Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (BA)
The Early Childhood Education program is approved by the Illinois State Board of Education and accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) for birth through Grade 3 teaching. The Early Childhood Department offers students coursework towards ISBE State Certification (04) as well as course work for those students interested in a non-certification track, with concentrations in Infant/Toddler, Early Childhood Administration, and Literacy.
General Education Requirements 60 QH
The Early Childhood Education program requires a minimum of 60 quarter hours or the equivalent in general education coursework for the completion of the B.A. degree. This will include a demonstration of competence in all ten core areas below and include the specific courses or equivalent in the seven Fields of Knowledge Areas. The Early Childhood Education program accepts the following types of equivalent work: transfer from accredited institutions, advanced placement credit, CLEP and DANTES examination credit, appropriate proficiency and portfolio credit.
Fields of Knowledge
1. Communications
| Two Written Communication courses |
10 |
| One Speech course |
5 |
2. Humanities
3. Fine Arts
4. Quantitative Reasoning
| Two college level Mathematics courses |
10 |
| (course in Basic Statistics recommended but not required) |
|
5. Physical and Life Sciences
| One Life Science course* |
5 |
| One Physical Science course* |
5 |
| *One course must have a laboratory component |
|
6. Social Sciences
| One U.S. Politics course |
5 |
| One Non-Western/Global Social Science course |
5 |
| Contemporary World Cultures OR |
7. Behavioral Sciences
| OneDevelopmental Psychology course |
5 |
Integrated Competencies
Information and Technology
Requirement is satisfied through ECE330 Instructional Technology, as well as technology integrated within university coursework.( general education and professional). Competency is demonstrated by the successful completion of word-processed papers, portfolio documents using electronic sources such as Livetext, Internet-based research, and receiving passing grades in the course work. Found in:
Analytical Skills
Requirement is satisfied in general education mathematics and humanities. Analytical skills are included in professional courses. Competency is demonstrated by successfully passing these courses.
| LAE307 |
Literature for Children |
| ECE406 |
Methods of Teaching Preprimary Social Science, Science, Mathematics |
| MHE481 |
Theory and Methods of Teaching Primary Mathematics |
Ethics, Values and Respect for Human Diversity
Requirement is satisfied in general education through a global non-Western course in social science and a Human Development psychology concentration that is required. Multicultural perspectives are included in all Early Childhood Education professional courses. Competency is demonstrated through portfolio documents, Internet research, observations, and examinations. Found in:
| LAS |
Non-Western/Global Social Science |
| LAP--- |
Human Development Psychology concentration |
| ECE205, 206, and 207 |
Child Studies |
| MHE481 |
Theory and Methods of Teaching Primary Mathematics |
| ECE310 |
Child, Family, and Community |
| ECE315 |
History and Philosophy of Early Childhood Education |
| SPE300 |
Survey of the Exceptional Child |
| CIS481 |
Theory and Methods of Teaching Primary Social Studies |
| ECE460, 470 |
Early Childhood Education Student Teaching |
Professional Education Requirements for the B.A. in Early Childhood Education that leads to 04 certification: 52 QH
The minimum total hours for the degree and for certification is 180 quarter hours. Forty quarter hours must be taken at National-Louis University. (Prior to entry into student teaching, students must complete a minimum of 100 clock hours of preclinical experience and pass the State of Illinois Early Childhood Content test.)
| ECE202 |
Developmental Theory and Practice |
5 |
| ECE205** |
Child Study I: Infant and Toddler |
2 |
| ECE206** |
Child Study II: Preprimary |
2 |
| ECE310 |
Child, Family, and Community |
5 |
| ECE320 |
Speech and Language Development |
3 |
| ECE405 |
Methods of Teaching Preprimary Language Arts, Art, Music, and Movement |
3 |
| ECE406 |
Methods of Teaching Preprimary Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics |
3 |
| ECE460 |
Half-Day Pre-Primary Student Teaching |
7 |
| LAE307 |
Literature for Children |
5 |
| LAS200 |
American History |
5 |
| SPE300 |
Survey of Exceptional Children (must have a grade of B or better to transfer) |
5 |
| ECE460 |
One Developmental Psychology course |
5 |
| ECE470 |
Elective (course added to sequence) |
2 |
(one student teaching experience in preprimary, one student teaching experience in primary.)
**Each class includes 35 documented preclinical hours. These may be done in a variety of sites. A limit of 20 quarter hours of transferred credit may be accepted. Seamless Connection students are to see their advisor as to program requirements.
Early Childhood Education Major :38 QH
| ECE207* |
Child Study III: Primary |
2 |
| ECE315 |
History & Philosophy of Early Childhood Education |
5 |
| ECE330 |
Instructional Technology |
3 |
| ECE340 |
Classroom Management in Early Childhood Education |
5 |
| ECE470 |
Full-Day Primary Student Teaching |
14 |
| CIS481 |
Theory & Methods of Teaching Primary Social Studies |
1 |
| MHE481 |
Theory & Methods of Teaching Primary Math |
3 |
| RLL481 |
Theory & Methods of Teaching Primary Reading & Language Arts |
3 |
| SCE481 |
Theory & Methods of Teaching Science |
2 |
|
** Includes 35 documented preclinical hours |
|
Psychology/Human Development Standard Teaching Concentration Major 30 QH
All Early Childhood Education students are required to have a standard teaching concentration consisting of 30 quarter hours in Psychology/Human Development plus 10 hours in Developmental Psychology. Fifteen quarter hours must be upper-level. Early Childhood students may choose a second major in Psychology/Human Development. In addition to the Early Childhood professional education requirements, students in the double major must take a total of 45 quarter hours of coursework in Psychology/Human Development. Of that 45 quarter hours, 25 quarter hours must be upper-level credit, with a minimum of 15 quarter hours in residence at National-Louis University.
NOTE: Tests on the U.S. and Illinois Constitutions must be passed to renew any teaching certificate, unless the tests have previously been passed. These tests are offered within a one hour course (LAS320) and students may register for this if they have not met the test requirements.
