At PennWest Edinboro, you will be armed with the professional know-how to create developmentally appropriate activities and lessons for your Pre-K to fourth-grade students. You’ll be immersed in relevant field experiences, both in and out of the classroom as you acquire the 120 credits you need to graduate as an Early Childhood educator.
Want to add value to your degree in Early Childhood Education? Consider earning a dual degree or other valuable certificates.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than a quarter million students in Pennsylvania public schools alone require special education services. When you follow a recommended sequence of courses, you will earn 135 credits and two degrees — one in Early Childhood Education (P-4) and one in Special Education (P-8).
Want to work with children with hearing disabilities? You can add a Deaf Studies Endorsement to your Early Childhood Education degree when you follow this course of study. You'll graduate with 138 credits and an additional certification to work with deaf students from PreK to 12th grade.
Interested in teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics? Earn a STEM
endorsement along with your Early Childhood Education degree and be qualified to teach
grades K-12.
Since its founding in 1857, Edinboro has focused on teacher education. Our strong legacy translates to a philosophy of excellence and a commitment to developing future teachers who understand the professional, social and ethical responsibilities associated with being educators.
Expert faculty will help you explore child development and its impact in the early learning years. Through carefully designed coursework and extensive field experiences, you'll gain insights into early childhood education and best practices in the classroom.
You'll also have access to our Literacy Center with an abundance of children's literature,
educational resources and curriculum materials, and our on-campus Early Learning University.
Upon graduation, you'll be confident in your skills as an educator and ready to take
the Pennsylvania Certification Exam.
My decision to attend Edinboro was the best one I’ve ever made for myself. The Early Childhood Education program provided me with countless opportunities to become a leader in the educational realm, and it helped to mold me into the person I am today.
Starting with your freshman year, you'll participate in the community, assisting area
school districts with events such as Literacy Nights, Family STEM events and tutoring
inner-city students. Consider participating in the Philadelphia Urban Seminar to earn
credits, diverse classroom experience, various professional development opportunities
and engagement in community service projects.
To help you hone your professional skills and develop as an educator, you will also
have three field experiences with a minimum of 150 hours in the classroom, all before
your student teaching semester! Each experience is designed for a particular age group
so that you will have experiences with Pre-K through the primary grades. Experiences
include:
At Edinboro you can get involved with a variety of organizations, such as Council for Exceptional Children, Student Pennsylvania State Education Association, BOROeyc or the Kappa Delta Pi Honors Fraternity.
Thanks to Edinboro faculty, the National Council on Teacher Quality granted PennWest Edinboro an “A” grade for Early Reading Instruction in the 2020 Teacher
Prep Review.
As an alumni, you'll join hundreds of Edinboro graduates who are teaching all across the country. Or you can further your education with one of Edinboro’s outstanding graduate programs, including:
Dr. Mary Jo Melvin
Department Chair
330A Butterfield Hall
Email: mmelvin@pennwest.edu
Phone: 814-732-2154
Curriculum Sheet Course Sequence
Take charge of your experience. Ask questions, meet our students and professors, and see the campus yourself.
