Teaching young children is a vital and rewarding part of their development, and given how important the subject is, it’s no surprise that early childhood education degrees are offered at many schools.
While plenty of colleges can offer you teaching credentials, that doesn’t mean all schools are created equal. If you want to build a strong career for yourself in early childhood education, there’s a right school (or schools) out there for you. You just have to find it.
In your search, consider these five great schools offering early childhood education degree programs.
1. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
The University of Texas at Austin, also known as UT Austin, might be perfect if you want to study early childhood education at the graduate level.
UT Austin offers both master’s and doctoral early childhood education degrees, with courses ranging from theory of childhood to introduction to teaching. The programs are both hands-on and analytical, even touching on sociology and theories about play. And UT even has its own elementary school, in east Austin, which acts both as a school and a place for students to apply the knowledge they’ve gained in the classroom.
Plus, the fact that you get to study in the Lone Star State’s quirky capital, which boasts being the “live music capital of the world,” is an added bonus.
2. VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
The beauty of Vanderbilt’s early childhood education programs is how hands-on they are.
At Vanderbilt University, which is located in Nashville, Tennessee, even first-year students in the undergraduate program are observing and participating in local schools and agencies, as well as in experimental classrooms on the campus itself.
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The undergraduate program is combined with a second major in child studies, offered by Peabody College, which means you get two degrees from two schools. And the graduate program not only focuses on early childhood education, but also special education, giving you a larger range of services and knowledge.
As you can see, Vanderbilt really does offer a comprehensive educational experience.
3. UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
It’s all about flexibility at the University of Cincinnati.
You can study early childhood education online or on the University of Cincinnati campus. If you choose the online option, you can earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in early childhood education anywhere and anytime you want. And if you pursue the bachelor’s degree program in early childhood education on campus, you enjoy small classes and extensive field experience in a variety of classrooms, especially high-needs schools in the city, since the school has an urban mission.
It’s a great option for anyone anywhere, not just people who live in or plan to live in Cincinnati.
4. NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
New York University (also known as NYU) offers its early childhood education students a lot of variety.
At the undergraduate level, you can earn a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and early childhood special education (they’re combined), even obtaining teacher certification in the process. At the graduate level, you can earn a master’s degree in early childhood education or a Ph.D. in early childhood education and childhood education. (They’re also combined.)
Study abroad is not only highly encouraged, but made easily possible, as NYU offers courses in London and Accra, Ghana. You also get to both learn about and teach in a variety of environments.
Not to mention, you can’t go wrong studying in New York City, where you can experience an incredible city and be amid several diverse opportunities. The Big Apple is a great city to study, live and teach.
5. ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
Arizona State University (ASU) has some of the most interesting early childhood education programs in the country.
For one, the Master of Education in early childhood education is offered fully online, with a combination of online coursework, applied activities and in-person clinical experiences.
The Bachelor of Arts in Education for Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education program is offered at ASU’s Tempe, Ariz. campus and includes “a senior year residency collaborative student teaching experience that begins with an early childhood apprenticeship in a PreK-3 classroom at a partner school, as well as an early childhood special education setting.”
And both programs don’t merely emphasize fulfilling the child’s educational needs, but also his or her emotional and social needs.
Plus, the programs lead to teacher certification, which means upon graduation you can land a job. Not every program out there includes that, especially online programs. You can do a whole lot worse than ASU.
These are just five of the many great early childhood education programs out there. As it’s such a common program, there are dozens — even hundreds — of options available.
If you start your search with these five, you’re off to a great start when it comes to finding the right program.
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