B.S. in early childhood
Early childhood is a time of rapid development and change. With a degree in early childhood, you’ll be prepared to work with young children and their families in a variety of settings.
- Gain an in-depth understanding of early childhood development principles.
- Prepare to help children gain the skills they need to thrive in the classroom and beyond.
- Take courses on how to facilitate social, emotional, cognitive, language, creative, and motor learning in early childhood education.
- Gain teaching experience at the Shirley G. Moore Laboratory School, an on-campus preschool housed at ICD and a living laboratory for early childhood curriculum development.
30
Average size of early childhood classes
Choose your specialization
Foundations of education
Start on the path to become a licensed educator for ages birth to 3rd grade. Earn a bachelor’s degree, a Minnesota teaching license, and a master’s degree in early childhood education in just 5 years. Learn more
Individualized studies
Prepare to work in non-licensure educational settings like early learning centers, private schools, community nonprofits, or other organizations where a teaching license is not required. You'll also be prepared to pursue an advanced degree in a variety of related fields. Develop an individualized focus of study in consultation with your advisor. Learn more
Careers
With a degree in early childhood, you’ll be prepared to be an early childhood educator. You'll also be prepared to work for employers like:
- before and after school programs
- boards of education
- camps
- consulting firms
- child care centers
- educational publishers
- federal government agencies
- learning centers
- nonprofit organizations
- public and private elementary schools
- social service agencies
- YMCA/YWCA
We're driven to make a difference
The faculty in the ECE program are so supportive of my individual needs, and encourage me to be successful. I came for the degree and stayed because of the relationships built with instructors.
Madi Poindexter
B.S. in early childhood
Tuition and funding
Visit OneStop Student Services to learn more about tuition and financing.
Visit the College of Education and Human Development’s (CEHD) undergraduate costs, aid and scholarships page to find out about CEHD-specific opportunities.
Incoming first-year students who are interested in early childhood education are automatically considered for the Campbell Scholarship for Education. Visit the Office of Admissions scholarships page for more information on this and additional CEHD scholarships available to incoming first-year students.
Additional resources
- OneStop: Grants, education benefits, and tuition waivers or reductions
- Office of Admissions scholarship information
- Financial aid basics
- CEHD undergraduate scholarships for future teachers
- CEHD internship grants
- Office for Equity and Diversity scholarships
- McNair Scholars program
- Disability Resource Center scholarship information
- Women’s Center scholarship information
- T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® MINNESOTA scholarship program
How to apply
Freshman admissions
Freshman admissions are handled through the University Admissions Office.
Transfer admissions
If you're interested in transferring to CEHD, review their transfer admissions website.
You're considered a transfer student if you're a high school graduate who has registered or enrolled at a college, university, or any other school after graduating from high school. Current UMN students who are not in CEHD are also considered transfer students.
Declare your major
Are you a current CEHD student who is ready to declare your major? Follow these steps.