Early Education and Care (Non-Licensure)
(Early Intervention, Head Start, Private Preschool, and Group Day Care) Requirements for Early Education and Care: 33 Credits
ED 160 Early Childhood Education Today
ED 206 Young Children, Learning, and Special Needs
ED 211 Integrating Science, Social Studies and the Arts into
ECE Curriculum
ED 286 Assessment of Development and Learning of Typical
and Atypical Children
ED 301 ECE: Math and Science
ED 313 Practicum in Preschool Education
ED 314 Early Literacy with Young Children
ED 319 Advanced Field Experience in Early Childhood
Education
ED 340 Language Arts and Literacy for the Primary Grades
ED 400 Inclusive ECE
CD 115 Normal Development of Speech and Language
Prerequisite Course:
PS 210 Child Growth and Development
Recommended Courses:
HE 150 Health and Physical Education for the Teacher OR
HE 140 Creative Arts and Health
MA 130 Numbers and Operations for Teachers
MA 132 Geometry, Measurement, Probability and Statistics for
Teachers
Students are required to take specific liberal arts and science courses to satisfy foundation and distribution requirements. See your advisor and consult degree audit.
Early Education and Care majors must also complete an academic major in the arts or sciences offered at Worcester State University and approved by the Department.
Admission to Early Education and Care
Early Education and Care students will progress through a three-stage process. Each stage within this track must be satisfactorily completed before passage to the next stage.
Stage I: Early Education and Care
1. Students demonstrate competence in communication skills by completing the following course with a grade of C or higher.
EN 102 English Composition II (or equivalent)
2. Students must submit a CORI check application and be approved prior to beginning classroom observations in the Worcester Public Schools. No student is allowed to do fieldwork unless approval of the CORI has been received from the state.
3. Students demonstrate potential for teaching children by completing the following courses with a grade of C+ or higher in ALL prerequisite courses AND a prerequisite AND cumulative GPA of 2.5.
ED 160 Early Childhood Education Today
ED 206 Young Children, Learning, and Special Needs
ED 211 Integrating Science, Social studies and the Arts in Early
Childhood Education
ED 286 Assessment of Development and Learning of Typical
and Atypical Children
4. Any departure from the prescribed program of study must have Waiver Committee approval prior to advancement to Stage II.
Stage II: Early Education and Care
1. Upon satisfactory completion of Stage I requirements, the student is eligible to apply for formal admission to the Early Education and Care Program. The application must include a satisfactory physical examination, Mantoux test results, and transcripts of all previous course work. Approval by the Education Department is necessary for a student to progress to Stage II.
During Stage II, students must complete the following with a Grade of C+ or higher in ALL prerequisite courses AND a prerequisite AND cumulative GPA of 2.7 AND a C+ or higher in ED 313.
Stage II will consist of the following courses. Fieldwork accompanies the following methods courses.
ED 301 ECE: Math and Science
ED 313 Practicum in Preschool Education
ED 314 Early Literacy with Young Children
ED 340 Language Arts and Literacy for the Primary Grades
2. Students must apply for formal admission to ED 313: Practicum in Preschool Education. This application will be reviewed and acted upon by the Licensure Officer. Additional information regarding formal application for the preschool practicum is available from the Education Department.
Stage III: Early Education and Care
1. *ED 319 Advanced Field Experience in Early Childhood
Education
ED 400 Inclusive Early Childhood Education
*90 credits must be completed prior to taking ED 319. ED 400 should be taken as a corequisite with ED 319.
2. Students must apply for formal admission to ED 319: Advanced Field Experience in Early Childhood Education. This application will be reviewed and acted upon by the Licensure Officer. Additional information regarding formal application for the advanced practicum is available from the Education Department.
3. Electives:
A course in diversity or the child and the family: May be taken from Education, Psychology, Sociology, or Urban Studies OR A course in child guidance or behavior management: May be taken from Education, Psychology, Sociology, or Urban Studies.
This program provides preparation for certification through the Department of Early Education and Care as a Lead Teacher for Infant-Toddler or Preschool.
Note: This program does not lead to Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education public school licensure.