this degree and certificate program.  In addition, undergraduates must pass the Illinois Test of Basic Skills before enrolling in courses in the College of Education.  A cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required at the time of admission to the program (inclusive of all courses taken as an undergraduate student).  Counselors in the Academic Advising and Assessment Center guide undergraduates through the admission process to the early childhood education program.

Transfer students must provide official transcripts for credit evaluation by a faculty advisor to determine courses that are acceptable toward fulfillment of general education requirements.  Please note that a grade of C or better is required in English and Mathematics courses.  Click here to see a list of the general education requirements for this program.

Degree Requirements

Upon admission to the early childhood education program, undergraduates should make an appointment with a faculty advisor in this area. Faculty advisors will review transcripts and degree and certification requirements, and map out a schedule of future courses.  In general, it is very important for undergraduates to adhere to this schedule since some courses are only offered once a year at the Chicago and Schaumburg campuses.

Degree requirements fall into two areas:

Area of Academic Concentration (18 semester hours)

Early childhood educators need to possess strong backgrounds in content areas relevant to the teaching of young children.  Consequently, all students are required to complete 18 semester hours in an approved area of academic concentration, including 9 semester hours at the 300 level at a four-year institution of higher education.  Commonly approved subject areas include, but are not limited to: Biology, Chemistry, English, Environmental Science, Fine Arts, History, Languages, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Theatre.  Please note that courses from the concentration area may not count toward general education requirements in the social sciences & humanities; in addition, all courses in the academic concentration must be C or better & a minimum 3.0 GPA is required.

Professional Education Coursework (57 semester hours)

The following professional education coursework is required for earning a BA degree and Type 04 certification in early childhood education, with a special education approval.

• EDUC 210 Child Development
• ECHD 338 Introduction to Early Childhood Curriculum (25 hrs field experience required)
• EDUC 303 Health for Educators
• ECHD 305 Assessment in Early Childhood
• ECHD 309 Child, Family & Community
• ECHD 311 History & Philosophy of Early Childhood Education
• SPED 319 Exceptional Children & Youth (25 hrs field experience required)
• EDUC 321 Creative Arts in Education
• ECHD 332 Pre-Primary Science, Math & Social Studies Concepts in Early Childhood Education
• ECHD 333 Primary Science, Math & Social Studies Concepts in Early Childhood Education (25 hrs field experience required)
• ECHD 334 Language Development
• ECHD 337 Literacy in Early Childhood Education: Reading and Language Arts (6 sh) (25 hrs field experience required)
• ECHD 338 Early Childhood Curriculum
• ECHD 382 Early Childhood Special Education Methods (20hrs field experience required)
• EDUC 385 Technology in the Classroom
• ECHD 374 Student Teaching & Seminar in Early Childhood Education:
  Preschool/Kindergarten (6 sh)
• ECHD 375 Student Teaching & Seminar in Early Childhood Education: Primary (6 sh)

Please note that a total of 120 semester hours of academic credit is required for graduation.

Application for Continuing Enrollment

Upon the completion of 6 semester hours of professional education coursework, all early childhood students must submit an Online Application for Continuing Enrollment.  Failure to complete this application at the required time may result in a delay or denial in the awarding of a degree or certification.  Please note that students must have a 3.0 GPA in education courses, and have submitted evidence of passing the Illinois Test of Basic Skills and a fingerprint criminal background check, in order to be admitted for continuing enrollment.

Student Teaching

Early childhood students apply for student teaching one year in advance of their placement.  The deadlines for submitting applications are Nov. 1, for placement the following fall, and March 1, for placement the following spring.  A mandatory Student Teaching Application Orientation is held each semester to prepare students to complete this application.  Applications may be obtained from the main offices of the College of Education in Chicago and Schaumburg.

In order to be eligible for student teaching, students must submit evidence of a passing score on the Early Childhood Subject Matter Test (typically taken one semester in advance of student teaching).  Students also must pass a fingerprint criminal background check and a TB test.  All general education courses, professional education coursework, academic concentration coursework, and field experience requirements must be completed to begin student teaching.

Student teaching courses are taken concurrently during the last semester of academic study; no other courses may be taken at the same time, and students should arrange their schedules so that they are not employed in other jobs during this experience.  Faculty advisors need to be consulted frequently throughout the process leading up to student teaching.

Certification

In order to qualify for Roosevelt University’s recommendation for the early childhood teaching certificate (type 04) and the special education approval, undergraduate students must meet all coursework and test requirements in effect at the time of their application.  Students also must complete 120 hours of field experience.  Before issuing a certificate, the Illinois State Board of Education requires passing scores on the Illinois Test of Basic Skills, the Illinois Early Childhood Subject Matter Test, and the Assessment of Professional Teaching for Early Childhood.  The Assessment of Professional Teaching is typically taken during the student teaching experience but may be taken late in the semester prior to student teaching..

Please note that all requirements for degree and certification are subject to change – please see your advisor each semester.

For more information on certification, please see the College of Education's certification home page.

Request Further Information

Call, write or e-mail today for more information about our BA program in early childhood education.

Lynne Firsel, Ed.D. Faculty 847-619-8470 lfirsel@roosevelt.edu

Jin-ah Kim , Ed.D. Faculty 312-281-3169 jkim@roosevelt.edu