Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education, Bachelor of Science (526)
Department website: http://www.wku.edu/ste
Program Coordinator
Janet L. Tassell, janet.tassell@wku.edu, (270) 745-5306
The major in interdisciplinary early childhood education requires 69-76 hours and leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. The major is designed to prepare early childhood educators to work with children, both with and without disabilities, ages birth through kindergarten, and their families. A grade of “C” or higher must be earned for all courses required for this major. No minor or second major is required. Students select either the teacher certification concentration (75 hours, which leads to initial certification for Birth-5 years) or the non-certification concentration (68 hours).
Graduates of the certification concentration are eligible to apply for certification in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (IECE), Birth to Primary. Graduates of this concentration are prepared for preschool and kindergarten positions in public schools, early intervention programs (i.e., First Steps), Head Start programs, and other public and private agencies serving young children and families. Graduates of the non-certification concentration are prepared for preschool and kindergarten positions in private schools, Head Start programs, and other public and private agencies serving young children and families; or as a First Steps Service Coordinator.
The IECE program will prepare and engage learners:
- in current research and recommended practices in early childhood/early childhood special education (EC / ECSE) that emphasizes performance-based standards;
- as lifelong learners who actively engage in the learning process through coursework, field experiences, and research;
- to support and engage young children and families in a variety of settings through collaborative efforts with an array of professionals;
- with knowledge, skills, and dispositions in working with young children with and without disabilities, delays, or risks across all settings;
- to partner with families through family-centered approaches;
- in culturally and linguistically responsive practices that address the diverse needs of children and families through individual and community engagement; and
- in leadership opportunities and activities within the EC / ECSE field.
Concentrations
- Non-Teacher Certification (IECE)
- Teacher Education (TCHR)
Program Requirements (69-76 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
Both concentrations require the following courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | ||
| EDU 250 | Discover Teaching: Introduction to Teacher Education | 3 |
| PSY 310 | Educational Psychology: Development and Learning | 3 |
| EDU 260 | Classroom Assessment | 3 |
| EDU 350 | Student Diversity and Differentiation | 3 |
| EDU 360 | Behavior and Classroom Management in Education | 3 |
| IECE Major | ||
| FACS 191 | Child Development | 3 |
| CD 481 | Speech and Language Development | 3 |
| LTCY 310 | Early Reading, Language and Literacy | 3 |
| SPED 331 | Early Childhood Education for Children with Disabilities | 3 |
| IECE 321 | Family Supports and Services | 3 |
| IECE 322 | Planning Curriculum and Instruction for Diverse Learners | 3 |
| IECE 323 | Positive Behavioral Supports with Young Children | 3 |
| FACS 335 | Infant/Toddler Development and Curriculum | 3 |
| IECE 324 | Advanced Assessment of Young Children | 3 |
| IECE 326 | Integrating Mathematics and Science Across the Early Childhood Curriculum | 3 |
| IECE 421 | Advanced Curriculum and Instruction for Infants and Toddlers | 4 |
| IECE 422 | Advanced Curriculum Development for Young Children | 5 |
| IECE 423 | Interdisciplinary Services for Young Children with Low Incidence Disabilities | 3 |
| Total Hours | 57 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Teacher Certification Concentration | ||
| IECE 490 | Student Teaching (Infants and Toddlers) - (Preschoolers) | 10 |
| EDU 489 | Student Teaching Seminar | 2 |
| OR | ||
| Non-certification Concentration | ||
| IECE 491 | Practicum in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education | 5 |
| IECE 489 | Practicum Seminar in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education | 1 |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) Minor | ||
| All students pursuing IECE major must declare a TESOL minor. | ||
| ENG 302 | Language and Communication | 3 |
| ENG 407 | Linguistic Analysis | 3 |
| ENG 469 | 2nd Language Acquisition Theory | 3 |
| ENG 470 | Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language | 3 |
| ENG 471 | Teaching English as a Second Language Practicum | 4 |
| ENG 408 | Psycholinguistics and Sociolinguistics | 3 |
| Total Hours | 19 | |
Therefore, students in the teacher certification concentration must take IECE 490 (Infant and Toddler) Student Teaching, IECE 490 (Preschool) Student Teaching, and EDU 489. Students must be admitted to professional education prior to enrollment in IECE 324, IECE 325, and IECE 326. Student teaching occurs during the final semester of the program. Students in the non-certification concentration must take IECE 491 and IECE 489.
Additional information about the IECE major, including any curriculum changes made since the printing of this catalog, can be found on the program web site in the School of Teacher Education, (http://www.wku.edu/ste).
Finish in Four Plans
Teacher Certification with Minor in TESOL
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| ENG 100 | 3 | COMM 145 | 3 | ||
| MATH 109 or MATH 116 | 3 | EDU 260 | 3 | ||
| EDU 250 | 3 | ENG 200 | 3 | ||
| Colonnade: Arts & Humanities | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Science w/lab | 3-4 | ||
| FACS 191 | 3 | ENG 302 or ENG 104 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15-16 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| EDU 350 | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences w/o lab | 3 | ||
| EDU 360 | 3 | ENG 470 | 3 | ||
| ENG 407 | 3 | LTCY 310 | 3 | ||
| ENG 469 | 3 | PSY 310 | 3 | ||
| Colonnade: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | SPED 331 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | Colonnade: Connections (Systems) | 3 | IECE 423 | 3 |
| IECE 321 | 3 | IECE 324 | 3 | ||
| IECE 322 | 3 | IECE 326 | 3 | ||
| ENG 300 | 3 | IECE 323 | 3 | ||
| CD 481 (or summer of second year) | 3 | ENG 408 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 3 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| IECE 421 | 4 | IECE 490 | 10 | ||
| IECE 422 | 5 | EDU 489 | 2 | ||
| Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global) - Recommend LME 448 | 3 | ENG 471 | 4 | ||
| Colonnade: Connections (Social & Cultural) | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 16 | ||||
| Total Hours 124-125 | |||||
Non-Teacher Certification with Minor in TESOL
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| FACS 191 | 3 | EDU 250 | 3 | ||
| ENG 100 | 3 | ENG 302 | 3 | ||
| MATH 109 or MATH 116 | 3 | ENG 200 | 3 | ||
| Colonnade: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Science w/lab | 3-4 | ||
| Colonnade: Arts & Humanities | 3 | COMM 145 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15-16 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| ENG 407 | 3 | EDU 260 | 3 | ||
| EDU 350 | 3 | ENG 470 | 3 | ||
| ENG 300 | 3 | SPED 331 | 3 | ||
| ENG 469 | 3 | PSY 310 | 3 | ||
| Colonnade: Connections (Social & Cultural) | 3 | LTCY 310 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| CD 481 (or summer of second year) | 3 | ENG 471 | 4 | IECE 423 | 3 |
| IECE 321 | 3 | ENG 408 | 3 | ||
| IECE 322 | 3 | IECE 324 | 3 | ||
| ENG 300 | 3 | IECE 326 | 3 | ||
| EDU 360 | 3 | IECE 323 | 3 | ||
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | ||||
| 18 | 16 | 3 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| IECE 421 | 4 | IECE 489 | 1 | ||
| IECE 422 | 5 | IECE 491 | 5 | ||
| Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global) | 3 | ||||
| Colonnade: Connections (Systems) | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 6 | ||||
| Total Hours 118-119 | |||||