Early Childhood Practice, B.A.
The Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Practice (non-licensure) is designed for students whose interests are in early childhood development and education, but who do not wish to be licensed teachers. Students may seek or continue employment in child care centers or other settings that do not require state licensure.
Candidates who complete the program will be eligible to earn the Early Childhood Level 5 credential awarded by Gateways to Opportunity and the Infant/Toddler credential.
This program does NOT lead to a Professional Educator License. Students will not be eligible to be licensed to teach in settings that require a licensed teacher.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):
PLO1. Apply knowledge of self, students, curriculum content, and effective instruction to develop appropriate learning outcomes and design activities to meet diverse learner needs including students with special needs and diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
PLO2. Develop a variety of assessments and explain how they will use them to anticipate varied ways students might perform, make accommodations, monitor student progress, and adjust and evaluate instruction.
PLO3. Demonstrate respectful and responsive interactions with students that motivate, support, and advance students’ development and learning.
PLO4. Establish a culture of appropriately high expectations for student learning and behavior and design a classroom environment that supports all students to be successful.
PLO5. Persist in their efforts to engage all students in content learning through effective instructional discourse, use of appropriate technologies, ongoing performance monitoring, flexibility, and adaptability to support students’ behavior and advance their learning.
PLO6. Apply knowledge of human development and learning to interpret a variety of assessments to inform their instruction and provide meaningful feedback.
PLO7. Use feedback from a variety of stakeholders to develop meaningful professional learning goals and identify appropriate professional activities to continuously improve their practice.
PLO8. Demonstrate the capacity to collaborate effectively and ethically with colleagues, families, and community members to promote positive and inclusive learning for all students.
In addition to National Louis University Undergraduate Admission Requirements, applicants must:
- Sign and submit the “Student Acknowledgement of BA ECP Program (Non-licensure) Limitations” form to the Office of Admissions
Program Details:
- Requires 180 QH, including 70 QH of General Education, for completion
- Credit by examination is accepted for general education and elective credit as well as the exam for Educational Psychology required for UG Education Concentration
- Requires completion of the following field hours built into courses across the entire program:
- 200 hours in infant/toddler
- 150 hours in pre-K (15 of which are in a pre-K observing a child with disability or special need)
- depending upon Minor chosen, 100 hours in ESL/Bilingual pre-K, 50 hours in ECE SPE pre-K or 200 hours in Early Care & Education Program Administration (either child care center or family child care)
- A minimum grade of “C” or better in all courses in the program is required
- A minimum grade of "D" or better in all General Education courses is required except for ENG 101, ENG 201, ENG 203, ENG 210 and MTH 105, all of which require a grade of "C" or better
- All program major courses must be taken at NLU
- A minimum of 15 QH of the Minor coursework must be taken at NLU
- A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required by the junior year
- Requires the following courses to be completed within 6 years of degree completion: ECE 200, ECE 301, ECE 302, ECE 321, ECE 324, ECE 334, ECE 340, ECE 341, ECE 342, ECE 343, EDU 300 and EDU 350.
Required Courses
Student Success Seminar- 5 QH
Communications - 15 QH
| ENG 101 | Beginning English Composition | 5 |
| ENG 201 | Intermediate English Composition | 5 |
| ENG 203 | Effective Speaking for the Undergraduate | 5 |
Humanities- 5 QH
| ENG 210 | Children’s Literature for Educators | 5 |
Note: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may only use another Literature or Humanities 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.
Quantitative Reasoning- 10 QH
Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use another college level mathematics elective(s) or a combination one college level mathematics elective and another General Education elective course.
Physical and Life Sciences- 10 QH
| SCI 101 | Physical Science | 5 |
| and | |
| SCI 102 | Survey of Biological Science with Lab | 5 |
Notes: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use another physical or life science elective(s) or a combination of one physical or life science elective and another elective course.
Social Sciences- 15 QH
| HIS 102 | Civics and American Government | 5 |
| HIS 103 | History Across the Globe | 5 |
| HIS 212 | Think Global: Movements in US History and its Impact on Society and School | 3 TO 5 |
Notes: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use another social science elective(s) or a combination of two social science electives and another elective course.
Behavioral Science - 5 QH
Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use another Behavioral Science elective.
Undergraduate Education Concentration - 20 QH
| CIL 300 | Foundations of ESL and Bilingual Education | 5 |
| EDU 210 | Educational Philosophy- A Historical Account | 5 |
| PSY 200 | Applied Educational Psychology | 5 |
| SPE 300 | Introduction to Special Education and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities | 5 |
Early Childhood Practice Major - 60 QH
| ECE 200 | Early Childhood Learning, Growth & Development | 5 |
| ECE 301 | Understanding Infant & Toddler Development | 5 |
| ECE 302 | Planning for Quality Infant/Toddler Programs | 5 |
| ECE 321 | Curriculum in Infant/Toddler Programs | 5 |
| ECE 324 | Integrated Preprimary Methodology in Early Childhood Education | 5 |
| ECE 334 | Early Language and Literacy Development | 5 |
| ECE 340 | Positive Guidance in Early Childhood Environments | 5 |
| ECE 341 | Early Intervention and Screening for Infants & Toddlers | 5 |
| ECE 342 | Cultural Responsiveness for Families of Infants/Toddlers | 5 |
| ECE 343 | Teaching and Learning in Diverse Early Childhood Environments | 5 |
| EDU 300 | Teacher Education Practicum I | 5 |
| EDU 350 | Teacher Preparation Curriculum and Assessment | 5 |
Note: ECE 324 must be taken for 5 QH.
ESL/ Bilingual Minor - 30 QH
| 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 |
| EDU 290 | Professionalism and Ethical Engagement with Children, Families and the Community | 5 |
Early Childhood Special Education Minor - 30 QH
| EDU 290 | Professionalism and Ethical Engagement with Children, Families and the Community | 5 |
| SPE 330 | Assistive and Instructional Technology | 5 |
| SPE 432 | Methods of Teaching Young Children with Special Needs | 5 |
| SPE 433 | Screening & Assessment of Young Children with Special Needs | 5 |
| SPE 434 | Teaming, Collaborating, Communicating: Resources for Families in Special Education Settings | 5 |
| SPE 435 | Autism-Spectrum Disorders and Characteristics of Children With Disabilities | 5 |
Note: SPE 330 must be taken for 5 QH.
Early Care & Education Program Administration Minor - 30 QH
| ECE 303 | The Early Care & Education Administrator as Advocate | 1 TO 5 |
| ECE 311 | Administration I: Leadership Strategies and Staff Development | 1 TO 5 |
| ECE 312 | Administration II: Managing Center Operations and Finance | 1 TO 5 |
| ECE 313 | Administration III: Implementing and Evaluating the Program | 1 TO 5 |
| ECE 344 | Entrepreneurship in ECE Field | 5 |
| EDU 290 | Professionalism and Ethical Engagement with Children, Families and the Community | 5 |
For more information about this program, visit http://www.nl.edu/academics/educationbachelors/baearlychildhoodpractice/