Early Childhood Education, B.A.
The Early Childhood Education program is designed for those interested in teaching children in a pre-kindergarten environment through age eight. Successful completion of the program enables students in Illinois to apply for a Professional Educator License, endorsed for early childhood and self-contained general education (age 0 to grade 2).
Special Admissions Requirements:
Admission to the Early Childhood Education program is a two step process. Students must first be admitted to National Louis University.
Applicants to the Early Childhood Education program must:
Program Details:
- Requires 180 QH, including 60 QH of General Education, for completion
- 60 QH of coursework must be completed at NLU
- Credit by examination is accepted for general education and elective credit
- The Professional Education Sequence and ELL courses must be taken at NLU
- A minimum grade of “C” or better in all courses in the program is required
- A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required
- Students must be admitted to NCE before taking the Professional Sequence and ELL Endorsement Courses
- Requires student teaching. Student teachers spend a minimum of 10- 11 weeks in the classroom at an assigned school.
- Requires practicum
- Requires observation hours
- Requires the following courses to be completed within 6 years of degree completion: ECE 345, RLL 330, ECE 351, ECE 350, ECE 324, RLL 478, MHE 480A, CIS 480A, SCE 480A, ECE 451, ECE 450, and ECE 470
Required Courses
Student Success Seminar- 5 QH
Communications- 15 QH
Humanities- 5 QH
| RLL 220 | Children’s Literature and the Literacy Learning Environment | 5 |
Note: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may only use a course in Children’s Literature substantially equivalent to the National Louis University’s course.
Fine Arts- 5 QH
Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in Introductory Art, Music, or Theater including any Fine Arts History or Appreciation. Studio Arts and Performance courses cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.
Quantitative Reasoning- 10 QH
| LAM 112 | Math Content for Teachers I | 5 |
| LAM 213 | Math Content for Teachers II | 5 |
Life Science - 5 QH
Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in Life Science in lieu of LAN 110.
Social Sciences- 10 QH
| LAS 118 | Introduction to Politics and U.S. Government | 5 |
| and | |
| LAS 203 | Survey of U.S. History | 5 |
Notes: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in Politics or Government and coursework in U.S. History.
Behavioral Science- 5 QH
Additional General Education Requirements - 14 QH
LAN 150 Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in General Chemistry, Chemistry and Society, General Physics, Physics and Society, or Earth Science (which covers at least four areas of physical science) in lieu of LAN 150.
Undergraduate Core - 16 QH
| ECE 210 | History and Philosophy of Education | 3 |
| EPS 300 | Educational Psychology: Theory in Classroom Practice | 5 |
| SPE 300 | Introduction to Special Education and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities | 5 |
| TIE 300 | Introduction to Technology in the Classroom | 3 |
Foundational Coursework - 12 QH
| ECE 205 | Observation and Assessment: Infants, Toddlers, and Two Year Olds | 4 |
| ECE 215 | Speech and Language Development | 3 |
| ECE 220 | Child, Family, and Community | 5 |
Professional Sequence - 48 QH
| CIS 480A | Methods of Teaching Social Studies | 3 |
| ECE 324 | Integrated Preprimary Methodology in Early Childhood Education | 4 TO 5 |
| ECE 345 | Curriculum, Differentiation, and Assessment | 5 |
| ECE 350 | Early Childhood Education: Pre-Primary Practicum Field Experience | 2 |
| ECE 351 | Early Childhood Education: Pre-Primary Practicum Seminar | 3 |
| ECE 450 | Early Childhood Education Primary Practicum Field Experience | 2 |
| ECE 451 | Early Childhood Education Primary Practicum Seminar | 3 |
| ECE 470 | Early Childhood Education: Student Teaching | 12 TO 14 |
| MHE 480A | Methods of Teaching Mathematics | 4 |
| RLL 330 | Foundations of Emergent Literacy | 4 TO 5 |
| RLL 478 | Literacy Methods I | 3 |
| SCE 480A | Methods of Teaching Science | 3 |
Note: ECE 324 and RLL 330 must be taken for 4 QH. Application to participate in ECE 470 must be made two quarters prior to the quarter of the student teaching experience. ECE 470 must be taken for 12 QH.
ELL Endorsement Courses - 30 QH
| CIL 300 | Foundations of ESL and Bilingual Education | 5 |
| CIL 305 | Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language | 5 |
| CIL 306 | Methods and Materials for Teaching Bilingual Education | 5 |
| CIL 310 | Assessment of ESL and Bilingual Education Students | 5 |
| CIL 312 | Reading in a New Language: Linguistic Considerations | 5 |
| CIL 331 | Cross Cultural Education | 5 |
Note: 100 pre-clinical hours are required in ELL.
Early Childhood Education Student Teaching Enrollment Requirements
Admission to and continuance in student teaching are contingent on the following actions.
Candidates must:
- Be accepted into the National College of Education
- File, by the designated deadline, the application form for student teaching
- Submit to their advisor a report of a TB test taken within 90 days of the student teaching placement, results of criminal background check and acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter status form
- Turn in a signed log of all the pre-clinical hours specified in their pre-clinical hours required for the program
- Pass the Early Childhood Content Test (107) before student teaching
- Complete all of their licensure courses except for ECE 470 (Student Teaching)
- Pass all methods courses at National Louis University with a grade no lower than a B
- Participate in faculty assessment and receive approval of his or her portfolio (Livetext)
- Provide evidence of emotional stability, adequate personality adjustment and competency as indicated by licensure coursework and departmental assessments
For more information about this program, visit http://www.nl.edu/academics/educationbachelors/baearlychildhoodeducation/