Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a Concentration in Early Childhood Education

The Early Childhood Education Concentration is an 8 course, 24 credit specialization that focuses on important issues for teachers working in private and pre-K child development centers. This non-licensure specialization builds upon the skills, experience, and coursework many students will have already received prior to enrolling in Endicott College. This concentration will give students writing, research and foundational skills, especially focused on language and literacy skills. Teachers will need to ensure that young children become “Kindergarten ready.” The Concentration in Early Childhood Education will be open to all students enrolled in our BA Program in Interdisciplinary Studies and our BS Program in Psychology. These concentration courses will replace corresponding open elective credit requirements.

Curriculum Requirements - Total Credits Required: 125

General Education- 30 Credits

World Cultures Course (3 Cr.)
Aesthetic Awareness & Creative Expression Course (3 Cr.)
Literary Perspectives Course (3 Cr.)
Individual and Society Course (3 Cr.)

Quantitative Reasoning Course (3 Cr.)
Values & Ethical Reasoning Course (3 Cr.)
Science & Technology Course (3 Cr.)
Global Issues Course (3 Cr.)

World Language (6 Cr.)

General Education Electives (12 Cr.)

First Year Adult Learning Experience (7 Credits)

EC 201 - Experience, Competency and Belonging (Cr: 3
EC 355 - Career Transitions (Cr: 4)

Writing Designated Courses (6 Credits)

ENG 111 - Critical Reading and Writing I (Cr: 3)
ENG 112 - Critical Reading and Writing II (Cr: 3)

Upper Level Core Electives (6 Credits)

Must be above 100 level

Interdisciplinary Studies Major Requirements (30 Credits)

Psychology or Sociology Elective (3 Cr.)

Philosophy or Religion Elective (3 Cr)

Political Science Elective (3 Cr.)

Science or Math Elective (3 Cr.)

History Elective (3 Cr.)

Political Science or IDS Elective (3 Cr.)

English Elective (3 Cr.)

American Studies or IDS Elective (3 Cr.)

IDS 201 - Interdisciplinary Seminar (Cr: 3) Taken twice (Cr: 6)

Final Research Project (9 Credits)

IDS 302 - Methods of Inquiry in the Humanities (Cr: 3)
Or
PSY 236 - Research Methods (Cr: 3)
IDS 489 - Senior Research (Cr: 3)
IDS 490 - Senior Thesis (Cr: 3)

Open Electives (4 Credits)

Early Childhood Education Concentration Required Courses (21 Credits)

ED 201 - Foundations of Reading (Cr: 3)
ED 203 - Inclusionary Practices in Educational Settings (Cr: 3)
ED 207 - Strategies of Teaching Early Childhood Curriculum (Cr: 3)
ED 221 - Emergent Literacy Instruction (Cr: 3)
ED 308 - Early Childhood Methods (Cr: 3)
ED 331 - Issues and Best Practices of English Language Learners (Cr: 3)
PSY 204 - Child Growth and Development (Cr: 3)

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will:

Effectively communicate in writing and through oral communication.
Demonstrate the critical inquiry and analysis skills needed to engage constructively in intellectual discourse in various disciplines.
Recall and apply the basic foundational knowledge of educational studies as delivered through the Baccalaureate Core.
Articulate the connections and distinctions between and among liberal arts disciplines, and their contemporary relevance.
Design, execute and present a personal project, which synthesizes and applies, selected knowledge, skills, and experiences appropriate to the student’s personal and professional goals and/or their chosen area of specialization.

In addition to fulfilling the outcomes of the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies program, students completing the concentration in Early Childhood Education will:

Effectively communicate in writing and through oral communication.
Recognize the fundamental benchmarks to work in the field of early childhood education.
Demonstrate the critical inquiry and analysis skills needed to engage constructively in intellectual discourse within the concentration.
Recall and apply the basic foundational knowledge of early childhood education as delivered through the Baccalaureate Core.
Apply quantitative decision-making techniques for problem solving in the early childhood classroom.
Design, execute and present a personal project, which synthesizes and applies selected knowledge, skills, and experiences appropriate to the student’s personal and professional goals and/or their chosen area of specialization.