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Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education Major (BAE)

Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education (BAE)-This is a blended program. Students choosing to pursue blended certification in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education must complete the required professional core and combination of early childhood education and early childhood special education coursework below. Completion of coursework will satisfy the requirements for recommendation for certification in preschool–third grade early childhood education and birth–third grade early childhood special education.


The Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education Bachelor of Arts in Education consists of both the Early Childhood Core and the required Early Childhood Special Education courses.

  • Candidates who choose the Early Childhood Blended program must take the Early Childhood core and will have completed the requirements for recommendation for both the Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education endorsements.
  • Candidates may choose to complete an Elementary Education Add-On Endorsement, which will extend certification through grade 8.
  • Candidates may choose to complete a Special Education Add-On Endorsement, which increases the age range from birth through age 21.

Admission to the Education Program 
Education Grade Requirements 

Required Early Childhood Education Courses
EDUC 344EARLY NUMERACY INSTRUCTION IN THE P-3 SCHOOL SETTING4
EDUC 390FOUNDATIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION3
EDUC 394METHODS FOR READING INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT IN KINDERGARTEN-THIRD GRADE SETTINGS3
EDUC 410METHODS I: BLENDED CURRICULUM IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION4
EDUC 430ASSESSMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION5
EDUC 444LANGUAGE ARTS METHODS FOR THE PRESCHOOL-THIRD GRADE CLASSROOM3
EDUC 450METHODS II: BLENDED CURRICULUM IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION4
EDUC 454SCIENCE METHODS FOR THE PRESCHOOL-THIRD GRADE CLASSROOM4
EDUC 461SOCIAL STUDIES METHODS FOR THE PRESCHOOL-THIRD GRADE CLASSROOM3
EDUC 470DIVERSITY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION3
EDUC 479EARLY LITERACY4
EDUC 489FAMILY-CENTERED PRACTICES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD (Meeting Early Childhood Special Education competencies)4
Required Early Childhood Special Education Coursework
SPED 412INTRODUCTION TO EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION4
SPED 420PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIOR FOR STUDENTS WITH EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS4
SPED 421CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT IN SPECIAL EDUCATION SETTINGS4
SPED 465METHODS AND ASSESSMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION5
SPED 480INCLUSIONARY PRACTICES AND COLLABORATION4
Internship Coursework
EDUC 386DP3 FIELD EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICUM1
EDUC 386EP3 FIELD EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICUM3
EDUC 423ELEMENTARY STUDENT TEACHING K-812
EDUC 427GENERAL STUDENT TEACHING K-12 (variable credit course–only 3 credits count)3
EDUC 451APPLICATIONS I: BLENDED CURRICULUM IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION3
SPED 488SPECIAL EDUCATION PRACTICUM3
SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENT TEACHING (Optional–students are encouraged but not required to complete this second student teaching opportunity.)
Required Capstone
EDUC 490CEARLY CHILDHOOD CAPSTONE4-5
or SPED 490 SPECIAL EDUCATION CAPSTONE
Total Credits94-95

Plan of Study

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015EDUC 3903SPED 3634
Humanities & Arts BACR 115ENGL 2015Humanities & Arts BACR 215
Social Science BACR 115MATH 1075Natural Science BACR 115
 15 13 14
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CMST 200, 201, or 3404PSYC 2045Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Social Science BACR 215Natural Science BACR 215Global Studies - graduation requirement15
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Diversity - graduation requirement15
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective2  
 16 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
EDUC 4104EDUC 386D1EDUC 3444
EDUC 4305EDUC 3943EDUC 4544
EDUC 4794EDUC 4504EDUC 4894
SPED 4204EDUC 4513SPED 4883
 SPED 4804 
 17 15 15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
EDUC 386E3EDUC 4273EDUC 42312
EDUC 4443EDUC 4613 
EDUC 4703EDUC 490C (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)5 
SPED 4124SPED 4655 
SPED 4214  
 17 16 12
Total Credits 180
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB


General Education Requirements (GER)
  • Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences


University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List


Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term you expect to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
Requirements in Degree Works are based on these two catalog years:

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Credit Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

School of Education Outcomes  

The School of Education Outcomes (DoEO) are taken word for word from INTASC. These outcomes must be met by all students upon completion of their degree.  

  1. The teacher candidate understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences. 
  2. The teacher candidate uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards. 
  3. The teacher candidate works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. 
  4. The teacher candidate understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content. 
  5. The teacher candidate understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues. 
  6. The teacher candidate understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher candidate’s and learner’s decision making. 
  7. The teacher candidate plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context. 
  8. The teacher candidate understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways. 
  9. The teacher candidate engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner. 
  10. The teacher candidate seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.