Early Childhood Education

The Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education leads to the Indiana state license for Pre-K to third grade. This degree is designed to raise the academic quality through course work and field experiences to meet the need of teaching positions in the public-school system. The program courses include theories of child development, special education, programming for children, as well as prepare students to develop, manage and implement developmentally appropriate curriculum to support the diverse learning needs of young children.

The Non-licensure Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education is designed to prepare students to assume leadership positions as a Lead Teacher in a variety of diverse programs such as licensed childcare facilities, Head Start programs, non-public school settings, and agencies that support these settings. The EC program emphasizes the preparation of teachers by taking a concentration of courses that include child development, curriculum, classroom management and special education. In our program you will gain knowledge, skills and experience to work with young children and families through our field experiences in NAEYC Accredited infant/toddler and pre-school facilities.

The Early Childhood Degree (Non-Traditional Pathway) is a Non-Licensure Program. This is a unique online program, in which many opportunities are possible. This is NOT a Preschool-3rd Grade teaching licensure program.

The online programs are designed for working professional educators to earn advanced degrees.  There are multiple opportunities for a student to transfer from the initial online programs into the traditional on-campus in-seat licensure programs. See pathways below.

The online Early Childhood Degrees are designed to raise academic quality through coursework and field experiences to meet current teaching demands. The program courses include theories of child development, special education, programming for children, as well as preparation for students to create, manage and implement developmentally appropriate curriculum to support the diverse learning needs of younger children. These programs are designed to prepare students to assume leadership positions in a variety of programs such as licensed childcare facilities, Head Start programs, public and private school settings, and agencies which support these settings. In the OCU programs students will gain knowledge, skills, and experiences to work with young children and families through participating in field experiences. These may occur in NAEYC Accredited infant/toddler and pre-school facilities. Students choosing to take the online courses can work at their convenience from home while still maintaining full-time employment.

The Pathways Explained:

An Online Associates Early Childhood Degree can continue into the Online Bachelors Non-licensure track. Please note: If a student wants to obtain a P-3 Licensure, they must transfer into the Bachelor’s in Early Childhood P-3 Licensure Program (traditional in-seat delivery). This program requires a traditional student teaching experience which is a minimum of 10 weeks in a classroom.

If a student already has earned a Bachelor’s Degree (in any content area), they can explore a licensure program through the T2T Transition to Teaching Graduate Program.