BS in Early Childhood Education

Boston University

BS in Early Childhood Education

Effective fall 2022, undergraduate students interested in applying to Wheelock College will be admitted to its BS in Education & Human Development and will no longer be admitted to the BS in Early Childhood Education program. Continuing students will continue to complete the degree program that they entered.

The Early Childhood Education program prepares students to teach preschool through second grade.

All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University's general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements can be satisfied in a number of ways, including coursework in and beyond the major as well as through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Early Childhood Education will ordinarily, through coursework taken in the Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Diversity, Civic Engagement, and Global Citizenship; Communication; and some elements of the Intellectual Toolkit, essential for early childhood educators working with other professionals and families. Additional requirements may be satisfied through required Arts and Sciences coursework, and it is important that students keep Hub requirements in mind when selecting these courses. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.

BU students specializing in Early Childhood Education engage in a comprehensive course of study that includes a strong base in the arts and sciences, with coursework in the humanities, social sciences, and math and science, as well as in education, in general, and in Early Childhood Education.

A sequence of three field-based courses provides students with the opportunity to put course content into practice. All students in the Early Childhood Education program complete fieldwork in diverse early childhood settings-such as preschools, childcare centers, and public schools-located in the Greater Boston area. Field placements are supervised by Wheelock Early Childhood Education faculty who work in partnership with carefully selected classroom teachers.

Students must be approved to proceed in the licensure course sequence. This approval is at the program faculty's discretion and is based on performance in field-based courses and meeting GPA requirements.

The program of study for each student is carefully designed to enable the student to meet both the BU Hub capacities and the requirements that enable Boston University to recommend students to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for licensure as an Early Childhood Teacher of Students at the Initial level. Fulfillment of licensure requirements in the program can lead to licensure in states with which the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has reciprocity.

Learning Outcomes

Curriculum, Planning, and Assessment: Promotes the learning and growth of all students by providing high-quality and coherent instruction, designing and administering authentic and meaningful student assessments, analyzing student performance and growth data, using this data to improve instruction, providing students with constructive feedback on an ongoing basis, and continuously refining learning objectives. (Well-Structured Lessons; Adjustments to Practice; Reflective Practice)

Teaching All Students: Promotes the learning and growth of all students through instructional practices that establish high expectations, create a safe and effective classroom environment, and demonstrate cultural proficiency. (High Expectations; Meeting Diverse Needs; Safe Learning Environment)