Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education
In consideration of the full spectrum of early childhood and the professional aspirations of students, there are two options for program completion: non-licensure and licensure. The non-licensure option is for educators interested in working in early childhood settings focused on birth to pre-K. Student complete an internship in a non-school setting in lieu of student teaching. Students should contact an advisor in the School of Education for additional information.
The licensure option is for educators interested in working in early childhood settings with the focus on pre-K to Grade 3. The goal of the program is an Early Childhood Education license (Grades P-3) issued by the state of Indiana upon completion of state required licensure tests and other state licensure requirements.
Students learn from experienced faculty members who prepare them to be a transformative teacher of early childhood-aged children. Evening, Saturday, and online-hybrid course offerings are tailored to support learners working toward professional certification and career advancement. As part of a learning cohort, students remain together for the duration of the two-year education portion of the program.
There are two options for completing the early childhood licensure program. With the TSAP option, an associate degree in early childhood is obtained from Ivy Tech or Vincennes University with the last two years of the bachelor degree at IU Indianapolis. With the traditional option, students may transfer in some courses but complete most of the four-year program at IU Indianapolis. Students should contact an advisor in the School of Education to discuss these options.
Prerequisite Courses (60-61 credits)
Students in the early childhood program complete the general education requirements outlined below. Students are encouraged to enroll in course clusters or learning communities designated for education majors whenever they are available.
Students are encouraged to see an education advisor for course lists for the concentration and to begin planning early to meet that requirement.
Professional Education (60 credits)
The Early Childhood Program is a fall-admit only program. Admission to the early childhood program is competitive, and application due dates are June 15 for fall.
The professional education component is a carefully articulated program of study where courses are taken in blocks and in a prescribed order (presented below). The professional education portion of the program is designed to be a four-semester sequence with courses that are taught on site at professional development schools (PDS) in Marion County. These schools have entered into a special partnership with the School of Education. Students also student teach at these PDS sites. Student teaching requires five full days a week.
Students pursuing an initial license to teach in grades P-3 are authorized for professional education courses only after admission to Teacher Education. Because the early childhood program is a field-based program in which formal class sessions are integrated with field experiences, most professional education courses are offered at a time when teacher education candidates are able to work with students in P-3 classrooms. Most professional education courses are scheduled during the day, and students will need to make arrangements to devote two days each week to complete the class and field experience work for the first two blocks. During Block III students will need to devote 3 full days while Block IV is full-time student teaching for 16 weeks.
The School of Education uses performance-based assessments to evaluate students readiness for an Initial Professional Educator License. In addition to their course assignments, students are expected to pass benchmark assessments during the elementary program. Benchmark I is a rubric that evaluates the students basic competencies and dispositions and Benchmark IV is a demonstration of the students abilities to have an impact on children's learning. These measures and others, including ETS Licensure tests and student teaching evaluations, are used to determine whether a student will be recommended for licensure upon completion of the program.
It is expected that students complete 30 credit hours of coursework per year. If fewer than 30 credits are completed successfully during the Fall or Spring semesters, or if developmental (non-credit) courses must be taken as prerequisites to required courses (e.g., Math 11000), students are expected to enroll in coursework during the Summer terms to get back on track for an on-time graduation.
Please note: a minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.5 or higher is required to remain in good standing within the School of Education.
Student Teaching (12-15 cr. hours)
All interns complete student teaching assignments in school settings. If a student doing an overseas teaching experience, the first experience will be 10-weeks and must be completed in the Indianapolis area.
The new Indiana licensing regulations require that all early childhood majors have a concentration, an institutional minor, or a license addition program.
Concentration Areas
Early childhood majors may complete a concentration area by taking 12 credit hours in a subject area approved by the state of Indiana. Completion of most concentration areas will not extend or add an area to the students' teaching license and will not be identified on students' transcripts but will be listed on the Indiana teaching license.
Note: Classes in the concentration area can also be used to meet prerequisite requirements when indicated. Students must have a total of 120 credit hours to graduate.
Licensure Addition Areas
Students electing to do a licensure addition area take 15 to 18 credits in an area that will give them additional expertise and will add an additional teaching area to their P-3 license. Licensure addition areas are not identified on students' transcripts. Please note that classes in the license addition area can also be used to meet prerequisite requirements when indicated. Students must have a total of 120 credit hours to graduate.
Students apply to a licensure addition program when completing the application to Teacher Education. However, some of the course work for certain licensure additions may be completed prior to entering the teacher education program. See an advisor in the School of Education for details. A minimum GPA of 3.00 is required for each licensure addition area.
Students will student teach in their licensure addition area during the student teaching experience. They will register for the appropriate practicum as part of the traditional student teaching experience for their initial program. See an advisor in the School of Education for information.
Licensure additions are available in the following areas:
English As A Second (new) Language Licensure Addition (15 additional credits outside the teacher education program)
The ESL/ENL licensure addition program prepares a teacher to meet the needs of students who are learning to speak English in the school classroom or pull-out programs. Students must select ESL/ENL as an licensure addition area when applying for admission to the IU Indianapolis Teacher Education Program and must maintain an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher in this licensure addition program. Student must take and pass the state licensure test for ESL/ENL. The license will be issued at the developmental levels of the student's initial teaching license.
Information on the English as a Second (New) Language program
Special Education Licensure Addition Program (Mild Intervention) - (18 additional credits outside the teacher education program)
Students will be licensed in developmental areas based on their initial program. The program is designed to enable students to complete field experiences as part of their elementary education program. Special education seminars are offered one evening each week and twice a week in the summer so they do not conflict with the block courses. Students are required to take one 3 credit seminars each semester while completing their elementary program.
This undergraduate program offers special education certification in Mild Intervention. Mild Intervention certification replaces licensure in the areas of learning disabilities, mild cognitive disabilities, and emotional disabilities in the state of Indiana. This program is not available for all-grade majors. Students must select special education as the area of licensure addition when applying for admission to the IU Indianapolis Teacher Education Program and must maintain an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher in this licensure addition program. Students must pass all state required licensure tests for special education to obtain a special education license.
Information of the Special Education Licensure Addition
Institutional Minors
Institutional minors may be completed in lieu of a concentration and are issued by the IU Indianapolis school which offers the minor. They range in length from 15 to 21 credits. Completion of an institutional minor will give students additional expertise in the chosen subject area, but will NOT extend or automatically add an areas to the student's teaching license. Some areas may be added to an existing teaching license through the testing option available through the Indiana Department of Education.
Institutional minors will be shown on the students' transcripts if they arrange to have that done through the school or department offering the minor.
American Sign Language Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)
Art Minor - Herron School of Art (15 credits)
Chemistry Minor - School of Science (20 credits)
French Minor - School of Liberal Arts (14 credits)
Geology Minor - School of Science (18 credits)
Biology Minor - School of Science (19 credits)
Economics Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)
English Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)
Geography Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)
German Minor - School of Liberal Arts (14 credits)
History Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)
Mathematics Minor - School of Science (21 credits)
Music Minor - School of Music (20 credits)
Physics Minor - School of Science (18 credits)
Political Science Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)
Psychology Minor - School of Science (15 credits)
Sociology Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)
Spanish Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)
