Early Childhood Education, BAE
Prepare to teach children from birth to age 8 or grade 3, guiding young learners through the earliest chapters of their education. This degree helps you build the foundation to lead a classroom of your very own.
Quick facts
Courses
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation and professional licensure
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
Early Childhood Education, BAE degree description
You are prepared to meet the educational, behavioral and social-emotional needs of children, ages birth to age 8 or grade 3, in the Bachelor of Arts in Education program in early childhood education. This program focuses on child development and best practices in early childhood education, including the skills to create inclusive learning environments; conduct instructional design, planning and facilitation; and assess, monitor and report the progress of young children.
Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation has developed a team-based approach to teacher preparation, enabling you to participate in professional experiences (internships and student teaching) with a team of peers while receiving guidance and support from ASU faculty members and highly qualified certified teachers. Team-based professional experiences prepare you to work with mutually supportive colleagues to address the academic and social-emotional needs of learners. Clinically embedded courses and professional experiences provide you with multiple opportunities to apply knowledge learned in coursework to practice in the classroom.
You complete a series of internships before a semester-long full-time student teaching experience, with the support of a certified mentor teacher and ASU faculty.
Upon graduation, you will be eligible to earn an institutional recommendation from ASU for Arizona teacher certification in Early Childhood Education, Birth-Age 8/Grade 3, as well as a Structured English Immersion, PreK-12, endorsement from the Arizona Department of Education. To teach in an Arizona public school, you must pass the appropriate Arizona educator exams: National Evaluation Series or Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments.
Format option
This program is also offered via ASU Sync. ASU Sync enables you to attend live classes remotely via Zoom. Classes are designed to foster active collaboration and discussion in real time with faculty and peers. As an ASU Sync student, you must reside in Arizona throughout the duration of the program. If you have F-1 or J-1 immigration status, you should speak with an advisor about other options to complete this program. Students with F-1 or J-1 immigration status are not permitted to complete courses via Sync.
The ASU Sync option is only available to transfer students residing in Arizona because of state regulations and student teaching placement requirements. You should have completed an associate degree by the time you enroll at ASU.
Students seeking to use GI Bill® benefits for ASU Sync programs should contact the Pat Tillman Veterans Center regarding certain limitations.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Why study early childhood education at ASU?
Enjoy the best of both worlds: tap into the full range of traditions and resources offered across ASU while connecting with the closer-knit community in Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, where you meet peers who share your passions and professional interests.
Getting involved is easy, with options spanning community service, cultural and heritage events, fraternity and sorority life, intramural sports and fitness, Sun Devil traditions, Changemaker Central and so much more.
Courses
Explore a sample list of courses you may take in this program.
| Sample courses |
|---|
| ECD 321 Foundations in Language, Literacy and Culture in Early Childhood |
| ECD 417 Arts Integration for Young Children |
| ECS 310 Foundations in Typical / Atypical Child Development |
| ECS 312 Social and Emotional Development of the Young Child |
| ECS 411 Instructional Methodologies for Young Children: STEM |
| ECS 412 Mathematics Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment |
Course checksheet and curriculum archive
The curriculum checksheet displays this program's required courses and other requirements you must complete for graduation.
Current ASU students, see how your courses can apply to another major and find out how to change your major (opens in new window).
Already completed some college courses? Build on your success.
If you earned college credit outside ASU, our transfer tools map out your progress towards a degree and help you plan next steps.
See how your credits may apply (opens in new window)What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Execute an instructional cycle using research-based pedagogical practices and theories appropriate for a range of learners
- Create learning experiences that address the content disciplines to engage learners in accessible, relevant, and meaningful content to ensure critical thinking and mastery of the content.
- Create and maintain inclusive, equitable learning environments that support individual and collaborative learning experiences, utilize high leverage practices, and foster critical thinking, active engagement,and well-being for all learners
- Use multiple methods of assessment and sources of data to evaluate various aspects of learners
- Apply strategies for teaming to meet students’ needs
- Evaluate and recommend appropriate strategies to promote habits of mind
- Build and implement a professional growth plan using evidence and reflective practices
- Advocate for students, families, and communities with an understanding of the historical, social, local, or global context
- Self-reflect and assess personal contributions for shaping and supporting the mission of a school/organization's culture
- Apply expectations of the profession
- Analyze key ethical issues present in a prominent social or cultural problem in education, including the ways different ethical perspectives influence decision making related to the issue
- Analyze and acknowledge the local/cultural context, personal histories, and experiences relevant to problem(s) of practice
- Engage in cycles of inquiry in collaborative educational systems to imagine new concepts, catalyze ideas, and form new solutions, guided by principles and research that create positive change for learners
- Evaluate competing perspectives on a problem of practice within an educational context and present a reasoned analysis of the issue informed by major theories and evidence-based practices
- Implement an applied project, synthesize the findings and defend the significance and implications of the study as relevant to local, social and/or global contexts
Execute an instructional cycle using research-based pedagogical practices and theories appropriate for a range of learnersAdmission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
First year (opens in new window) | Transfer (opens in new window) | International (opens in new window) | Readmission (opens in new window)
The ASU Sync option is available only to transfer students residing in Arizona because of state regulations and student teaching placement requirements. Students should have completed an associate degree by the time they are enrolled at ASU. Students on F-1 or J-1 immigration status are not allowed to complete courses via Sync.
A current ASU student has no additional requirements for changing majors.
Students should visit the Change of Major form (opens in new window) for information about how to change a major to this program.
Explore expanded study opportunities
When you pursue concurrent degrees (also known as a “double major”), you earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. Working with your academic advisor, you can create your own concurrent degree combination. Some combinations are not possible due to high levels of overlap in curriculum.
Because of climate change, geopolitical instability or economic factors, the United Nations and other institutions predict that migration will increase globally for the foreseeable future. Learners will migrate to new communities. Increasingly, educators will be asked to meet the needs of students who speak languages other than English and who bring a variety of cultures into classrooms and learning environments. Education students participating in study abroad programs can prepare for this reality by engaging in Global Education programs, where they can expand their notion of normal schooling and deepen their understanding of how to foster inclusive and inspiring learning environments.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimate
Build the career and future you want
Our graduates are prepared for a variety of career paths, including:
| Career | Growth | Median Salary | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| College Program Director | 1.8% | $104,590 | Learn more |
| Employee Training Manager | 6.4% | $133,000 | Learn more |
| Instructional Specialist | 1.6% | $77,440 | Learn more |
| Kindergarten Teacher | -0.3% | $62,680 | Learn more |
| Preschool Director | -3.1% | $59,300 | Learn more |
| Preschool Teacher | 4.5% | $38,140 | Learn more |
Example job titles and salaries listed are not necessarily entry level, and students should take into consideration how years of experience and geographical location may affect pay scales. Some jobs also may require advanced degrees, certifications or state-specific licensure.
Data obtained from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).
More about careers
Careers this early childhood education degree prepares you for
There is a strong demand for early childhood educators in Arizona and nationwide. Many graduates with a degree in early childhood education hold leadership positions in Head Start, private nonprofit and private for-profit center-based programs, and public school early childhood environments.
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
Division for Advancing Educator Preparation
|
ED 102
ASUeducation@asu.edu
480-965-9995
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
