B.S. in Early Childhood Education

Colorado State University

The ECE-L degree enables students to apply for Early Childhood with teacher licensure and Director Qualification in the state of Colorado. The program will qualify students to engage in a number of early childhood professions including teaching grades Pre-K to 3rd in public or private schools in Colorado, teaching in Head Start or other preschool or child care programs, providing infant and toddler programming, establishing a business as a family child care or a child care center, and serving as director of a child care center. An understanding of human development and family studies provides a strong foundation for students desiring a license to teach young children between the ages of 0 and 8. Knowledge of lifespan developmental processes and family systems prepares future teachers to work in partnership with families in educating children. Students who earn the ECE-L degree also earn a minor in HDFS without taking additional coursework. Students are encouraged to declare the ECE major during their freshman or sophomore years and are required to meet with their HDFS advisor during the first semester of their sophomore year. Following a review process, ECE students transition into the formal teacher licensure program in semester 4, when the ECE-L designation will be added to their academic record. Students are encouraged to carefully review the program of study as some requirements must be completed before beginning teacher licensure coursework (e.g., the EDUC sequence). Students move through licensure coursework as a cohort, starting fall semester of junior year. Students in the ECE-L major achieve both Early Childhood Education core learning outcomes obtained through HDFS and EDUC courses, and the educator competencies required by the Colorado Department of Education for Early Childhood Education teacher licensure.

College of Health and Human Sciences