Early Childhood Education Major- Birth to 8 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 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. In addition to being prepared to work in early childhood settings such as Head Start, preschools, and child care centers, those who successfully complete this specialization meet the requirements for a South Dakota Birth to age 8 Early Childhood teaching certificate which enables them to teach grades K-3. Students student teach in the Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education and a first, second, or third grade 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 8 Specialization: 120 Credits

Bachelor of Science in Education and Human Sciences

System General Education Requirements*: 31

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
(
ENGL 240
; and SGR4/Globalization Requirement ) Credits: 6
Goal #5 Mathematics:
MATH 102
Credits: 3
Goal #6 Natural Sciences:
GEOG 131-131L
and
BIOL 101-101L*
Credits: 7

Professional Semester I

ECE 328-328L - Guidance with Young Children and Lab (COM)
Credits: 1, 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, 1
ECE 363-363L - Emergent Literacy and Numeracy and Lab
Credits: 3, 0

Professional Semester II

ECE 488 - Student Teaching (COM)
(Pre-k-3) 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

Complete prior to entry into Professional Semester III

ECE 495 - Practicum
Credits: 2
ECE 478-478L - Integrated Curriculum in Birth-to-Age Eight Education and Lab
Credits: 4
ECE 475 - Pedagogy and Guidance in Primary Grade Classrooms
Credits: 2
EDFN 466-466L - Literacy in Primary Grades

and Lab
Credits: 3
MATH 141 - Survey of Mathematics
Credits: 3

Professional Semester III

ECE 488 - Student Teaching (COM)
(K-3) Credits: 1-12
ECE 473 - Orientation to K-3 Student Teaching
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 Course Approved for Teacher Education Credits: 3
- AIS/HIST 368 - History and Culture of the American Indian**
  Credits:3
  OR
  AIS/ANTH 421 - Indians of North America**
  Credits:3
MATH 342 Math Concepts for Teachers II Credits: 3
PE 360-360L - K-8 Physical Education Methods and Lab (COM)
Credits: 2
MUS 351 - Elementary School Music Methods (COM)
Credits: 2
PHYS 101-101L - Survey of Physics and Lab * (COM)
Credits: 4
or
CHEM 106-106L - Chemistry Survey and Lab * (COM)
Credits: 4
or
PHYS 185-185L - Introduction to Astronomy I and Lab * (COM)
Credits: 3

Electives: 4-5

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.