Degree Requirements

Two courses chosen from the following (or others, with advisement):

• 290:501 Educational Psychology I:  Intro to Tests and Measurements
• 290:521 Psychosocial Development and Issues: Infancy, Early Childhood, and the Family
• 290:522 Cognition & Language from Birth to 5:  Normal Development & Implications of Risk & Disability
• 290:524 Enhancing Learning and Development for Infants and Young Children in Integrated Settings
• 293:522 Learning Disabilities
• 293:525 Psychology of the Exceptional Child
• 295:503 Cognitive Development
• 295:510 Cooperative and Collaborative Learning
• 295:512 Introduction to Child Development (or more advanced course)
• 295:575 The Psychology of Sex Differences

Early Childhood/Elementary Education (18 credits)

Required Courses (6 credits)

• 251:570 Research and Practice in Elementary Classrooms
• 251:577 Constructs of Early Childhood Education OR
• 251:578 Theories and Practices in Early Childhood Education

Area of Specialization (12 credits)

• Courses for the area of specialization must be selected with advisement.
• Content Area Study (in one or more of the following areas: creative arts education, literacy, ESL and bilingual education, instructional technology, mathematics education, science education)
• Early Childhood Education and Applied Child Development (focus on settings for children birth through seven; child care, family and parenting issues; developmentally appropriate practices)

Electives (6 credits)

• With advisor's approval, may be taken anywhere in the University

Comprehensive Examination or Examination Alternative

The comp exam consists of 3 take-home questions.  One typically deals with problems in classroom organization

and management (e.g. use of time, motivation, behavior); one emphasizes early childhood education and psychology; and one focuses on your area of specialization.  Students who wish to do the alternative to the exam must develop a proposal for a project that will be carried out under the guidance of a faculty member in the program.  A second faculty member, who will serve as a second reader of the final paper, must also sign off on the proposal.  Beginning academic year 2002-2003 the comprehensive exam will be given only once a year.  Students will pickup the exam questions in May and return them in September.

Total Minimum Credits        30