Early Childhood Education (Infant-3rd grade)

MU’s Early Childhood Education Program focuses on educating the youngest sector of our population – from birth through 3rd grade. Faculty members from MU’s College of Education deliver an extensive curriculum to ensure students obtain the knowledge needed to succeed in the classroom after graduation. In this program, you will complete a unique combination of classroom preparation and field experience covering the stages of early childhood. In this program, you will integrate theory with practice through your field experiences, which begin during your sophomore year.

For General TDP Requirements, click here. 

For specific program courses and requirements, download the Early Childhood Education Program of Study (.pdf).

For specific course descriptions, see the University Registrar.

Additional Coursework required for Entry into Phase II for Early Childhood Education Majors:

  • Statistics 1200 or higher with 2.000 or better
  • HDFS 2420 or equivalent with a 2.000 or better
  • Music 1618 (or competency in music performance)

General Layout of Coursework:

Phase I
This phase provides students with an immersion into the discipline and culture of teaching and learning before focusing on a teaching specialty. It includes four courses: TDP1100, 1200, 2000, and 2040. Experiences in this phase incorporate the teacher’s roles in facilitating learning at all levels of development, career exploration, general instructional strategies, human development, classroom and behavior management and educational measurement. The emphasis in Phase I is on oral and written communication. All students in the BS Ed degree program complete these courses.

Phase II
This phase occurs over a three-semester sequence and focuses increasingly on a chosen teaching emphasis and on interdisciplinary teaching. This phase provides students with experience in the methods of teaching in a specific subject area as well as emerging problems and practices within the field of education.Students focus on how problems of schools, family, community and society affect educators. Certain degree programs have limited enrollments. The number of credits is dependent on the selected program.  Phase II generally begins Fall Semester Junior year. 

Application to Phase II is required. Students become eligible for consideration for admittance to Phase II in a specific program after meeting the certain criteria.

Phase III (Internship): 

Phase III occurs during the last semester with student placement in a partner district for the entire semester, for approximately 15 credit hours.Application for Phase III is required. To qualify for the teaching internship, applicants must meet certain requirements.

Phase IV (Induction Years Program):

Phase IV occurs after the student graduates and begins the first year of teaching and includes follow-up evaluations.