Do you want to make a difference in the lives of children during their most formative years? Do you want to help children learn and grow, but also grow yourself? Then Early Childhood Education might be the bachelor's degree for you!

Students earning an Early Childhood Education degree learn effective strategies to teach students in PK-3rd grades.

The Early Childhood Education major prepares students to teach in diverse and inclusive environments, including homes, schools and other community settings which serve children from birth to age eight and their families. Graduates will know how to design, implement and evaluate curriculum in a variety of settings that promote positive learning outcomes for each child.

NSU's Early Childhood degree is ranked one of the best programs in the nation. NSU is Oklahoma's fourth largest public four-year institution. Ranked in the top three for most affordable university tuition, NSU is a cost-effective way to earn a college degree.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Identify children’s characteristics and needs.
• Identify multiple interacting influences on children’s development and learning
• Use content knowledge to design and implement meaningful and challenging curriculum that promotes development and learning for each child.
• Use developmentally appropriate assessment strategies in ways that promote positive outcomes for each child.
• Use a wide array of instructional strategies and tools that connect children and families and positively influence each child’s development and learning.
• Conduct themselves as members of the early childhood profession.
• Use ethical guidelines and other professional standards related to early childhood practice.
• Implement strategies that foster dispositions that lead to life-long learning.

Teacher Education Admission and Certification Policies

In addition to courses in the discipline, all students completing a baccalaureate degree that leads to teacher certification must meet the following requirements for certification.

• Be accepted for admission to teacher education, pre-II internship, and full internship according to published course sequence and guidelines.
• Demonstrate proficiency at the high novice level in a language other than English.
• Complete all courses in the major and Professional Education Core with a grade of “C” or higher.
• Students entering NSU beginning Fall 2013 must have an overall GPA of 2.75 for admission to teacher education.
• Once admitted to the teacher education program, all majors must continue to maintain a GPA of 2.5 (overall and in their major field of study) through completion.
• 4 X 12 requirement - Early Childhood, Elementary Education, and Special Education programs require completion of 12 semester hours with a grade of “C” or better in the following disciplines: Communication Arts (English, Communication, Literature), Math, Science, and Social Science (Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology) prior to graduation.
• All Professional Education majors must complete PSYC 1003 or PSYC 1113.  Advisors recommend those courses be completed as part of the General Education course sequence.