Early Childhood Education
Regardless of your area of expertise, the College of Education prepares undergraduate students by developing programs that emphasize theory, methods and skills in real, professional settings. Students are prepared to work in diverse communities and meet the needs of all children.
What to Expect
The early childhood education program prepares students to work with children from birth through third grade. As an early childhood education major, you will spend time in classrooms at the nationally accredited on-campus child development center and in many schools throughout the Columbia area.
You will learn key strategies for working effectively with diverse populations to support children's learning, growth and development and for working with all children's families. Through challenging and hands-on coursework, you will become adept at developing meaningful learning opportunities aligned with South Carolina learning standards and other guidelines and at assessing children's progress in mastering those standards in academically and culturally appropriate ways.
Undergraduate Degree
B B.A. in Early Childhood Education
As an early childhood education major in the College of Education, you must first fulfill core curriculum requirements, which are typically completed during your first two years. As you narrow your focus, you will learn how to teach math, science, social studies, reading and writing in early childhood education settings.
The following courses fulfill the education core for a bachelor's degree in early childhood education:
- Classroom Inquiry with Technology
- Learning Through Community Service
- Schools In Communities
- Learners and the Diversity of Learning
- Practicum: Learners and the Diversity of Learning
- Introduction to Classroom Assessment
- Introduction to Exceptional Children
Apply for Undergraduate Admission
Our Office of Undergraduate Admissions provides the most current information on the application process so you can check the requirements based on your current status and find university scholarships.