About the Program
If you have thought about working with young children, young children with disabilities or developmental delays, or even directing early learning programs, then the early childhood education and exceptional needs major is for you.
ECEEN students develop skills for working with children who are typically developing as well as children with disabilities and developmental delays and their families. Students are prepared to work with children from birth through 3rd grade.
Students complete a program that prepares them to apply for dual Indiana Teaching licensure as Early Childhood Generalist and Exceptional Needs: Mild Intervention (birth-grade 3). Through their degree and licensure program, students are prepared to work in early intervention programs, pre-kindergarten classrooms in schools and community programs, and early childhood regular and special education classrooms in public or private schools, and kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Students receive hands-on experience at the Ben and Maxine Miller Child Development Laboratory School, in community schools and other early childhood programs as well as complete a full-time student teaching experience in an early childhood program in a child development center, public or private school.
At least 32 credits of Purdue coursework is required at 300 level or higher to meet graduation requirements.
This program meets state and national licensure standards and is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the State of Indiana, State Board of Education and is pursuing accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). See Teacher Licensure Information in the plan below.
Foreign Language Selective (9-12 credits)
The Foreign Language requirement may be met by completing ONE of the three options below.
(Select from American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish)
Option 1:
Proficiency through level III in any one foreign language
- 10100 (Credit Hours: 3.00-4.00)
- 10200 (Credit Hours: 3.00-4.00)
- 20100 (Credit Hours: 3.00-4.00)
Option 2:
Proficiency through level II in any one foreign language AND a course from the Global Perspectives & International Cultures Selective list.
- 10100 (Credit Hours: 3.00-4.00)
- 10200 (Credit Hours: 3.00-4.00)
- course from the Global Perspectives & International Cultures Selective list (Credit Hours: 3.00) The selection for this category cannot be used to satisfy other major requirements.
Option 3:
Proficiency through level II in any one foreign language AND an approved study abroad experience that takes place outside of the United States and is at least 14 days in duration.
- 10100 (Credit Hours: 3.00-4.00)
- 10200 (Credit Hours: 3.00-4.00)
- Approved Study Abroad Experience (Credit Hours: 3.00) The selection for this category cannot be used to satisfy other major requirements.
Program Learning Outcomes
The ECEEN program prepares degree candidates to be proficient in the Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators (NAEYC, 2020)
Standard 1: Child Development and Learning in Context
Candidates will apply knowledge of child development within cultural, linguistic, family, and community contexts to support equitable learning.
Standard 2: Family-Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections
Candidates will build reciprocal partnerships with families and collaborate with communities to support children’s growth and well-being.
Standard 3: Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment
Candidates will use systematic observation and ethical assessment practices to guide instructional decisions.
Standard 4: Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices
Candidates will design and implement developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically responsive, evidence-based instruction.
Standard 5: Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum
Candidates will integrate academic content across disciplines to create meaningful, inquiry-based learning experiences.
Standard 6: Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator
Candidates will demonstrate ethical, reflective, and collaborative professionalism and advocate for children, families, and the early childhood profession.
Critical Course
The ♦ course is considered critical.
In alignment with the Degree Map Guidance for Indiana’s Public Colleges and Universities, published by the Commission for Higher Education (pursuant to HEA 1348-2013), a Critical Course is identified as “one that a student must be able to pass to persist and succeed in a particular major. Students who want to be nurses, for example, should know that they are expected to be proficient in courses like biology in order to be successful. These would be identified by the institutions for each degree program.”
Disclaimer
The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Consultation with an advisor may result in an altered plan customized for an individual student. The myPurduePlan powered by DegreeWorks is the knowledge source for specific requirements and completion.
Comparative information about Purdue University and other U.S. educational institutions is also available through the College Navigator tool, provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, and through the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
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