Early Childhood Education Options

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The College of Education provides a few different options in early childhood at the University of Wyoming.

Early Childhood Education minor

To complete the minor, students take the following required 22 credits of coursework. This minor may lead to:

A Birth through Age-8 Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board teaching endorsement for Elementary Education and Elementary/Special Education majors.
A Birth through Age-5 Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board initial teaching license for majors in Human Development and Family Science and other related majors.

Required courses:

EDEC 1020 - Introduction to Early Childhood Education Credits: 3
FCSC 2121 (4 credits) only -or - both PSYC 2300 (3 credits) AND FCSC 2122 (1 credit)
FCSC 2121 - Child Development Credits: 4
OR
PSYC 2300 - Psychology of Child Development Credits: 3
AND
FCSC 2122 - Child Development Lab Credits: 1
EDEC 2000 - Engaging Families in Early Childhood Settings Credits: 3
EDEC 3000 - Observing Young Children Credits: 3
EDEC 3220 - Curriculum and Learning Environments in Early Childhood Education Credits: 3
EDEC 4320 - Oral and Written Language Acquisition Credits: 3
One approved elective (3 credits or more) from the list below:

*Note some course options taken at community colleges can meet this requirement (for example, EDEC 1100, 1105, or 1300).
EDEC 2275 - Literature for Young Children Credits: 3
EDEC 4350 - Health Management Issues in Early Education Credits: 3
EDEC 5220 - Children with Disabilities Credits: 3
EDEL 2280 - Literature for Children Credits: 3
EDCI 4140 - Storytelling Credits: 3
FCSC 2131 - Family Relations Credits: 3
FCSC 3119 - Parent-Child Relationships Credits: 3
FCSC 3129 - Social Development in Young Children Credits: 3
FCSC 3220 - Multicultural Influences on Children and Families Credits: 3
FCSC 4124 - Families of Young Children With Special Needs Credits: 3
FCSC 4127 - Directing Preschool and Daycare Programs Credits: 3
SPPA 2110 - American Sign Language I Credits: 4
SPPA 2120 - American Sign Language II Credits: 4
*If students enrolled in the minor also plan on getting their Birth through Age 5 licensure or Birth through Age 8 endorsement, the internship courses applicable to each option should be selected.
EDEC 4580 - Internship in Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education Credits: 1
* Must be completed for 6 credits to complete the teaching licensure/endorsement requirement for Elementary and Elementary/Special Education majors.
FCSC 4130 - Internship in Child Development Credits: 6-8
* Must be completed for 6 credits to complete the initial teaching licensure requirement for Human Development and Family Science majors and other related majors.

* Professional Child Development majors are not eligible to complete this minor because all the minor courses are required for the major, which leads to the Birth through Age 5 licensure.

Post-Baccalaureate Early Childhood Education options

There are two options for students who have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution to complete an Early Childhood program. These students do not receive the minor on their UW transcript.

Students should apply to UW as non-degree-seeking undergraduate students to complete the required courses listed above.

B-8 endorsement for any non-degree seeking student who already holds an elementary K-6 license can take the required 19 credits of coursework and a 6-credit internship EDEC 4580 to qualify for a B-8 endorsement.

B-5 initial teacher license option for non degree seeking students holding a bachelor’s degree in a related area (Human Development, Psychology, Communication Disorders, etc) and complete an internship EDEC 4580 in a B-5 setting. (Can lead to PTSB initial licensure)

Post-Baccalaureate Early Childhood Special Education B-5 endorsement

Post-baccalaureate students who already have an Elementary Education, Family Consumer Sciences/Child Development, or other related degree have the option to take an additional 8 courses (26 credits) to earn this add-on endorsement. (Can lead to PTSB certification)

This is a pre-k program and does not prepare candidates to work in kindergarten or primary-grade classrooms.

EDEC 5220 - Children with Disabilities Credits: 3
EDEC 5230 - Curriculum and Materials for Young Children with Disabilities Credits: 3
EDEC 5240 - Evaluation of Young Children with Disabilities Credits: 3
EDEC 4350 - Health Management Issues in Early Education Credits: 3
EDEC 4320 - Oral and Written Language Acquisition Credits: 3
EDEX 5720 - Special Education Law Credits: 3
FCSC 4124 - Families of Young Children With Special Needs Credits: 3
EDEC 5580 - Internship in Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education Credits: 1 * A total of 6 credits must be completed to meet endorsement requirements.