BS - Early Childhood Education (Licensure Track)

Indiana Wesleyan University’s Bachelor of Science with a major in Early Childhood Education prepares candidates to be recommended for an early childhood, P-3, initial teaching license in the state of Indiana. The program is a 120 credit hour undergraduate program emphasizing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of an early childhood educator’s work with children from birth through age 8. This program includes a minor in Reading. This program prepares the candidate to work in various early childhood settings: P-3 school setting, child care programs, preschool settings, and Head Start programs.

Candidates will participate in multiple field experiences throughout this program. Field experiences occur in a variety of early learning environments and include increasingly interactive experiences in serving learning, volunteering, and teaching. Through field experiences, candidates gain real-world experience working with children, families, and communities.

Candidates completing this program will participate in a 14-week full-time student teaching experience in a P-3 school setting.

Upon completion of the program, candidates will demonstrate the ability to:

• Demonstrate servant leadership attributes for the benefit of young children, families, and/or communities.
• Exhibit service learning practice and principles for the benefit of young children, families, and/or communities. 
• Initiate informed advocacy for the benefit of young children, families, and/or communities. 
• Demonstrate servant leadership attributes for the benefit of young children, families, and/or communities. 
• Exhibit service learning practice and principles for the benefit of young children, families, and/or communities. 
• Initiate informed advocacy for the benefit of young children, families, and/or communities. 
• Demonstrate servant leadership attributes for the benefit of young children, families, and/or communities. 
• Exhibit service learning practice and principles for the benefit of young children, families, and/or communities. 
• Initiate informed advocacy for the benefit of young children, families, and/or communities.

Admission Requirements

All applicants to the licensure track must have:

• Proof of high school graduation or GED certification.

• Submit a signed FERPA Release Form.

• Proof of up-to-date TB test. 

• Most current vaccination record. 

• A signed Field Placement Requirement Notification form

• 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 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 (ED) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
• NOTE: Applicants should be aware that Indiana State Legislation has mandated that expanded background checks are required for those working with students in Indiana schools. Applicants will also be required to adhere to any additional State Mandates required for educators. Though candidates will be required to submit an initial background check and other documentation that is acceptable to the university as part of their application materials, those successful submissions, will only serve to gain admittance to that academic program. All accepted candidates should understand, that at the candidate’s expense, additional background checks, proof of mandated trainings, and/or health related documentation will most likely be required before participating in clinical experiences. 
• 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 candidates will be required to provide passing scores for Indiana’s approved content area examination(s) based on the following schedule, or will be administratively withdrawn from the program:
  • If scheduled for student teaching in September, testing is due the preceding April 1st. 
  • If scheduled for student teaching in January, testing is due the preceding September 1st.
• 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.
• 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 bear the responsibility to determine whether completion of the IWU BS Early Childhood Education program will meet the academic and assessment requirements of the state in which licensure is sought.

Student Teaching and Clinical Experience Requirements

• 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, and/or field 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 and a failing grade will be issued for field experience courses.

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).
• Provide passing scores for all required state licensure content and pedagogy examinations.
• Payment of all tuition and fees is required to receive a diploma.

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-430A	Student Teaching in Early Childhood	6
ECED-430B	Student Teaching in Early Childhood	6

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