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Early Childhood Education ,BAE

Early Childhood Education, BAE

Academic programs / Undergraduate degrees / Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood, Education, Head Start, Kindergarten, Pre-K, Preschool, Teacher, children, elementary, youth

Help shape the future of young children, their families and communities with a degree in early childhood education. By being a central figure in the lives of children during their most formative years, you will help them build a solid foundation for future learning.

Program description

The BAE program in early childhood education prepares students to meet the educational, behavioral and social-emotional needs of children, ages birth to age 8 or grade 3. This program focuses on child development and best practices in early childhood education, including the skills to create inclusive learning environments; conduct instructional design, planning and facilitation; and assess, monitor and report the progress of young children.

Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College has developed a team-based approach to teacher preparation, allowing students to participate in professional experiences (internships and student-teaching residency) with a team of peers while receiving guidance and support from ASU faculty members and highly qualified certified teachers. Team-based professional experiences are designed to prepare students to work with mutually supportive colleagues to address the academic and social-emotional needs of learners. The primary goal of professional experiences is to provide students with multiple opportunities to apply knowledge learned in coursework to practice in the classroom.

Students complete a series of internships prior to a semester-long full-time teaching residency. With the support of a certified mentor teacher and ASU faculty, students are able to practice what is learned during coursework in learning environments.

Graduates are eligible to earn an institutional recommendation from ASU for Arizona teacher certification in Early Childhood, birth-grade 3 or age 8, as well as a Structured English Immersion, P-12, endorsement from the Arizona Department of Education. In order to teach in an Arizona public school, graduates must pass the appropriate Arizona educator exams: National Evaluation Series or Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments.

Format option
This program is also offered via ASU Sync. ASU Sync enables students to attend live classes remotely via Zoom. Classes are designed to foster active collaboration and discussion in real-time with faculty and peers. ASU Sync students need to reside in Arizona throughout the duration of the program. Students on I-20 visas are not permitted to complete courses via Sync and should speak with an advisor about other options to complete this program.

The ASU Sync option is only available to transfer students residing in Arizona due to state regulations and student teaching placement requirements. Students should have completed an associate degree by the time they enroll at ASU.

Students seeking to use GI Bill® benefits for ASU Sync programs should contact the Pat Tillman Veterans Center regarding certain limitations.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available on the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

At a glance
  • Second language requirement: No
  • STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
  • First required math course: MAT 117 - College Algebra
    or MAT 142
  • Math intensity: Moderateprogram math intensity moderate

Required courses (Major Map)
Concurrent program options
Students pursuing concurrent degrees (also known as a “double major”) earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. Working with their academic advisors, students can create their own concurrent degree combination. Some combinations are not possible due to high levels of overlap in curriculum.
Admission requirements

General university admission requirements:

All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
First-year | Transfer | International | Readmission

Additional requirements:

The ASU Sync option is available only to transfer students residing in Arizona because of state regulations and student teaching placement requirements. Students should have completed an associate degree by the time they are enrolled at ASU. Students on I-20 visas are not allowed to complete courses via Sync.

Tuition information
When it comes to paying for higher education, everyone’s situation is different. Students can learn about ASU tuition and financial aid options to find out which will work best for them.
Change of Major requirements

A current ASU student has no additional requirements for changing majors.

Students should visit the Change of Major form for information about how to change a major to this program.

Transfer options

ASU is committed to helping students thrive by offering tools that allow personalization of the transfer path to ASU. Students may use MyPath2ASU® to outline a list of recommended courses to take prior to transfer.

ASU has transfer partnerships in Arizona and across the country to create a simplified transfer experience for students. These pathway programs include exclusive benefits, tools and resources, and they help students save time and money in their college journey.

Global opportunities
Global experience

Because of climate change, geopolitical instability or economic factors, the United Nations and other institutions predict that migration is expected to increase globally for the foreseeable future. Learners will be migrating to new communities. Increasingly, educators will be asked to meet the needs of students who speak languages other than English and who bring a range of cultures into classrooms and learning environments. Education students participating in study abroad programs can prepare for this reality by engaging in Global Education programs, where they can expand their notion of normal schooling and deepen their understanding of how to foster inclusive and inspiring learning environments.

Career opportunities

There is a strong demand for early childhood educators in Arizona and nationwide. Many graduates with a degree in early childhood education hold leadership positions in Head Start, private nonprofit and private for-profit center-based programs, and public school early childhood environments.

Example job titles and salaries listed below are not necessarily entry level, and students should take into consideration how years of experience and geographical location may affect pay scales. Some jobs also may require advanced degrees, certifications or state-specific licensure.


Career *Growth *Median salary
3.5%
$99,940
6.5%
$120,000
2.5%
$66,490
0.5%
$60,490
-3.0%
$49,690
3.4%
$35,330
* Data obtained from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).

Bright OutlookBright Outlook

Professional licensure

ASU programs that may lead to professional licensure or certification are intended to prepare students for potential licensure or certification in Arizona. Completion of an ASU program may not meet educational requirements for licensure or certification in another state. For more information, students should visit the ASU professional licensure webpage.

Contact information
What are accelerated programs?
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.

3 year programs

These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.

Accelerated master's

These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).

Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
What are concurrent programs?
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
What are joint programs?
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

What constitutes a new program?
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the “New Programs” option.
What are online programs?
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
What is the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)?
The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a program in which residents of western states (other than Arizona) may be eligible for reduced nonresident tuition. See more information and eligibility requirements on the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program.

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