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Graduate Profile
Juan Enriquez '01

Juan is an eighth grade teacher and graduate of the education program.

Watch Juan's story »

Why Choose
Cedar Crest?
  • Personalized attention
  • Average class size <20
  • Women's leadership opportunities
  • Flexibility to add dual major, minor

More personalized attention. More time in local schools. More certification options. That’s the Cedar Crest advantage.

Contact:
Nancy L. King, Ed.D
Assistant Professor and Chair, Education
nlking@cedarcrest.edu
610-437-4471 ext. 3616


Early Childhood Education (PreK-4) Major

The undergraduate early childhood education major will prepare you as a professional educator to teach in grades PreK-4, facing the realities of the 21st century classroom. You will be instructed by a knowledgeable and experienced faculty: All full-time and adjunct faculty members in the education department at Cedar Crest are certified teachers and have at least 5 to 7 years of teaching experience in K-12 classrooms.

This program leads to Level I certification in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The teacher preparation program at Cedar Crest College is grounded in a strong liberal arts foundation that is aimed at providing our future teachers with a strong background in academic content-area knowledge.

If you wish, you may pursue a dual certification in Early Childhood Education and Special Education (PreK-8). Dual certification is an option that is designed to make the new graduate even more marketable as an elementary teacher.

Program Highlights

  • The opportunity to participate in pre-teaching experiences in urban and suburban settings, beginning year one of your studies, including one experience in a special education setting.
  • Faculty members who provide a strong mentoring and support system, helping you select and schedule classes. Also, when you student-teach, your supervisor will go into the classroom with you and provide you with weekly feedback.
  • Guaranteed student-teaching placement in a local school district.
  • Our superior reputation in school districts in the Lehigh Valley means that students who graduate from Cedar Crest are considered as strong candidates for future employment.

Course Requirements

A major in Early Childhood Education and Teacher Certification requires 122 or 123 credits, which fall into two categories:

  • Early Childhood Courses: 49 or 50 credits
  • Professional Courses: 73 credits

Click on the boxes below to see the courses required to complete this major.

Early Childhood (PreK-4)
  • WRI 100 Basic Composition (WRI-1) 3 credits
  • ENG 201 or ENG 220 American or British Literature (HUM) 3 credits
  • ENG 303 Linguistics and the Development of Human Language (HUM) 3 credits
  • MAT 202 Mathematics for the Early Childhood Teacher - Grades PreK - 4 (ML) 3 credits
  • MAT 110 Probability and Statistics (ML) 3 credits
  • HIS 121 Survey of U.S. History I (HUM) 3 credits OR HIS-122 Survey of U.S. History II (HUM) 3 credits
  • PSC 211 The World Economy and Globalization (WRII) and (GST) 3 credits
  • ETL 235 Ethical Life (community service required) 3 credits
  • PSY 100 General Psychology (SS) 3 credits
  • PSY 250 Lifespan Development (prerequisite PSY- 100) 3 credits
  • SOC 100 Introduction to Culture and Society (SS) 3 credits
  • MUS 101 Experiencing Music: An Introduction (ART) 3 credits
  • DNC 102 Experiencing Movement (ART) 3 credits
  • ART-110 Principles of Visual Organization (ART) 3 credits
  • BIO 111 Concepts in Ecology & Environmental Issues (SCI) 4 credits

Select from one of the following Earth Science courses:

  • GSC 101 Earth Science I: Physical Geology (SCI) 4 credits
  • GSC 103 Earth Science III: Astronomy (SCI) 4 credits
  • GSC 104 Earth Science IV: Historical Geology (SCI) 3 credits
  • GSC 110 Geology of the National Parks (SCI) 3 credits

Total credits for LAC and PDE major requirements: 49 or 50 credits

Students must complete a total of 44 credits including the above courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 including no grade below a C in liberal arts courses and no grade below a B in education courses, as well as meet all other requirements as outlined in the handbook. Students may declare their major after the completion of 24 credits. Students who do not pass the PPST tests may be required to take additional courses in order to pass these required tests.


Professional Courses
  • ECE 101 Introduction to Early Childhood Education 3 credits
  • ECE 207 Emergent Literacy (Pre-K-Grade 1) (prerequisite EDU-150) 3 credits
  • ECE 301 Assessment in ECE I (prerequisite ECE 101, EDU 102, EDU150) 3 credits
  • ECE 302 Assessment in ECE II (prerequisite ECC -301) 3 credits
  • ECE 305 Issues and Advocacy in Early Childhood Education 3 credits
  • EDU 102 Educational Psychology 3 credits
  • EDU 150 Educational Planning 3 credits
  • EDU 151 Field Experience I (co-req. EDU-150) 1 credit
  • EDU 207 Technology for Educators (prerequisite EDU-150) 3 credits
  • EDU 240 Nutrition, Health and Safety 3 credits
  • EDU 311 Literacy I-Grades 2-4 (prerequisite EDU-150) 3 credits
  • EDU 313 Field Experience II (co-req. EDU-311) 1 credit
  • EDU 308 Integrating the Arts Across the Curriculum (prerequisite EDU-150) 3 credits
  • EDU 317 Curriculum, Assessment & Learning Experiences for Science for Early Childhood Educators (prerequisite EDU-311) 3 credits
  • EDU 319 Curriculum, Assessment & Learning Experiences for Social Studies for Early Childhood Educators (prerequisite EDU 311) 3 credits
  • EDU 321 Field Experience III (prerequisite– EDU-317 or EDU-319) 1 credit
  • EDU 332 Curriculum, Assessment & Learning Experiences for Mathematics for Early Childhood Educators (prerequisite EDU 150 and MAT-202) 3 credits
  • EDU 340 Differentiated Reading Instruction for the Primary Grades 3 credits (prerequisite EDU-150, ECE 207, and EDU-311)
  • EDU 359 Teaching the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Student 3 credits
  • EDU 372 Student Teaching: Early Childhood Education (prerequisite See Student Teaching Checklist) 9 credits
  • EDU 374 Professional Seminar 3 credits
  • SPE 243 The Exceptional Child (prerequisite EDU-150) 3 credits
  • SPE 245 Field Experience IV (co-requisite SPE-243) 1 credit
  • SPE 320 Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities 3 credits
  • SPE 344 Adaptations and Accommodations for the Exceptional Child 3 credits (prerequisite EDU-150 and SPE-243)

Please note:
*Students may not be enrolled in any other course(s) during the student teaching semester.
*Students who are not proficient in oral/written communication in the English language as determined by classroom performance and the evaluation of cooperating mentor teachers in Field Experiences will be required to take additional courses to meet basic competencies in English communication.


Special Education (K-8)

 

The following courses are required for Level I Certification in Special Education PreK-8: CBPH/D Add-On Certification.

These are the requirements for students who are Early Childhood Education majors or who are working on or hold Level I or II Elementary or Early Childhood Education Certification. Special Education Certification as an undergraduate requires Dual Certification with Early Childhood Education.

Prerequisites

  • SPE 243 The Exceptional Child (Prerequisite EDU-150) 3 credits SPE-245 Field IV 1 credit
  • SPE 320 Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities 3 credits
  • SPE 344 Adaptations, Modifications and Assistive Technology for the Exceptional Child (Prerequisite EDU-150 and SPE-243) 3 credits

Certification Courses

  • SPE 250 Subject Area Content Access for Students with Learning Disabilities (Prerequisite SPE 243) 3 credits
  • SPE 310 Intensive Reading, Writing, and Mathematics Development and Intervention Approaches (Prerequisites EDU-150 and SPE-243) 3 credits
  • SPE 315 Teaching Students with Pervasive Developmental Disorders 3 credits
  • SPE 333 Screening, Assessment, and IEP Development for Teachers 3 credits
  • SPE 346 Collaborative Partnerships in Inclusive Settings 3 credits
  • SPE 347 Classroom Management for Teaching Students with Behavioral Disabilities 3 credits
  • SPE 348 Teaching Students with Low Incidence Disabilities 3 credits
  • EDU 359 Teaching the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students 3 credits
  • SPE 375 Practicum in Special Education 3 credits

Students must complete the certification requirements for Early Childhood Education certification (PreK-4) or Middle Level Education (4-8) certification to be eligible for Special Education PreK-8 certification. Students seeking certification in Special Education (CBPH/D) will be required to take a second specialty test of the Praxis II.