Early Childhood Education Major- Birth to 5 Specialization

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Program Coordinator/Contact
Lynda Venhuizen, ECE Coordinator
Department of Teaching, Learning, and Leadership
Pugsley Hall 141 Box 2203
www.sdstate.edu/tll
Click here for additional information.

Program Information
This program prepares students to work in educational settings such as Head Start, preschool programs, and child care centers. The program prepares professionals who work in educational settings with children in order to promote their cognitive, physical, emotional, and social development. Program content includes the theory and practice of working with children and their families and communities. Students can choose to focus on infant and toddler development and care and/or administration of early childhood programs. Students complete student teaching in the Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education on campus and complete a practicum in an off-campus early childhood setting. Students interested in a South Dakota Kindergarten Education Endorsement on their teaching certificate are also required to complete a practicum experience in a kindergarten classroom.

Student Learning Outcomes

Accreditation, Certification, and Licensure
Accreditation
National Association of the Education of Young Children
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs
South Dakota Department of Education

Certification and Licensure
With this major and the accompanying teacher education coursework required for teaching licensure, candidates are eligible to take the Praxis content tests, and apply for a teaching license in South Dakota. Students are required to take the PRAXIS II content test, as well as the PRAXIS II Principles of Learning and Teaching test. The minimum score for the Praxis II PLT must be obtained for teaching licensure and varies by state.

Course Delivery Format
Courses in Early Childhood Education are delivered face to face, online and hybrid (face to face and online combination). All ECE courses have practical applications in field experience settings in childcare and Pre-K-Grade 3.

Requirements for Early Childhood Education Major - Birth to 5 Specialization: 120 Credits

Bachelor of Science in Education and Human Sciences

System General Education Requirements*: 30

Goal #1 Written Communication:
ENGL 101
, and
ENGL 201
Credits: 6
Goal #2 Oral Communication:
SPCM 101
Credits: 3
Goal #3 Social Sciences/Diversity:
HDFS 210
, and
PSYC 101
Credits: 6
Goal #4 Arts and Humanities/Diversity
Credits: 6 Select Course to meet Globalization Requirement
Goal #5 Mathematics:
MATH 102
or higher Credits: 3
Goal #6 Natural Sciences
Credits: 6

Professional Semester I

ECE 328-328L - Guidance with Young Children and Lab (COM)
Credits: 2, 1
ECE 361-361L - Methods and Materials/Early Childhood Education and Lab (AW)
Credits: 2, 1
ECE 362-362L - Early Childhood Curriculum and Assessment and Lab
Credits: 2, 0
ECE 363-363L - Emergent Literacy and Numeracy and Lab
Credits: 3, 0

Professional Semester II

ECE 488 - Student Teaching (COM)
(Pre-K) Credits: 6
ECE 220 - Health, Safety and Nutrition of Young Children
Credits: 2
ECE 465 - Documentation, Inquiry and Teacher Research
Credits: 2
ECE 464 - Parent/Child Relationships in a Professional Context
Credits: 3
ECE 470 - Early Childhood Inclusion Strategies
Credits: 3

Professional Semester III

ECE 487 - Orientation to Child and Family Studies Practicum
Credits: 1
ECE 495 - Practicum
Credits: 8
ECE 455 - Administration and Supervision of Early Childhood Setting
Credits: 2
ECE 441 - Professional Issues in Child and Family Studies
Credits: 2

Additional Coursework

HDFS 241 - Family Relations
Credits: 3
EDFN 365 - Computer-Based Technology and Learning (COM)
Credits: 2
EDFN 475 - Human Relations (COM)
Credits: 3
Native American Courses Approved for Teacher Education Credits: 3

Electives: 25

CSC 150 - Computer Science I (COM)
Credits: 3
Recommended for students who need to develop computer application skills

Total Required Credits: 120

Curriculum Notes

Entry into the major academic courses in all ECE program tracks include passing scores in Praxis I: PPST Reading (173), Writing (173), and Math (172). Students will work their academic advisor for registering for the Praxis exams.
A pre-graduate check is required 2 semesters before graduation semester. At beginning of graduation semester, a graduation application must be completed.
A grade of “C” or better is required in PSYC 101, ENGL 101, SPCM 101, MATH 102, and all majors courses with an HDFS or ECE prefix.
Students must meet all GPA Requirements (2.6 for graduation) and be accepted into the ECE Teacher Education program ECE- PSII and ECE-PS III.
Students will be required to pass the PRAXIS content and Principles of Teaching and Learning exams in order to be considered a Highly Qualified Teacher.

* The 30 credit Board of Regents System General Education Requirements (SGRs) must be completed as part of a student’s first 64 credits.

** South Dakota State University has a 5 credit Institutional Graduation Requirement (IGRs).

(G) Globalization Requirement.

(AW) Advanced Writing Requirement.

Students must take the proficiency examination after completing 48 credits. English 101, and a course in each of the General Education areas of social science, mathematics, natural science, and humanities and arts must be taken prior to taking this exam.