BS - Early Childhood Education (Licensure Track)

This program prepares candidates to be recommended for an early childhood, P-3, initial teaching license in the state of Indiana.

Admission Requirements

All applicants to the licensure track must have:

Proof of high school graduation or GED certification.
Applicants who do not hold a valid license in the field of education will be required to submit a criminal history background check conducted at the applicant's expense. Admission to and/or progression in designated programs will be based upon criteria set in the SoEL Criminal History Background Check Admissions Policy.
Original transcripts from all previous college or university study at a college or university that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education (USDoE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Minimum subtest scores for math, reading, and writing from one of the following approved testing options:
- Praxis® Core Academic Skills for Educators Tests
  - Math score of at least 160
  - Reading score of at least 165
  - Writing score of at least 165
- ACT
  - Math score of at least 21
  - Reading score of at least 21
  - Writing score of at least 6
- SAT
  - If taken before March 1, 2016
    - Composite score of 1100 based on Critical Reading and Math
    - Essay score of at least 5
  - If taken on or after March 1, 2016
    - Math score of at least 530
    - Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of at least 540
    - Essay-Writing score of at least 5
- GRE
  - If taken on or after August 1, 2011
    - Quantitative Reasoning score of at least 150
    - Verbal Reasoning score of at least 150
    - Analytical Writing score of at least 3.5
- Or, a graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution
Prior completion of at least 48 transferable credit hours from a regionally accredited college or university or an institution accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education is required before the candidate is eligible to start a bachelor core program.

Program Requirements

All BS Early Childhood Education students will be required to provide passing scores of the state's licensing content test(s) by the end of ECED-405 or will be administratively withdrawn from the program.
The BS-Early Childhood Licensure Program is a lock-step program.Students who are unable to complete an ECED course or who receive an unsatisfactory grade for their specific program will be allowed to repeat that course with another group of students if arrangements are made with the Registration Change Counselor and the School of Educational Leadership. Tuition and fees will be charged for repeating the course.

Completion Requirements

Upon completion of the BS Early Childhood Education Licensure Program, candidates will be recommended for P-3 Educator Licensure in the state of Indiana. Candidates seeking licensure in states other than Indiana must first obtain their Indiana educator license and then seek licensure, in their state of choice, through possible reciprocity agreements.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate from Indiana Wesleyan University with a Bachelor's degree with a major in Early Childhood Education, the following requirements must be met:

Completion of 120 credit hours.
Completion of the required prerequisite and core courses with a minimum grade of "C" and a minimum GPA of 2.75.
Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher.
Completion of 30 hours of general education requirements as specified (General Education Requirements).
Successfully pass the admission, mid-program review, and program completion gateways.

Student Teaching

All candidates must complete fourteen weeks of full-time student teaching in a P-3 setting.
All core course work prior to the required 14-week student teaching must be completed with a minimum grade of no less than "C" in each core course to be eligible to student teach.
All placements for student teaching will be made by the Office of Clinical Experiences. Candidates are not to contact any school or attempt to secure their own student teaching assignment at any time.
Removal from a student teaching experience may result in the candidate being permanently withdrawn from the program. A grade of "No Credit" will be issued for the student teaching course.

Early Childhood Education (BS) Licensure Track - Program of Study

Prerequisites

Candidates may be enrolled in the Early Childhood Education (BS) Licensure Track Program of Study, but must complete the following courses prior to starting the Core Courses.

ECED-101	Foundations of Early Childhood	3
ECED-105	Child Growth and Development	3
ECED-125	Current Issues and Trends in Early Childhood	3
ECED-130	Parents, Families, and Communities As Partners	3
ECED-135	Emergent Literacy	3

Core Courses

ECED-305	Educational Psychology for Early Learners	3
ECED-301	Infant/Toddler Care-on-Demand Environments	3
ECED-302	Infant/Toddler Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment	3
ECED-303	Literature Focused Preschool Environments	3
ECED-304	Preschool Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment	3
ECED-322	Early Childhood Special Education	3
ECED-325	Foundations of Reading and Language Structure	3
ECED-332	Instructional Tools for the Teaching of Reading	3
ECED-331	Literacy in the Primary Grades	3
ECED-401	STEM Concepts in the Primary Grades	3
ECED-405	Social Studies and Fine Arts in the Primary Grades	3
ECED-411	Classroom Management in the Primary Grades	3
ECED-422	Advocacy Internship in Early Childhood	3
ECED-430	Student Teaching in Early Childhood	12

Minor in Reading

The minor in Reading is comprised of five previously completed prerequisite (ECED-135) and core (ECED-303, ECED-325, ECED-331, ECED-332) courses.

ECED-135	Emergent Literacy	3
ECED-303	Literature Focused Preschool Environments	3
ECED-325	Foundations of Reading and Language Structure	3
ECED-331	Literacy in the Primary Grades	3
ECED-332	Instructional Tools for the Teaching of Reading	3
Total Credit Hours:		66