Early Childhood Education Major - Cooperative Program with DSU or NSU

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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
The cooperative elementary education specialization with Dakota State University (DSU) and Northern State University (NSU) is for students who are interested in teaching certification for elementary and middle school grades in the public school system in South Dakota. 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. The courses specific to elementary education are offered by DSU and NSU faculty on the SDSU campus. Students complete a student teaching experience at the Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education and at a selected public school. It typically takes five years to complete the cooperative program.

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 - Cooperative Program: 141 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:
ART 121
and
ENGL 240
Credits: 6
Goal #5 Mathematics:
MATH 102
or higher Credits: 3
Goal #6 Natural Sciences:
GEOG 131-131L
and
BIOL 101-101L
Credits: 7

Institutional Graduation Requirements**: 5

Goal #1 First Year Seminar:
EHS 109**
Credits: 2
Goal #2 Cultural Awareness and Social and Environmental Responsibility:
HIST 151 **
or
HIST 152**
Credits: 3

Cooperative ELED Certification Requirements: 35

ELED 383 - Practicum (S-I) Credits: 1
ELED 440 - K-8 Language Arts Methods (S-I) Credits: 2
SPED 441 - Inclusive Methods for Diverse Learners (S-I) Credits: 2 DSU only

MLED 300 - Survey of Middle Level Education (SU) Credits: 1
ELED 303 - Earth and Physical Science for Elementary Teachers/Lab (SU) Credits: 4

CSC 105 Introduction to Computers (F) Credits: 3 DSU only
EDFN 455 - Literacy Assessment and Instruction (F) Credits: 3 NSU only
ELED 495 - Practicum
(F) Credits: 1
ELED 320 - K-8 Science Methods (F) Credits: 3
ELED 330 - K-8 Math Methods (F) Credits: 3
ELED 360 - K-8 Social Studies Methods (F) Credits: 2

EDFN 440 - Classroom Management (S-II) Credits: 2
EDFN 442 - Diverse Needs of Students and Their Families (S-II) Credits: 2 NSU only
ELED 488 - K-8 Student Teaching (COM)
(S-II) Credits: 8
ELED 450 K-8 Reading Methods (S-II) Credits: 3

Total Required Credits: 141

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 rotation of the cooperative ELED certification courses is indicated as follows: S-I (Spring I), F (Fall), SU (Summer) and S-II (Spring II)..
Students are required to complete 106 credits of SDSU coursework. These courses, with SDSU electives, do not constitute a degree program. Instead, students complete an additional 35 credits from the cooperating university (NSU) to fully meet the requirements for the ECE Coop-NSU/DSU specialization.
All courses are required for certification. Upon graduation, students would be eligible for dual certification in early childhood education (Birth to Age Five) and elementary education (K - Grade 8).

* 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.