Total Semester Hours Required for the Degree: 125 semester hours
The B.S. in Early Childhood Education leads to teacher licensure with an Early Childhood (birth through grade 2) endorsement.
This major requires that all students (including native, transfer students from community colleges or senior institutions, internal transfers, and post-baccalaureate) follow and meet the requirements for Admission, Retention and Graduation from Teacher Licensure programs as described in the "Teacher Licensure Programs" section of this catalog and as explained at the University Admission to Teacher Education Meeting which all students must attend. Additional information on Admission, Retention and Graduation for Teacher Licensure programs can be found on the College of Education, Health and Human Services website.
Students must receive a "C" or better in all courses used toward graduation, regardless of where they are taken. This includes general education, professional education, major and minor course, all university required courses, and electives. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative and major GPA of 2.65 in order to continue in the program.
Professional Course Work (73 semester hours)
ÌýAll professional education coursework must be completed with a "C" or better prior to student teaching.
ART 3440
Art for Teachers in the Elementary Grades. (2 credits)
CDS 2200
Language Acquisition. (3 credits)
EDF 2555
Education in a Diverse Society: The Multilingual/Multicultural Classroom. (3 credits)
EDU 2022
Teaching and Learning with Technology in Classrooms. (2 credits)
ELE 1050
Introduction to Teaching as a Profession. (1 credits)
ELE 2050
The Whole Child: Teaching and Learning in the Educational Environment. (3 credits)
ELE 3225
Early Childhood Curriculum, Methods, and Assessment: Birth – Age Five. (4 credits)
ELE 3250
Early Childhood Curriculum, Methods, and Assessment in the Primary Grades (K-3). (4 credits)
ELE 3281
Developmental Reading in Early Childhood. (3 credits)
ELE 4100
Assessing Student Learning: A Field-Based Experience. (3 credits)
ELE 4280
Content Area Reading in the Elementary and Middle Levels. (3 credits)
ELE 4770
Teaching Science and Social Science in the Primary Grades (K-3). (3 credits)
ELE 4775
Language and Language Arts in Early Childhood. (3 credits)
ELE 4880
Diagnostic and Prescriptive Reading Instruction. (3 credits)
ELE 4890
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students/English Language Learners: Instructional Methods. (3 credits)
ENG 3405
Children's Literature. (3 credits)
KSR 2400
Introduction to Elementary School Physical Education. (2 credits)
MAT 3420
Teaching Mathematics in Grades PreK-6. (2 credits)
MUS 3420
Music in Elementary Schools. (2 credits)
PUBH 3200
School Health for K-12 Teachers. (3 credits)
SPE 2000
Disabilities in the Context of Education and the Life Span. (2 credits)
SPE 3000
Education of Individuals with Exceptional Learning Needs. (3 credits)
STG 4000
Multicultural/Disabilities Practicum. (1 credits)
STG 4001
Student Teaching. (6 to 16 credits)
(12 semester hours)
Departmental Requirements (in addition to University General Education Requirements)
University General Education and additional departmental required courses: 49 semester hours
Some courses may also count toward University general education requirements.Ìý Consult with Departmental Advisor.
HIS 3600
The U.S. Constitution and the Nation. (3 credits)
or
PLS 1153
American Government and Constitution. (3 credits)
AND
HIS 2010
History of the United States to 1877. (3 credits)
HIS 2020
or
History of the United States Since 1877. (3 credits)
AND
BIO 1001G - Biological Principles and Issues. Credits: 3
And one course from the following list:
CHM 1040
The World of Chemistry. (4 credits)
or
CHM 1310
General Chemistry I. (3 credits)
and
CHM 1315
General Chemistry Laboratory I. (1 credits)
or
CHM 3025
The Chemistry in Your Life. (3 credits)
or
PHY 1051
Physics of the Modern World. (3 credits)
or
PHY 1052
Adventures in Physics. (3 credits)
and
PHY 1053
Adventures in Physics Laboratory. (1 credits)
or
PHY 1151
Principles of Physics I. (3 credits)
and
PHY 1152
Principles of Physics I Laboratory. (1 credits)
or
PHY 3050
Excursions in Physics. (3 credits)
AND
GEO 1120
The Natural Environment. (4 credits)
or
GEO 1300
Introduction to Earth Sciences. (4 credits)
or
GEO 1400
Weather and Climate. (4 credits)
or
GEO 2450
Oceanography. (3 credits)
or
GEO 3200
Human Impacts on the Environment. (3 credits)
or
PHY 1055
Principles of Astronomy. (3 credits)
and
PHY 1056
Principles of Astronomy Laboratory. (1 credits)
or
PHY 3045
Wonders of Astronomy. (3 credits)
AND
Ìý
MAT 1420
Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I. (3 credits)
MAT 2420
Mathematics for Elementary Teachers II. (3 credits)
AND
Ìý
ENG 1001
College Composition I: Critical Reading & Source-Based Writing. (3 credits)
ENG 1002
College Composition II: Argument & Critical Inquiry. (3 credits)
CMN 1310
Introduction to Speech Communication. (3 credits)
AND
Ìý
ENG 2901
Structure of English. (3 credits)
or
ENG 3001
Advanced Composition. (3 credits)
AND
English elective from General Education Humanities courses. Credits: 3
AND
Art, Music, or TheatreÌýcourse from General Education Fine Arts courses. Credits: 3
AND
Ìý
GEO 1100
Cultural Geography. (3 credits)
or
GEO 1200
World Regional Geography. (3 credits)
AND
Ìý
HIS 3810
History of Illinois. (3 credits)
AND
Ìý
ANT 2200
Introduction to Anthropology. (3 credits)
or
ECN 2800
Economics of Social Issues. (3 credits)
or
PLS 2253
Introduction to International Relations. (3 credits)
or
PSY 1879
Introductory Psychology. (3 credits)
or
SOC 2750
Social Problems in Contemporary Society. (3 credits)
Footnotes:
Senior Seminar must be taken outside of major.
Selection to Teacher Education programs should occur following the freshman year but no later than the end of the sophomore year (for transfer students this should occur no later than the end of their first semester).Ìý
University Approval to Take Teacher Education Courses should occur at the end of the first semester junior year with Formal University Admission to Teacher Education occurring at the end of the junior year.Ìý See the Teacher Licensure Program section of this catalog for more information.
Departmental Approval to Student Teach must be granted prior to Student Teaching.Ìý Students must pass the Illinois Licensure Content Area test for Early ChildhoodÌýEducation prior to student teaching.
Students must pass the edTPA (teacher performance assessment) before they can receive their teaching license from Illinois or any other state. Students will make their edTPA submission during student teaching.
Major GPA is based on all coursework taken at EIU.
Information sourced from the 2026-2027 EIU Undergraduate Catalog.
