The early childhood education program includes study and practice of specialized teaching methods appropriate for young children and a broad range of content preparation.
At Lander, we work closely with public school officials to maintain a curriculum that enables you to obtain the knowledge and skills needed to meet the challenges of teaching. As a student in our teacher education program, you'll take a sequence of courses from general education, specialized content, professional education and a series of field experiences that culminate with student teaching.
All teacher education programs at Lander University are guided by Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) standards, a nationally recognized model which outlines teacher competencies "to ensure that every K-12 student reaches the goal of being ready to enter college or the workforce in today's world." InTASC Standards, listed below, provide direction for programs, courses, teaching and teacher candidate assessment:
The Early Childhood Education program is available in-person and online
We understand that for working adults, taking courses online may be the best path to their degree. The Early Childhood Education program has coursework available online for learners who have earned an A.A., A.S., or an A.A.S. degree in Early Care and Education.
How do the online courses work?
Learners who transfer to Lander with an A.A., A.S., or A.A.S. in Early Care in Education can expect to complete their degree in two years. Students in this program complete their coursework online and complete their field and clinical experiences in their local school districts. The program prepares candidates to earn initial certification in South Carolina in Early Childhood education.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Note: The information below provides convenient links to some of the courses required for this degree; however, it should not be used as a course registration guide. Please refer to the official Lander University Academic Catalog for the most accurate and up-to-date program requirements.
| GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS1 |
CREDIT |
||
| A. Core Skills |
|
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| ENGL 101 | Writing and Inquiry I | 3 | |
| ENGL 102 | Writing and Inquiry II | 3 | |
|
Approved Mathematics |
3 | ||
|
B. Humanities and Fine Arts |
6 | ||
| C. Behavioral and Social Perspectives | |||
| HIST 101 | Western Civilization (before 1600) OR HIST 102 Western Civilization (1600-1918) OR HIST 111 U.S. History to 1877 OR HIST 112 U.S. History since 1877 OR HIST 121 World Civilizations to 1600 OR HIST 122 World Civilizations since 1600 |
3 | |
| Behavioral and Social Perspectives elective | 3 | ||
| D. Scientific and Mathematical Reasoning | |||
| Approved Science or Mathematics | 3 | ||
| Approved Lab Science | 4 | ||
| E. Founding Documents of the United States | |||
| HIST 111 |
United States History to 1877 |
3 | |
| F. World Cultures | 3 | ||
| G. LINK 101 | 1 | ||
| University Requirement | |||
| FALS 101 | 15 FALS-approved events (Temporarily suspended) |
0 |
|
| Total General Education Requirements | 35 | ||
1 For approved courses see the General Education section
| MAJOR PROGRAM CORE REQUIREMENTS | CREDIT HOURS |
|
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 106 | Field Experience IA | 0.5 |
| EDUC 204 | Instructional Technology for Teachers | 3 |
| EDUC 206 | Field Experience IC | 0.5 |
| EDUC 207 | Field Experience ID | 1 |
| EDUC 210 | Communication in Diverse Classrooms | 3 |
| EDUC 223 | General Pedagogy | 3 |
| ECED 222 | Child Growth and Development | 3 |
| ECED 227 | Introduction to Early Childhood | 3 |
| MATH 203 | Math for Elementary Teachers | 3 |
| MONT 474 | Foundations of Reading Montessori Classroom | 3 |
| SPED 223 | Pre K-12 Student Diverse Learning Needs | 3 |
Professional Education Content Preparation These courses can be taken by students only after acceptance into the Professional Program (Candidate Status) |
||
| EDUC 300 | Content Area Reading and Writing | 3 |
| EDUC 302 | Educational Assessment | 3 |
| EDUC 306 | STEAM Instructional Design | 3 |
| EDUC 345 | Instructional Practices of Teaching Reading | 3 |
| ECED 307 | Health and Movement for Childhood | 3 |
| ECED 322 | Science Pedagogy for Early Childhood | 3 |
| ECED 323 | Math Pedagogy for Early Childhood | 3 |
| ECED 329 | Field Experience II | 2 |
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Fall Semester Courses: |
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| ECED 405 | Children and Families | 3 |
| ECED 429 | Clinical Practice A | 3 |
| ECED 427 | Social Studies for Early Childhood | 3 |
| SPED 321 | Assessing and Teaching Reading to Needs | 3 |
Spring Semester Courses: |
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| EDUC 461 | Clinical Practice B | 11 |
| EDUC 499 | Teacher Education Seminar | 1 |
| Total Major Requirements | 75 | |
| Additional Electives | 10 | |
| TOTAL FOR BS DEGREE | 120 | |
*Status, as defined below, is determined by factors which include, but are not limited to: PRAXIS Core scores, GPA, course completion, program assessments, and maintenance of professional dispositions.