Early childhood education can have a dramatic impact on the overall development of an infant, toddler, or preschooler. Receiving insufficient care during these early stages can lead to educational delays, attachment disorders, and criminal activity later in life. The following guide describes the degrees, admissions requirements, and course options available to anyone wanting to attend school for early childhood education.

Degree Options

A number of degrees can prepare students for teaching and working with children from infancy to third grade. Students should choose the degree that matches their education philosophy, career goals, time limits, and monetary constraints. Many professionals choose to pursue additional education as their career paths evolve.

In order to gain employment, students must meet at least the minimum education requirements for the states in which they will be working. These requirements range from post-secondary courses and associate’s degrees for public child care workers to bachelor’s degrees for preschool and elementary school teachers. Students wishing to manage a daycare center or function as a school principal are frequently expected to hold graduate’s degrees.

Degrees offered by an early childhood education management school typically fall into one of nine classifications: Associate of Science (A.S.), Associate of Arts (A.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Education (M.Ed.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.). Degrees such as the A.S., B.S., or M.S. tend to focus more on the scientific aspects of child development, whereas A.A., B.A., and M.A. degrees are more likely to focus on the social, cultural and interpersonal aspects. Most employers do not make a distinction between the two categories.

Majors

Just as many different degree options exist, a number of child-related majors are also available. Anyone wanting to study childhood behavior, development and learning should consider such majors as:

  • Early Childhood Education
  • Child Development
  • Child Studies
  • Early Childhood Education Administration
  • Infant and Toddler Care
  • Child and Family Development
  • Preschool Education
  • Early Childhood and Primary Education
  • Children’s Learning and Development
  • Universities may use different names for the programs, but cover similar concepts.

Admissions Requirements

Education, including early childhood education (ECE), remains a popular major for undergraduate students. According to the U.S. Department of Education, over 14,000 associate’s degrees and 101,000 bachelor’s degrees had been granted in the education field during the 2008-2009 academic year. The majority of students in these degree programs had been female, with 86% enrollment at the associate’s degree level and 80% enrollment at the bachelor’s degree level.

To enter an early childhood education program, a student must meet the admissions’ criteria for both the school and the department. These requirements vary from institution to institution. Common admissions requirements include:

  • Previous degree or diploma: students must present proof of a high school diploma or GED for associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, or proof of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university for master’s and doctoral degrees.
  • College experience: some colleges and universities require students to transfer credits during the admissions process. These institutions typically offer early childhood education completion programs, which means that they teach the core degree courses but may not offer general education courses, such as math or composition. Admissions’ reviewers may also use previous college coursework as a basis for determining a student’s potential for success within the early childhood education school.
  • Work experience: some institutions only accept students who have gained up to three years of relevant work experience after high school. Programs with this mandate tend to focus on mature professionals who can share a variety of experiences within the online and on-campus environment.
  • Age requirement: similar to work experience, some colleges implement an age minimum in order to promote maturity and commitment within courses. Several early childhood education programs accept only students aged 21 or older.

Courses

Students attending an early childhood education school complete a range of courses before graduation. The topics vary based on their educational interests, degree requirements, and specializations. Typical courses include:

  • Child development
  • Parent-child relations
  • Social and cultural influences
  • Observation and assessment
  • Language development
  • Childhood literacy
  • Building healthy environments for infants and toddlers
  • Basic nutrition, health, and safety
  • Classroom management
  • Instructional design
  • Curriculum methodology
  • Instructional technology

These courses tend to present a balanced approach to developing the SPICE of life, also known as a person’s social, physical, intellectual, creative and emotional needs. An early childhood education management school may or may not require a student teaching component, or a supervised instructional practicum.

Overall, the curriculum at an early childhood education school is designed to help students get jobs and be successful in the field. By matching future employers to the right degree, students can use their knowledge to impact their own lives and the lives of innumerable children.