Though you may think that you need to leave the Midwest to find a good education program that will train and prepare you for the future, there are a number of accredited education degree programs in Kansas. Called both the Sunflower State and the Wheat State, Kansas is home to many smaller school districts in rural areas that need qualified teachers, but you can also use the degree you earn to get your license from and work in a different state. As you look at the top programs, look at the field placements that you can do and other features. To see more accredited education degree programs in Kansas, visit Early Childhood Education Degree Programs in Kansas (P-Z).
Bethel College
Education
Established in 1887, Bethel College is one of the only colleges in North America that has an affiliation with the Mennonite Church. It opened as a training college that taught many of the Mennonites moving to Russia at the time. The school grew so quickly that its founders moved it several times before building a permanent campus in Newton. Many of the students who attend Bethel today are Mennonites, but the school does accept students from different religious backgrounds too. Bethel has a strong reputation for its education programs that require students do both field and observation work as well as complete certain classes.
Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education
The bachelor’s in education program that Bethel College offers will help students become licensed to teach health, physical education, art, math or other subjects at the preschool, elementary school or secondary school levels. Though the major itself consists of just 32 credits, those who want to get a teaching license will need to take 83 total credits as well as general education classes. There is also a field experience that all students must do. During your field experience, you’ll have the chance to work in a rural or an urban school district and work directly with students who are the same age as those you want to teach. Bethel encourages students to work for different types of schools, which helps them determine where they want to work later. The college can even use its alumni network to help enrolled students find teaching experiences and opportunities in other states and in other countries.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
300 East 27th Street
North Newton, KS 67117
(800) 522-1887
Emporia State University
Department of Elementary Education/ Early Childhood/ Special Education
Emporia State University is one of the oldest colleges in Kansas and is home to one of the state’s oldest teaching programs. Founded in 1863 as the Kansas State Normal School, it opened for classes two years later. Many of its early graduates worked in the smaller schools popping up in Kansas and further west. Also called ESU and Emporia State, it was both a state college and a teachers’ college before finally getting a charter and the accreditation necessary to operate as a four-year university. ESU offers more than 80 majors for undergrads and several graduate degree programs.
MS Early Childhood
U.S. News & World Report called the MS Early Childhood program that ESU offers as one of the best programs for veterans and one of the top online education programs. This program is open to those who already have a teaching license and those who have a bachelor’s degree in another subject. You can use this program to meet some of the steps associated with getting a license in Kansas or another state. The program includes two clinical experiences that will let you work in a center or school setting as well as in a home program. Both clinical experiences require that you do 150 hours of supervised work. You must also take a class on research methods and seven other classes that comprise the early childhood core. Classes include collaboration in inclusive early childhood programs, validation of the teaching experience and working with infants and toddlers and their families.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
1 Kellogg Circle
Emporia, KS 66801
(800) 950-4723
http://www.emporia.edu/teach/elecse/index.html
Fort Hays State University
Online
Fort Hays State University, also called FHSU, is one of the largest colleges in Kansas. It has an enrollment of more than 5,000 students on its campus and sees more than 6,000 students take its online classes. When originally founded in 1902, it went by the name of the Western Branch of Kansas State Normal School and primarily offered programs that awarded graduates teaching certificates and diplomas. It wasn’t until decades later that it separated from that normal school and became a university. FHSU now offers 19 programs for graduate students and more than 60 undergrad programs as well as some professional programs.
Bachelor of Science in Education – Early Childhood Unified
Fort Hays State University offers its Bachelor of Science in Education – Early Childhood Unified online, which gives you the chance to work on a teaching degree from your own home. You’ll take 55 credits of general education classes, 20 credits of professional studies and 40 credits of teaching classes. The idea behind this program is that it will prepare you for working as a teacher, an administrator or in any other area of education. Internships are available for those who want to gain some practical experience, but you’ll also do several fieldwork programs that are worth 12 credits. These internships let you gain experience working with students up to the age of five. FHSU encourages students to work in diverse schools as part of their studies. Required education courses in this program include child care management and administration, assessment in special education, emergency literacy and curriculum and assessment.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
600 Park Street
Hays, KS 67601-4099
(785) 628-3478
http://www.fhsu.edu/virtualcollege/
Kansas State University
School of Family Studies and Human Services
Kansas State University is one of the main colleges in Kansas and also goes by the name of K-State and Kansas State. Established in 1863, the college opened its doors during the Civil War and offered educational opportunities for the new settlers moving west. Many of its early programs taught students agricultural skills that helped them build and establish their own settlements. The university, which has an enrollment of more than 22,000, now ranks as one of the top colleges in America, according to Washington Monthly, Forbes and U.S. News & World Report.
Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education
Two of the top accredited education degree programs in Kansas are available from Kansas State, which offers both undergrad and graduate programs in early childhood education. Its Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education is perfect for those new to teaching. The general education courses that you take teach you how to research and write as well as more about communicating with others and understanding complex math equations that you may need later. Though you’ll take 120 credits of classes, only 68 of those will come from the education department. The rest include gen ed courses. Introduction to human development, family relationships and gender roles, language development and behavior management are some of the required education courses you will take. Kansas State also requires that you take three practicum courses on working with infants, kids in preschool and elementary students. You’ll also do student teaching experiences that are worth nine credits.
Master’s in Early Childhood Education
In addition to a bachelor’s program, Kansas State University also offers a Master’s in Early Childhood Education that prepares students for working with children ranging in age from infants to those in kindergarten. There are seven courses that you must take, including child development, infant behavior and development, theories of human development and advanced program development. You will also take a class on working with families and a class on research methods. Kansas State requires that students complete 30 credits of work but gives students the chance to pick and choose from different electives to meet those credits. You can get up to 18 credits from the seminars that you take on family and human services. K-State recommends that education majors take classes on the issues relating to caring for kids today, assessing the issues and problems that younger children have and studying the connections between parents and children.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
303 Justin Hall
1324 Lovers Lane
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-5510
https://www.he.k-state.edu/fshs/
Newman University
Education
Newman University is one of the most unique colleges in Kansas and in the country today. It believes in educating each student but also in empowering those students to go out into the world and make changes that will benefit society as a whole. Many of its students do service learning projects across the state/country and around the world, but the university also encourages its students to do missionary work as well. Founded in 1933, Newman has an affiliation with the Roman Catholic Church and offers religious services on its campus every week. Its enrollment recently climbed to more than 3,700.
Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Unified Education
Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Unified Education like the one available from Newman University teach students the skills necessary to work in any role in the early childhood education field as well as how to run education centers of their own. This BS program requires that students take 44 credits of teaching and education classes as well as electives and general education classes. Once you complete your studies, you can apply for a teaching license in Kansas or another state where you want to work. Though the university will help you find a school for your field experiences, you’ll need to do two of these experiences before you graduate. Most students choose to work in a rural school district and then in a school in an urban setting. Newman University offers a wide range of electives designed for those who want to work with infants and toddlers.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
3100 McCormick
Wichita, KS 67213-2097
(316) 942-4291
http://newmanu.edu/academics/undergraduate/education-wichita
Ottawa University
Education
Ottawa University is one of several religious colleges operating in Kansas. Established in 1865, it has an affiliation with American Baptist Churches USA, which helped found and support the college during its early years. Though its main campus in Ottawa only an enrollment of fewer than 1,000 students, its online campus is much larger and educates thousands of students each year. Ottawa University also has smaller campus that operate as regional branches and satellite campuses. It offers an MBA and several other graduate programs as well as more than 25 majors that are open to undergrad students online and on campus.
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary/Early Childhood Education
The Bachelor of Arts in Elementary/Early Childhood Education offered by Ottawa University is available on its campus in Ottawa and on its campus in Arizona, but you can also enroll in an online version of the program. You can transfer up to 80 credits into this program that you earned on another campus, which is great for those who enroll in the early childhood education programs offered by community colleges. There are 13 classes that you must take, which include elementary science, foundations of schools in a diverse society, integrating the fine arts and health and physical education methods for elementary teachers. The university expects students to do two fieldwork experiences as well. You’ll spend part of the semester observing a teacher at work and part of the semester teaching yourself. These two experiences allow you to work with younger and older kids or two work in two different types of schools.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
1001 S. Cedar St.
Ottawa, KS 66067
(855) 774-7713
http://www.ottawa.edu/academics/school-of/education/online
Even if you do not currently live in Kansas, you may decide to move to the state because one of the education programs you looked at will help you over the course of your teaching career. Accredited education degree programs in Kansas prepare you for everything you will encounter in the field.
