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Early Childhood Education Licensure program

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Please note that this is a joint program, and some courses are available at Aims Community College or other community colleges. For information about Aims courses, please see the Aims Catalogue.      

Program requirements

Description:

The degree will provide an interdisciplinary liberal arts foundation for students who select the Early Childhood Education Professional Teacher Education Preparation  (ECEPTEP) Program.  Developed collaboratively by faculty of the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) and Aims Community College, the program prepares students to teach children from birth through age 8.  Throughout their education, students participate in campus-based coursework and classroom-based experiences.  Students move through the program in cohort groups designed to simulate the collaboration and cooperation which occurs among professional teachers. Upon graduation, students will be eligible to receive a teaching license which will allow them to teach grades K-3 in a public school setting.

ADMISSION:

For the UNC application go http://www.unco.edu/admissions. Declare Interdisciplnary Studies Early Childhood, Education Emphasis Major AND Early Childhood Licensure. Make an appointment with Dr. Susan Thompson to discuss the program. To take PTEP classes at UNC, you must enroll and pass EDFE 110, a checkpoint course. If you would like to change majors, complete the Undergraduate Major/Minor Change Form.

Structure:

The program guides students through two stages of preparation.  Students complete their freshman and sophomore years at Aims or one of the other community colleges and  UNC.  Upon acceptance to the UNC Early Childhood Education Program, students complete two years of professional courses as they complete their degree programs.

Competency-Based:

As students complete each phase of the teacher education program, each student develops and continually updates a professional portfolio that documents his/her competency in designed program outcomes.

Experiences in Classrooms:

The program provides continuous classroom experiences throughout the program.  At the community college, students will be involved in classrooms with children birth to age 5.  When students are accepted into the UNC Early Childhood Program, they will be involved in public school classrooms with children ages 5 through 8.  The last semester is a full-time student teaching experience in a public school K-3 classroom.

Overview of Program Content:

• Freshman Year:
  Students will take courses for their liberal arts core.  They can complete the courses through the community college of their choice and at the University of Northern Colorado.  If the courses at the community colleges are part of the transfer articulation agreement, they will transfer to UNC. 
• Sophomore Year:
  Students will take Interdisciplinary Studies: Early Childhood Education Emphasis courses.  They can complete the courses through the community college of their choice and at UNC.  If the courses at the community colleges are part of the transfer articulation agreement, they will transfer to UNC.
• Junior Year:
  Students who have been accepted into the UNC Early Childhood Professional Education Program will take the Prerequisite courses.  The technology course may be taken at a community college.  Students must have a grade point average of 2.75 before registering for the courses.
• Senior Year:
  During the first semester, students will complete the Early Childhood Education PTEP core course.  There will be two weeks of field practicum during the semester.  During the second semester, students will student teach full-time in a K-3 elementary school classroom.  Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 before they can register for the first semester, and a grade point average of 3.0 must be maintained in order to student teach the second semester.  Also, students must pass the PLACE test in order to begin student teaching.

Program Checkpoints

• EDFE 110 (0) Provisional Admittance to PTEP. Must be taken in the semester before EDEC 360.
• EDFE 120 (0) Full Admittance to PTEP. Must be taken in the semester before Block I.
• EDFE 130 (0) Application to Student Teaching. Must be taken in the semester before Block II.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where will my advisor be? 
You will have an advisor at your community college and at UNC.

Do I pay tuition at UNC and the community college?
There is an articulation agreement between UNC and Colorado community colleges which allows a student from UNC to take a course each semester free of charge at a community college and for a student from a community college to take a course free of charge at UNC.

Where do I get a program application?
There will be two steps to your application process.  Initially, you will need to apply at both Aims (or another community college) and UNC.  Check with the registration office at the community college for a program application.  For the UNC application go http://www.unco.edu/admissions

The second step is when you apply for the Early Childhood Program.  For these requirements and an application form, click here.

If I have other questions, who do I contact?

Dr. Susan Thompson, Coordinator
susan.thompson@unco.edu
970-351-2070

Layne Craven, program secretary
Layne.craven@unco.edu
970-351-2908

Vicky Stromberger, Licensure officer
970-351-1624