The Early Childhood Education (PreK-3) Post-Baccalaureate Certificate requires a minimum of 33 credit hours. Courses for the certificate will be paired with hands-on field experience to prepare students for future PK-3 classrooms. The level of responsibility during field experiences will increase throughout the program: from focused observations to individual and small group tutoring, and finally to whole-class instruction. Students will have spent 150+ hours in classrooms by the time their final clinical experience begins.
Curriculum
Note: Students who complete all requirements below earn a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Early Childhood Education (PreK-3) and become eligible to apply for the Early Childhood Education (PreK-3) teaching license in Louisiana.
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| EDLA 2000 & EDLA 2890 | Education In A Diverse Society and Service Learning | 3 |
| EDLA 3160 | Child & Adolescent Lit | 3 |
| EDUC 3410 & EDUC 3893 | The Craft of Teaching and Service Learning | 3 |
| EDUC 3420 | Foundations of Emergent Literacy | 3 |
| EDUC 3801 | Early Childhood Reading Methods | 3 |
| EDUC 4110 | Teaching Social Studies in ECE | 3 |
| EDUC 4120 | Teaching Science in the Early Childhood Classroom | 3 |
| EDUC 4130 | Teaching Mathematics in ECE | 3 |
| PSYC 3210 | Child Psychology | 3 |
| Residency Requirements (Student Teaching or Practioner) | 6 | |
| Residency Student Teach PK-3 and Residency Student Teach PK-3 | ||
| Pract Resid Early Child PK-3 and Pract Resid Early Child PK-3 | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 33 | |
Students who elect to earn the Early Childhood Education (PreK-3) Certificate must:
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA in education courses
- Maintain a 2.75 overall GPA
- Pass the Praxis I (PPST) exam (or meet ACT/SAT requirements)
- Complete an entrance interview process
- Successfully complete and meet program competencies during the Program Continuance Review (PCR)
PRAXIS Requirements
Praxis I (PPST) – Students who achieve a score of 22 or above on the ACT or a combined verbal and math score of 1100 or higher on the new SAT or 1030 on the SAT combined math/verbal (pre March 2016) are excused from taking the PPST.
Praxis II (Content Area) - Complete before residency.
Praxis II (Principles of Learning and Teaching) - Complete before or during residency.