Make a difference in a child’s earliest education.

This four-year degree program leads to dual Indiana state teaching licenses for teaching young children in infant/toddler and preschool settings, and K-3 classrooms.

The program prepares teachers for inclusive settings, with students taking a concentration of coursework in early intervention and special education. You’ll learn to develop curricula and plan environments for younger learners and build educational theories that will inform your future work with young children and families.

You will be able to test your skills and knowledge in real-world settings during the program with field experiences and student teaching with children who represent the diversity of cultures, ethnicities, and abilities you’ll experience throughout your career.

• Admissions Requirements

  Direct Admit Scholars

  To be considered for direct admission into the School of Education, students must first be admitted to IU with an intended major within the School of Education. Students who meet the Direct Admit Scholars qualifications are invited to apply to the program.

  Certification from University Division

  Students should meet with a University Division advisor, who can provide guidance in meeting certification requirements. These requirements include:

  • An overall IU grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher
  • 30 credit hours of college level coursework completed
  • Completion of EDUC-G203: Communication for Youth Serving Professionals, with a grade of C or better. (Under certain circumstances, students may substitute another college level public speaking or interpersonal communication class.)

  Learn more about how to apply

• Financial Aid

  We offer a range of scholarships for qualified students. Current students can be considered for most School of Education scholarships by completing one application each year.

  We also encourage students to visit Student Central for information about financial assistance.

  If you are a prospective student who applies to our Direct Admit Scholars program, you’ll be considered for scholarship opportunities as an entering freshman.

• Student Teaching

  The program culminates in a semester-long student teaching experience in a K-3 classroom. There, you'll prepare lessons and assess student performance under the guidance of a mentor teacher.

  You can also take on additional field engagements as early as your sophomore year (depending on your admissions status) through our early field experiences program.

• Licensing

  The Early Childhood Education bachelor's degree leads to state teaching licenses in Early Childhood Education (infant/toddler through preschool) and K/Primary Grades (kindergarten through 3rd grade). A concentration in special education is included in the course work in the early childhood program.

  Learn more about applying for your initial license.

• Careers

  When you graduate, you’ll have a specialized body of knowledge and skills that makes you highly valuable for a number of careers. You will be able to articulate and defend a point of view about teaching and curriculum planning, implementation, and assessment, as well as support young children and families for success in a multicultural, diverse society. Our early childhood graduates have successful careers in a variety of professional settings.

  Specialized Course Preparation in Early Childhood Education Prepares Students for Careers as Professionals in:

  • Care and education programs for children birth to age three across the United States and abroad including private, public, corporate programs, Head Start and Early Head Start;
  • Early intervention programs serving infants/toddlers and preschoolers;
  • Early childhood program administrators;
  • Kindergarten – Grade 3 classrooms;
  • A variety of clinical and community settings which serve young children and their families such as hospitals and county health organizations, YMCAs, libraries and museums;
  • Local, county, state and federal governmental agencies; and
  • National corporations (public television, publishing, etc.)