Applied Educational Studies, B.A.
The Bachelor of Arts in Applied Educational Studies provides undergraduate students with a solid foundation in education preparation with options to study early care and education administration, infant and toddler care/education, or teaching methods. Students who pursue this major are interested in working in education adjacent roles such as family specialist, home visitor or social service roles related to serving children and families. Students may also choose this major if they encounter difficulties completing the Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education majors (either due to testing or field experience expectations). Topics in this major include foundations of education, introduction to assessment techniques, culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy, topics in psychology and human services, and working with children and families under stress.
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.
The program is conveniently offered in both fully online and blended formats.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
At the completion of the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Educational Studies program, students will be able to:
PLO 1. Use current and emerging principles, theories, and knowledge of individual and family development, family functioning and the family system as a foundation to guide all aspects of their work with families.
PLO 2. Apply acquired knowledge of culture, family systems and human development to identify appropriate referral services across the lifespan as the core of their professional practice.
PLO 3. Apply intersection of state standards, policies, and procedures to support the physical health, mental health and safety of the individual and family through the construction of collaborative plans across systems.
PLO 4. Employ a strength-based approach to assessment of family strengths, assets, concerns, priorities, and goals through formal and informal observations and assessments in family service settings.
PLO 5. Use extensive knowledge of family service practices to share resources, coordinate services, and monitor service delivery using a broad range of technologies.
PLO 6. Demonstrate culturally, linguistically and individually appropriate interactions to ensure that family services are responsive to and respectful of each family, individuals, and community strengths.
PLO 7. Demonstrate ethical practices, ideologies, and continuous reflection to enhance professional development and advocacy skills on behalf of the family service and education profession.
Program Details:
- Requires 180 QH including 70 QH of General Education for completion
- There are field hours built into courses across the entire program, taken each term, that candidates must complete. In addition, there is an internship that students must complete at the end of their program.
- Requires the following courses to be completed at NLU: AES 470, EAL 312, HSM 304, HSM 410, PSY 352, PSY 348, and SPE 440.
- A minimum grade of "C" or better in all General Education and elective courses is required
- A minimum grade of "C" or better is required in all undergraduate educator preparation core, major, concentration, and courses leading to a credential
- Demonstrate a 2.0 GPA or greater on a 4.0 scale prior to graduation
- Credit by examination is accepted for elective credit
- Credit for Prior Learning may be accepted for CAR 202, CAR 203, EDU 200, EDU 210, and EDU 305
- Students in this major are eligible to earn the following credentials:
- Gateways Level 5 ECE credential
- Gateways Level 2 Infant/Toddler Credential (ITC) (with completion of Infant and Toddler Studies concentration)
- Gateways Level 1 Illinois Director Credential (IDC) (with completion of Early Care and Education Administration concentration)
- AIM4Excellence National Director Credential (with completion of Early Care and Education Administration concentration)
- Gateways Level 5 Family Service Credential (FSC) (see qualifications below)
- Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) certification through the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) (see qualifications below)
- Students interested in applying for the Family Service Credential (FSC) through Gateways to Professional Opportunity must take HSM 306 as an elective course.
- Students will need to apply for the FSC credential outside of NLU's program.
- Students interested in taking the exam for the Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) certification through the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR), must complete PSY 450, HSM 306, and PSY 311 as elective courses. Additional testing, application and fees may apply.
- Students will need to apply for the CFLE credential outside of the program, as well as successfully complete the CFLE exam.
- Candidates may choose one of the following concentrations:
Required Courses
General Education Requirements
Communications
| ENG 101 | Beginning English Composition | 5 |
| ENG 201 | Intermediate English | 5 |
| ENG 203 | Effective Speaking for the Undergraduate | 5 |
Note: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use any three general education courses in the following disciplines: academic writing, oral communications, and written communications.
Humanities and Fine Arts
Choose two courses from the list below:
| HIS 103 | History Across the Globe | 5 |
| PHI 107 | Ethics, Logic and Critical Inquiry | 5 |
| ART 105 | Race, Identity and Experience in American Art | 5 |
Note: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use any two general education courses in the following disciplines:
- Humanities: foreign language, history, literature, philosophy, religious studies, interdisciplinary humanities and fine arts, interdisciplinary humanities and social sciences
- Fine Arts: visual arts (including art history, art appreciation, and studio arts, such as drawing, painting, digital art, or film), film and cinema studies, and performing arts (including music appreciation, music theory, and music performance, theatre appreciation and performance, and dance)
Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Note: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use any three general education courses in the following disciplines:
- Mathematics: college-level and not developmental in nature
- Natural Sciences: physics, chemistry, earth science, astronomy, geology, physical geography, biology, human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, genetics, botany and zoology; and interdisciplinary fields such as environmental science, and ecology and conservation
- Mathematics or Natural Sciences
Social and Behavioral Sciences
| HIS 102 | Civics and American Government | 5 |
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 5 |
Note: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use any two general education courses in the area of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the following disciplines: anthropology, economics, geography, history, human geography, political science, psychology, sociology, interdisciplinary social/behavioral science, interdisciplinary humanities and social and behavioral science.
Program Specific General Education Requirements
The following courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better:
| EDU 200 | Applied Educational Psychology | 5 |
| EDU 220 | Children’s Literature for Educators | 5 |
Additional General Education Requirements
| GEN 103 | Student Success Seminar | 5 |
| or | |
| GEN 203 | NLU & You: Tools & Strategies for Student Success | 3 |
Note: GEN 103 is required for the first-time freshman students only. Students transferring in less than 90 QH are required to complete GEN 203.
Career Development Requirements
First-time Daytime Students - 5 QH
| CAR 214 | Creating and Communicating the Professional Brand | 5 |
| or | |
| BRV 200 | Braven Leadership and Career Accelerator | 5 |
Transfer Students - 5 QH
| BRV 200 | Braven Leadership and Career Accelerator | 5 |
| or | |
| CAR 214 | Creating and Communicating the Professional Brand | 5 |
| or | |
| CAR 202 | Creating Professional Identity | 0 TO 2 |
| and | |
| CAR 203 | You The Professional | 3 |
Educator Preparation Core - 35 QH
| EAL 300 | Educational Foundations for Learning English as an Additional Language | 5 |
| EAL 331 | Cross Cultural Studies for Working with English Language Learners | 5 |
| ECE 334 | Language and Early Literacy Development | 5 |
| EDU 210 | Educational Philosophy- A Historical Account | 5 |
| EDU 290 | Professionalism and Ethical Engagement with Children, Families and the Community | 5 |
| EDU 299 | Child Development | 5 |
| EDU 305 | Equity in Education | 5 |
Applied Educational Studies Major - 55 QH
| STEM 300 | Inquiry and Thinking in STEM for Teachers | 5 |
| or | |
| ECE 324 | Integrated Preprimary Methodology in Early Childhood Education | 5 |
| and | |
| AES 470 | Internship in Applied Educational Studies | 5 |
| EAL 312 | Linguistic Considerations for Learning to Read in a New Language | 5 |
| EDU 350 | Teacher Preparation Curriculum and Assessment | 5 |
| HSM 101 | Introduction to Human Services | 5 |
| HSM 304 | Human Development and Human Services in a Multicultural Society | 5 |
| HSM 410 | Management and Leadership in Human Services | 5 |
| PSY 348 | Cross-Cultural Communication | 5 |
| PSY 352 | Children and Families under Stress | 5 |
| SPE 401 | Introduction to Special Education and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities | 5 |
| SPE 440 | Equity, Advocacy, and Collaboration in Special Education | 5 |
Electives
Choose additional courses to total 180 QH. These hours may be satisfied by completing the concentrations listed above.