Early Childhood Education, Post Baccalaureate
The Post Baccalaureate non-degree program is designed to allow students with a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field to obtain the Illinois Professional Educator License with an Early Childhood Endorsement (Birth – Grade 2). This program is intended for students with an education background who wish to get licensed in Early Childhood Education. Since the program coursework mirrors that of the B.A. in Early Childhood Education program at NLU, the design of the Post Baccalaureate non-degree program supports candidate readiness to meet the requirements for licensure with great success.
The Post Baccalaureate non-degree program includes a full year of classroom experience in two approved early childhood setting, PreK- Grade 2.
The program is offered fully online or in a blended format.
For more information on state licensure and certification information please visit NLU’s Public Disclosures page.
In addition to National Louis University Undergraduate Admission Requirements, applicants must:
- Graduate from NLU's Early Childhood Practice or Kendall College's Early Childhood Education program, or another University's non-licensure B.A. program in Early Childhood Education or related field
- Have completed all previous baccalaureate coursework with a grade of "C" or better as a requirement for Licensure in the state of Illinois
Program Details:
- Requires 81 QH for completion
- Candidates must complete the following General Education coursework determined by transcript evaluation prior to the beginning of student teaching:
- Science- coursework covering at least three of the following ares: physical, life science, and earth & space
- Social Science- coursework covering at least four of the following areas: history, geography, civics and government, economics of Illinois, US and the world
- Requires a minimum GPA of 2.5 for all Post Baccalaureate coursework with a grade of "C" or better in each course required for Licensure in the state of Illinois
- Requires completion of all Professional Sequence courses at NLU
ECE Post Baccalaureate Non-Degree Program
Early Childhood Foundational Courses
| EAL 300 | Educational Foundations for Learning English as an Additional Language | 5 |
| ECE 200 | Early Childhood Learning, Growth & Development | 5 |
| ECE 324 | Integrated Preprimary Methodology in Early Childhood Education | 5 |
| ECE 334 | Language and Early Literacy Development | 5 |
| EDU 200 | Applied Educational Psychology | 5 |
| EDU 210 | Educational Philosophy- A Historical Account | 5 |
| EDU 300 | Teacher Education Practicum I | 5 |
| EDU 350 | Teacher Preparation Curriculum and Assessment | 5 |
| SPE 300 | Introduction to Special Education and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities | 5 |
Early Childhood Professional Sequence Courses
| ECE 470 | Early Childhood Education: Student Teaching | 10 TO 14 |
| EDU 400 | Teacher Education Practicum II | 5 OR 6 |
| EDU 410 | Teacher Education Practicum III | 5 OR 6 |
| EDU 478 | Literacy Methods I | 5 |
| EDU 480 | Methods of Teaching Mathematics | 5 |
| EDU 481 | Methods of Teaching Science | 3 |
| EDU 482 | Methods of Teaching Social Studies | 3 |
Note: ECE 470 must be taken for 10 quarter hours.
Early Childhood Education Student Teaching Requirements
Candidates must:
- Pass the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Content Test (206) prior to beginning of Student Teaching
- Pass the edTPA which is completed and submitted during the student teaching experience as a requirement for licensure in the state of Illinois and completion of the program
- Provide evidence (through professional disposition assessment) of emotional stability, adequate personality adjustment, competency, timeliness and responsibility for work in the field of education
- Submit to their advisor a completed Field Experience Application (with all required documents) prior to registering for any courses with field experience hours required