Early Childhood/Childhood Education: Psychology Child Life (B.S.) - HEGIS Code 0823.00

The major in Early Childhood and Childhood Education Dual Certification leads to a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree and prepares undergraduate students to work with families and teach children from Birth to Grade 6 in New York State. The major includes a requirement that the teacher candidate complete study that prepares them with the knowledge, understanding, and skills in the liberal arts and sciences, including but not limited to: artistic expression; communication; information retrieval; concepts in history and social sciences; humanities; a world language other than English; scientific and mathematical processes; and written analysis and expression.

Teacher candidates pursuing the Early Childhood and Childhood Education Dual Certification major must complete a concentration of courses in psychology-child life (PCL) which in combination with coursework on the subjects to be taught and pedagogical coursework, shall ensure that the teacher candidate has the knowledge, skills, and dispositions for supporting students and their families and teaching the New York State Next Generation Learning Standards.

Teacher candidates in this major are required to complete a minimum of 100 hours of observation and work in public school classrooms as well as regular course work prior to student teaching. The practical application of the theory and principles of teaching and learning culminates in an assignment to area schools for student teaching in the senior year. It is necessary for students to make plans to set aside one of the semesters of the senior year to devote entirely to student teaching.

The Early Childhood and Childhood Education Dual Certification major includes specific admission and retention criteria and policies, including maintaining a minimum 2.75 GPA throughout the entire major. Students must also achieve a grade of C or better in all courses required for teacher certification.

Learning Objectives

• Demonstrate strong knowledge of the subject matter they will teach
• Demonstrate pedagogical content knowledge and the ability to use this knowledge to design effective lessons
• Demonstrate teaching skills that promote student learning
• Teach caringly, effectively, and professionally
• Know how to learn
• Seek to understand multicultural perspectives
• Use technology effectively