Admission to Degree Program
Students are accepted into the early childhood education (ECE) teacher
preparation program by application only. The application review
process includes but is not limited to the following:
- Completion of the ECE exploratory experience. The instruction
packet and logsheet is available online at
www.education.byu.edu/ted/early_childhood.html.
- Controlled writing sample (reflective questions).
- Group interview.
- Successful completion of the following core and
preprofessional courses: MFHD 210, 221, 240.
- Be fingerprinted. Check with Education Advisement and
Certification Office (120 MCKB) for instructions.
- A university cumulative GPA of 2.85 or higher.
- If admitted, departmental approval is required for deferment
from the four-semester professional sequence.
To conform to the requirements for professional accreditation
and licensure, the early childhood education degree program
must limit enrollment. Therefore, not everyone who applies will
be automatically accepted. Check with the Education Advisement
and Certification Office, 120 MCKB, for application due dates. A
maximum of two applications will be considered for any
individual.
Fingerprint and Background Check
All candidates for teacher licensure are required by state statute to
be fingerprinted and pass an FBI background check before
participating in required field experiences. Fingerprint clinics are
held in the McKay Building in November and March. Allow from five to six
weeks for fingerprints to be processed. FBI background clearance
is valid for only three years. If clearance expires before
graduation, candidates must repeat the fingerprinting and
clearance process, including a new fee payment.
Failing to expunge a police record prior to the background
check may result in a blocked registration while a panel reviews
the charges. Candidates who cannot pass an FBI background
check will be removed from the teacher education licensure
program.
Additional Licensing Requirements
It is the student's responsibility to be sure that the Praxis test has
been taken and that BYU has received the test scores, that their
fingerprint background clearance is current and that state
licensing fees have been paid prior to graduation. Students will
also be responsible for any additional requirements imposed by
the state prior to their graduation. To confirm the status of these
requirements contact the Education Advisement and Certification
Center, 120 MCKB, (801) 422-3426. Graduation and Utah licensure
cannot be processed until these requirements have been
completed.
The Discipline
Early childhood education prepares teachers who, having gained
their own liberal education, help preschool, kindergarten, and
primary-grade children learn by improving the teaching children
receive in the home, school, church, and community. Early
childhood education helps students enhance their thinking
abilities, build their confidence in exploring new ideas, and
become self-motivated, independent learners.
In the program prospective teachers learn about the culture of
young children, develop a solid foundation in basic principles of
teaching and learning that originate in developmental theory and
research, and become proficient in appropriately implementing
those basic principles in practical settings.
Career Opportunities
A degree in early childhood education leads to licensure in
kindergarten through grade three. The kindergarten endorsement
can only be obtained as part of the Early Childhood License.
Students in this major are licensed to teach kindergarten through
primary grades in the public schools. See the advisement center
for details.
