Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education (Non-Licensure)

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Within the context of a Christian worldview, the B.A. in Early Childhood Education (Non-Licensure) degree provides a challenging, theory-based and application-oriented approach to educating children from birth to age 8. Courses and field experiences develop educators who are dedicated to addressing diverse learner needs with excellence through servant-leadership in their field and in society.

The skills and dispositions of the professional educator will be developed through the study of curriculum development, learning assessment, psychological foundations, teaching methods, classroom management, and critical thinking. These principles are then put into practical application through field-based experiences in real early childhood classrooms. This combination of conceptual knowledge applied in real-world classroom experiences contributes to the student’s development as an early childhood educator.

Upon successful program completion, graduates meet requirements for certification by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) to teach in ACSI authorized schools around the world. Students pursuing this degree are not eligible for a Colorado state teaching license. However, this degree will meet educational requirements for teaching in many private early childhood programs, Head Start programs, charter schools, international schools, and other agencies. A full-time student teaching practicum is not required, however, students are required to complete approximately 130 clock-hours of field-based experiences over the course of two semesters.

Students graduating from the B.A. in Early Childhood Education (Non-Licensure) program may apply to the Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction (MACI) program at CCU. Upon acceptance, one graduate level course included in the B.A. professional core can be applied to the MACI “Non-Emphasis” degree.

The Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education (Non-Licensure) requires completion of the following 120 hours:
General Education (48 credits)
Prerequisite Professional Core (6 credit hours)
Early Childhood Professional Core (33 credits)
Electives (33 credits)

General Education Core Requirements (48 credit hours)

Arts and Humanities (9 credit hours)

PHL 205A - World Views (3) (must be taken at CCU)
Choose one.
ART 112A - Art Appreciation (3)
HUM 101A - Creative Arts (3)
Any creative arts/fine arts/music appreciation equivalent may be used for either course.
Choose one.
HUM 216A - Classic Christmas Films & Literature (3)
HUM 229A - C.S. Lewis in Film & Literature (3)
Any literature equivalent may be used for either course.

Biblical Studies (9 credit hours)

BIB 101A - Old Testament Introduction (3) (or equivalent)
BIB 102A - New Testament Introduction (3) (or equivalent)
INT 212A - Adult Studies Seminar II (3) (must be taken at CCU)

Communication (9 credit hours)

Written Communication

Oral/Interpersonal Communication

Choose one.
COM 110A - Oral Communication (3)
COM 212A - Interactive Communication (3)

Integrative Studies (3 credit hours)

INT 211A - Adult Studies Seminar I (3) (must be taken at CCU)

Mathematics (3 credit hours)

MAT 113A - Math Concepts (3) (*or higher level math)
* MAT 250A - Introduction to Research and Applied Statistics cannot be used to fulfill the general education requirement.

Natural/Physical Science (6 credit hours)

Must include 1 credit hour science lab.

BIO 102A - Introduction to Biological Diversity (3) (or other science equivalent)
BIO 112A - Introduction to Biological Diversity Lab (1) (or other science lab equivalent)
Any additional natural or physical science equivalent to at least two credit hours (2).

Social Science (9 credit hours)

GEO 280A - Environmental Geography (3) (or world geography equivalent)
PSY 102A - General Psychology (3) (or psychology equivalent)
Choose one of the following, or a world history or U.S. history equivalent:
HIS 202A - Western Civilization I (3)
HIS 203A - America to 1877 (3)
HIS 204A - America since 1877 (3)
HIS 312A - Colonial America (3)

Prerequisite Professional Core Requirements (6 credit hours)

Students must demonstrate a foundational background in early childhood education prior to beginning this degree by transferring 6 credits of early childhood education coursework from an accredited college or university. All students must transfer ECE 205 - Health, Safety, and Nutrition for ECE (3) and the additional 3 credits may be from any 100 level or higher ECE course, except field work or practicum experiences.

Requirements for Entrance into the Professional Core:

School of Education (SEP) - specified background check
Cumulative GPA of 2.50 for courses completed at CCU
A minimum of 9 credit hours must be completed at CCU prior to admission into SEP programs
Interview with an SEP staff designee
Writing sample completed at time of interview
One non-family letter of recommendation
Applicants must complete all general education and elective requirements prior to enrolling in any SEP core program courses. Applicants may be admitted by the program director for conditional admission with a maximum of 9 credits outstanding in any of the pre-professional core areas

Professional Core Requirements (33 credit hours)

All program admission requirements must be met before enrolling in the education core.

Elective Requirements (33 credit hours)

Complete 33 hours of elective credits.

Graduation Requirements

The faculty recommends students in the B.A. in Early Childhood Education (Non-Licensure) program to the Board of Trustees as candidates for graduation when they have completed the following requirements:

Completion of a total of 120 credits of courses, including all general education, elective, prerequisite, and professional core requirements
A grade of D or higher in all CCU non-education coursework, and a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher in all CCU coursework
Students must earn a C- or higher in all education core courses, and must consistently demonstrate professional disposition qualities, knowledge and skills in all core courses and field studies
Compliance with the College of Adult and Graduate Studies residency requirements
Formal and timely application for graduation by the date specified by the University Registrar
No outstanding financial obligations to the University