The College of Education and Human Development offers a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education that prepares candidates to teach children from birth through age eight. The program includes three study options:
- Option 1: Licensure (Traditional)
- Option 2: Director’s Credential (Non-Licensure)
- Option 3: Licensure for the Workforce (Incumbent Educators)
All candidates who successfully complete the program earn a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education.
Students in Options 1 and 3 are eligible to apply for a teaching license. These options are approved by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for recommendation for Initial Licensure in Early Childhood (Birth-Grade 2) by entitlement. Students must also meet additional requirements for licensure as outlined in the Licensure of Teachers and Other School Professionals section of the catalog. Option 2 does not lead to licensure.
Program Structure by Option
Options 1 and 2 (Traditional Pathways)
Options 1 and 2 are designed for candidates completing their undergraduate degree in a traditional format. Courses are offered in daytime, evening, and online formats across four fall/spring semesters and one summer term.
This structure allows candidates to be employed part- or full-time during the program; however, the final semester requires full-time student teaching (Option 1) or practicum (Option 2).
Option 3 (Workforce Licensure Pathway)
Option 3 is a degree-completion pathway designed for incumbent early childhood educators, including teachers, teacher assistants, and paraprofessionals working in childcare centers or schools, who enter the program with an earned Associate of Applied Sicence (AAS) degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development and students who have earned an Associate of Arts (AA) and have professional experience in Early Childhood Education.
The program is delivered in a fully online, asynchronous format with weekly evening check-ins. Coursework is organized into accelerated 7-week blocks and completed over a two-year period.
Upon admission, transfer coursework is applied toward general education and introductory requirements. Candidates then complete a prescribed sequence of professional education and ESL coursework at Governors State University.
Field experiences may be completed through approved job-embedded placements, university placements, or video-based options. Student teaching requires placement in a K-2 setting for the full semester, or a split placement consisting of part job-embedded experience and part supervised K-2 classroom placement.
All candidates must meet the University’s 120 credit hour minimum for graduation, inclusive of transfer credit and coursework completed at Governors State University.
Degree and Licensure Outcomes
Options 1 and 3 (Licensure)
- Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education
- Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) with:
- Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 2)
- ESL Endorsement (K-12)
- Early Childhood Special Education PreK Approval
- Gateways Credentials:
- Early Childhood Level 5
- Infant/Toddler Level 3
Option 2 (Non-Licensure)
- Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education
- Gateways Credentials:
- Early Childhood Levels 1-5
- Infant/Toddler Levels 1-3
- Director Level 1
Program Learning Outcomes
- Child Development and Learning in Context: At an 80% proficiency, early childhood educators will demonstrate the understanding of child development from birth to age 8, recognizing individual variations and the impact of relationships and contexts on learning, and will apply this knowledge to make informed, evidence-based decisions in their practice.
- Family-Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections: At an 80%proficiency, early childhood educators will demonstrate the capacity to develop respectful and reciprocal partnerships with families, valuing diversity and leveraging community resources to enhance young children’s learning and development while fostering connections between early learning settings and local organizations.
- Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment: At an 80% proficiency, early childhood educators will demonstrate the capacity to use observation and assessment tools ethically and appropriately to document each child’s development, inform instruction, and foster partnerships with families and colleagues, ensuring positive outcomes tailored to diverse needs and contexts.
- Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices: At an 80% proficiency, early childhood educators will demonstrate the capacity to establish supportive relationships and utilize a diverse range of developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate teaching practices that are responsive to each child’s needs, ensuring inclusive and effective learning environments grounded in universal design principles.
- Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum: At an 80% proficiency, early childhood educators will demonstrate knowledge of academic disciplines and effective pedagogical methods, applying this understanding to design and evaluate engaging, age appropriate curriculum experiences that foster meaningful learning and development for each child.
- Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator: At an 80% proficiency, early childhood educators will demonstrate the capacity to engage as informed advocates, using ethical guidelines and effective communication skills. They will demonstrate reflective practice and collaboration, fostering professional relationships with children, families, and colleagues while committing to continuous learning within the early childhood profession.
Admission to Teacher Education
After meeting the university admission requirements, students must meet the following additional requirements to become a candidate in the Early Childhood Education program:
- be admitted to Governors State University and be in good academic standing;
- present official transcripts showing a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale in all undergraduate work attempted from a 2 or 4 year institution;
- must earn a grade of at least a “C” in all general education courses used for program requirements;
- must earn a grade of at least a “B-” or better in identified transferable teacher education courses. Identified courses must have been taken within six years of admission to GovState;
- receive a positive recommendation from the Early Childhood Education faculty;
- complete and submit the GovState approved Criminal Background Check and trainings (FERPA, Mandated Reporting, Behavior Intervention/Conflict Resolution, and Emergency Response) prior to the initial field experience in the schools. Some assigned field site locations may, due to state licensing, require students to submit a brief physical exam, including a TB test, as well as a fingerprint background check.
Student Progress
The program faculty members monitor and evaluate student progress continually. The section, Licensure of Teachers and Other School Professionals, in this catalog provides a general description of the standards used to evaluate student progress. A more detailed statement of the standards and processes followed by the Early Childhood Education faculty is available in the Undergraduate Early Childhood Education Student Handbook.
To continue in the program, candidates must earn a grade of “B-” or better in program coursework. Candidates can be dismissed from the program for not earning a grade of “B-” or better in all program coursework, as well as for dispositional and professionalism issues.
Faculty may allow a candidate to continue in the program on a conditional basis when a review of the candidate’s records and performance suggests they are likely to be successful. The progress of all conditionally admitted students is reviewed each semester by the appropriate personnel (e.g., advisor, program coordinator, department chair, or faculty). Students are informed of the specific conditions they must meet in order to return to good standing. Once those conditions are met, the student’s status is updated accordingly.
Please note: Conditional continuation is a program-level decision and is not available to candidates who fail to meet state teacher licensure requirements.
Admission to Student Teaching (Options 1 and 3) or Practicum (Option 2)
Before enrolling in student teaching or practicum, candidates must:
- complete the required General Education coursework, earning a grade of C or better in each course;
- complete all required Professional Education coursework, earning a grade of B- or better in the designated EDEC courses listed in the Course Requirements by Program Option section and a grade of “C” or better in all other Professional Education and Teaching Specialization (ESL/BBED) coursework;
- complete and document a minimum of 100 clock hours of pre-student teaching field experiences;
- receive a positive recommendation from Early Childhood Education faculty;
- for Options 1 and 3 only: verify successful completion of the Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS) Early Childhood Content Area (206) Exam.
Option 1 and 3 candidates: A student teaching application certifying that the first four of these requirements have been met must be submitted to the Coordinator of Field Experiences by the provided deadline. Candidates should work with their Program Advisors in preparing this application.
Option 2 candidates: Finding a placement for practicum and either taking or registering for EDEC 4820 must be completed the semester before starting practicum.
NOTE: Student teaching is not offered during the summer session. Practicum may or may not be offered during the summer session.
Degree Requirements (Graduation Requirements)
Candidates must meet all university requirements for a bachelor’s degree, except candidates not part of the Early Childhood Consortium (Options 1 and 2) must complete the 49-52 hour General Education requirement for teacher licensure instead of the University General Education requirement.
Candidates must also:
- earn a grade of C or better in all General Education coursework;
- earn a grade B- or better in the following Professional Education (EDEC) coursework:
- EDEC 3099, 3333, 3570, 3580, 3590, 4550, 4551, 4560, 4561, 4570, 4571, 4580, 4581, 4820, 4899, 4999; EDUC 3410
- earn a grade of C or better all other Professional Education and Teaching Specialization (ESL/BBED) coursework;
- complete all course work at Governors State University within five calendar years;
- successfully complete all key assessments;
- successfully complete all field experience hours and assessments;
- receive a positive rating on Summative Student Teaching Evaluation (or Practicum Evaluation for Option 2) with a grade of at least a B-;
- earn satisfactory scores on assessments of professional dispositions; demonstrate professional dispositions in all interactions with faculty/staff and students, as well as teachers and children in schools during field experiences;
- be in good standing with the university and program;
- maintain satisfactory candidate progress as defined in the Early Childhood Education Program Handbook;
- remain in positive progression via the Early Childhood Education Student Progress Committee
Teacher Licensure Requirements - ISBE (Option 1 and 3)
In order to obtain a teaching license and any endorsements, candidates must complete the degree and program requirements listed. Candidates must also meet the requirements listed in the Licensure of Teachers and Other School Professionals section of this catalog. Candidates are responsible for submitting all documentation to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). To be recommended for licensure by Governors State University, candidates must:
- apply for licensure within 6 months of completing the program;
- complete and provide documentation for at least 200 hours of clinical field experiences
- complete and provide documentation for all Professional Education and Teaching Specialization (ESL) coursework with a grade of at least a “B-” in all program coursework, including EDEC 4999 Student Teaching;
- receive a positive rating on Summative Student Teaching Evaluation with a grade of at least a B-;
- earn a passing score on the ILTS Early Childhood Content Area Exam, prior to student teaching
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