In the Early Childhood and Elementary Education (ECEE) program, you will learn a child-centered approach to educating preschool children age three to grade five. Throughout the program, you will engage in coursework that promotes the importance of nurturing young minds and helping them reach their full potential.
Ohio University’s five regional campuses, as well as Athens campus, offer B.S.Ed. in ECEE programs. If you’re interested in pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood, you will enter your program of study as Pre-Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Acceptance into the program is selective. Upon meeting criteria for teacher candidacy into the ECEE program, you can begin the professional sequence of courses leading to a teaching license.
Early Childhood and Elementary Education Courses
The Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood and Elementary Education includes courses in teaching methods, English, mathematics and the sciences. Visit the B.S.Ed. undergraduate catalog page to see the complete major requirements.
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Potential Careers
The early childhood and elementary education major prepares students to teach children three years old through fifth grade in preschool and elementary settings. In addition to being qualified to teach in primary grades, you can also teach in pre-primary programs, such as public school preschools, private pre-kindergarten schools, childcare centers and Head Start programs.
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As of May 2024, elementary school teachers in Ohio earn an annual median wage of $65,380.
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Tuition and Fees
The OHIO Guarantee takes the guesswork out of budgeting for college and provides a fixed rate table for tuition and most fees for four years (or 12 consecutive semesters).
Financial aid for undergraduate students (regardless of discipline) is available in the form of scholarships, grants and student loans. Visit our Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships to learn more.
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West Virginia and Kentucky Residents
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Learning Environment
Before successfully graduating from the ECEE program, you will complete early-field and clinical-field placements and professional internships in classrooms and programs for children ages three through grade five. Public and private area schools and agencies partner with OHIO campuses to mentor ECEE students enrolled in methods of teaching in a variety of content areas. During your junior year as a teacher candidate, you will participate in the Rural-Urban Collaborative, which is a distinctive program preparing teacher candidates across all OHIO campuses for working with students in urban areas. Professional interns complete a 15-week pre-primary professional internship in a pre-kindergarten settings for one semester, and a 15-week primary professional internship in a Kindergarten through grade five school in one semester.
Program Admission Requirements
First-Year Students
Freshman or those wishing to enroll in the program should designate ECEE pre-major code, ND8929. Students can apply to the major after completing specific program prerequisites. After the selective admissions process, successful students will be accepted into the ECEE program major.
Requirements for selective admissions are as follows:
- Admission to Teacher Candidacy:
- Earn at least 30 hours and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better
- Complete EDTE 1000 and ECEE 1600 with a “C” or better grade in each
- Complete ENG 1510 with a “C” or better grade
- Complete HIST 2010, HIST 2000, or POLS 1010 with a “C” or better grade
- Complete one math requirement, taking MATH 1101 or Math 1102 with a “C” or better grade
- Complete two of three science courses, a minimum of one with a lab with a “C” or better grade from the approved courses listed on your DARS
- Submission of test scores on one of the following assessments. Admission will be determined holistically in tandem with other requirements and supplementary materials. Students only need to take and submit scores for one of the following tests, not all three.
- Praxis Core (Academic Skills for Educators)
- ACT
- SAT
- Personal Essay Statement
- Tuberculosis Test
- BCI and FBI background checks
Transfer Students
lf you are enrolled in a different major or college at Ohio University and wish to transfer into this major, you must either declare the ECEE pre-major code, if you don’t meet the admission criteria, or apply for selective admissions if you do meet them. To be admitted to the major, you must apply and be accepted after the successful completion of the admission criteria.
The ECEE program will follow the protocol as outlined in the OHIO catalog for transferring credit from other colleges and universities and in accordance with the Ohio Department of Higher Education Articulation and Transfer Policy.
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Accreditation Information
The program is accredited through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) . The program aligns to the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation’s K-6 standards and is also guided by recommendations from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Ready for the Next Step?
Contact Us
Amy Wolfe
Assistant Professor, Early Childhood Education
740.774.7367
* Includes scholarships, grants, loans, federal work student and CARES/HEERF funding.