Let’s begin our search through CAEP accredited education degree programs in Missouri with seven top-notch early childhood colleges for Cave State residents. Designated the Gateway to the West, Missouri is the 18th most populous state with the 21st best PreK-12 education according to the US News and World Report. Graded “C” by Education Week, Missouri is nurturing the youngest of its 6.09 million citizens with several early learning initiatives even though education is only compulsory starting at age seven. For example, the Missouri Preschool Program awards $1.4 million yearly to 20 public schools and private providers like Creative Expressions Learning Center. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Missouri employs 4,870 preschool, 1,890 kindergarten, and 28,490 elementary teachers for average annual salaries of $27,500 to $53,390. Find your pedagogical footing for instructing curious youngsters at these accredited early childhood education programs in Missouri (A-R). To see more programs in Missouri, visit Early Childhood Education Degree Programs in Missouri (S-Z).
Evangel University
Education Department
Opened in 1955 by the Assemblies of God USA, Evangel University is the oldest private, nonprofit Pentecostal arts and sciences institution led by Chancellor Robert H. Spence to serve 2,006 Crusaders from 20 countries atop its 80-acre Springfield campus within the Ozarks. Evangel was ranked America’s 18th best religious studies school on Niche, the Midwest’s 122nd top university by the US News and World Report, and Missouri’s 10th best educator overall by BestColleges.com. The Education Department infuses Christian values into 21 accredited education degree programs in Missouri with a 14:1 student-professor ratio.
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education
Chaired by Dr. Shonna Crawford, the Education Department’s Early Childhood Education Comprehensive Major confers a Bachelor of Arts or Science for Evangel undergrads seeking to teach primary and elementary grades from birth through sixth grade. Mandating a content GPA of 3.0, the 120-credit program currently charges $10,750 per semester for full-time courses like language development, perceptual-motor development, and child psychology. For Missouri certification, the Christ-centered major integrates firsthand, holistic teaching practica before student teaching. Examples of placements include Bowerman Elementary, Park Crest Daycare & Preschool, and McGregor Elementary. Students could also transfer credits from the Childcare Associate of Arts, practice in the Literacy Lab, join Sigma Alpha Sigma, and teach in Panama.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation (CAEP)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Trask Hall, 2nd Floor
1111 N. Glenstone Avenue
Springfield, MO 65802
(417) 865-2811 ext. 8548
crawfordsh@evangel.edu
http://www.evangel.edu/programs/early-childhood-education/
Fontbonne University
Education and Special Education Department
Named after Mother St. John Fontbonne, C.S.J., in 1923, Fontbonne University is a private, coeducational Catholic ACCU member that’s endowed for $17.1 million to offer daytime and evening OPTIONS programs to 3,120 Griffins on 16 acres in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton. Crowned a 2017-18 “College of Distinction,” Fontbonne is ranked America’s 465th best master’s institution in Washington Monthly and 99th best free application school on Niche. With 23 CAEP accredited education degree programs in Missouri, the Education and Special Education Department promotes values-based self-awareness for yearly tuition of $25,460.
Early Childhood Education Major
Reporting a 96 percent career outcome rate, Fontbonne’s Early Childhood Education major is chaired by Dr. Sarah Huisman. It provides a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and Missouri certification to dedicated undergrads seeking the creative thinking and problem-solving skills for primary classrooms. Offering dual early childhood/special education for birth-3rd grade, the 19-course major spans topics from toddler development to reading disabilities and counseling techniques after a religious core. In-field teaching experiences are ample at locations like Sacred Heart Villa, Brentwood Early Childhood Center, and Wise Little Owls Preschool. Undergrads could also spend summers in Belize, pursue the Autism Spectrum Disorder Certificate, attend the Honors Program, join the QUEST Leadership Initiative, and pledge Pi Lambda Theta.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation (CAEP)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA)
Contact
East Building 256
6800 Wydown Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63105
(314) 889-4531
SHuisman@Fontbonne.edu
Maryville University of St. Louis
School of Education
Enrolling 6,414 Saints from all 50 states, Maryville University of St. Louis is a private, nonprofit higher learning institution that’s grown a $46 million endowment since its 1872 founding by the Religious of the Sacred Heart to operate six colleges on its 130 combined acres in Forbes’ 77th best city for education. Maryville is ranked America’s 147th best small college on Niche, 165th top university by the U.S. News and World Report, and 69th best private value in Kiplinger’s. Featuring selective admissions at 72 percent, the School of Education has 11 accredited education degree programs in Missouri for undergrads.
Elementary & Early Childhood Education Double Major
Presently priced at $26,070 annually, Maryville’s Elementary & Early Childhood Education double major awards a Bachelor of Arts to undergrads seeking dual Missouri certification for teaching young minds during overlapping years from infancy to sixth grade. Taking a constructive, technology-forward approach, the 132-credit liberal arts degree emphasizes professional courses like emergent math, children’s literature, and diverse family systems. Headed by Dr. Mascheal Schappe, the program arranges extensive practicum opportunities at partnering schools, including Bellerive Elementary, Hope Mark Preschool, and Ashland Elementary. Double majors could also obtain the Duchesne Scholarship, pursue National Board Certification, volunteer at the Wilkinson Early Childhood Center, join Education Club, and attend Make a Difference weekend.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation (CAEP)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Anheuser-Busch Center 1204
650 Maryville University Drive
St. Louis, MO 63141
(314) 529-9670
mschappe@maryville.edu
http://www.maryville.edu/ed/undergraduate-programs/elementary-early-childhood-education/
Missouri Baptist University
Education Division
Belonging to the NAIA American Midwest Conference, Missouri Baptist University enrolls 4,836 Spartans on a $3 million endowment controlled by President R. Alton Lacey as a private, nonprofit evangelical teaching institution upholding Baptist values on its 65-acre main campus in the Creve Coeur suburb. MBU is recognized for America’s 111th best college food on Niche, the Midwest’s 143rd best value in Washington Monthly, and Missouri’s fourth best Christian education by Top Christian Colleges Guide. The Education Division has achieved 91 percent job placement from its 27 CAEP accredited education degree programs in Missouri.
Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education
Guided by Christian moral principles, the Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education uses an 18:1 student-faculty ratio to prepare undergrads for passing the Missouri Pre-Service Teacher Assessment to obtain stand-alone licensure for birth-3rd grade teaching settings. The 128-credit degree challenges students intellectually for developing the pedagogical knowledge needed to serve multicultural school populations. Face-to-face courses in St. Louis or Wentzville will delve into human growth, literacy instruction, young child health, and early childhood administration. After the $77 MoCA exam, students conduct extensive fieldwork at schools like Monroe Elementary, SouthSide Early Childhood Center, and Gateway Elementary. Majors may also join Kappa Delta Pi, network via the S-ASCD Chapter, study in London, and declare honors.
Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Special Education
Generating a 20-year net ROI of $62,000 on PayScale, Missouri Baptist’s Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Special Education delivers a Mild-Moderate Cross-Categorical Disabilities Concentration for pre-service teachers to learn the methods for addressing exceptionalities in children from birth to third grade. Adhering to NAEYC standards, the 128-credit program prepares teachers for the Missouri Content Assessment to certify their skills turning disabilities into abilities. Traditional daytime courses are scheduled Monday through Friday for studying topics like language disorders, diagnostic assessment, remedial mathematics, and child psychology before inclusive or self-contained practica. Undergrads could also mentor at the Academic Success Center, join the Student CEC Chapter, empower with St. Louis ARC, and continue for the M.S.E.
Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood and Elementary Education
Chaired by Dr. Melanie Bishop, the Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood and Elementary Education is another of the dual CAEP accredited education degree programs in Missouri where undergrads can cast larger job nets by earning teacher certification for birth to three and Grades 1-6 together. The 152-credit Bachelor of Science takes four to five years full-time at $12,382 per term. Dual students should expect courses like creative arts, language acquisition, community resources, instructional media, and behavior management. While maintaining a minimum 2.75 GPA, majors develop their portfolios with 100 practicum hours and 16 weeks of student teaching. Students might also join the S-MSTA, take classes at the Franklin County Regional Learning Center, or volunteer at MoBap Hospital.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation (CAEP)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA)
Contact
1 College Park Drive
St. Louis, MO 63141
(314) 392-2323
melanie.bishop@mobap.edu
https://www.mobap.edu/academics/education-division/early-childhood-education/
Missouri State University
College of Education
Affiliated with alums like David Glass, Bessie Breuer, and John Goodman, Missouri State University is a public, space-grant master’s research institution endowed for $138.4 million in the Missouri Valley Conference to educate 26,000 Bears from its 225-acre, modern-style Springfield campus. Missouri State is ranked America’s 185th top public university on Forbes, 80th coolest school in Sierra Magazine, and 12th best college by the Institute of International Education. Also placed 124th nationally by Niche, the MSU College of Education has 28 accredited education degree programs in Missouri with undergrad retention at 77 percent.
Early Childhood Education Undergraduate Program
Approved by the NAEYC, Missouri State’s popular Early Childhood Education Undergraduate Program maintains a 21:1 student-faculty ratio under Chair Denise D. Cunningham, Ph.D., to deliver a Bachelor of Science in Education for certification in birth-grade 3. The 88-credit major builds upon general education with courses in five domains: content planning and instruction, individual student needs, teaching young children, home-school-community relations, and program administration. Billing an average net price of $14,515 yearly, the degree nurtures classroom confidence with two 30-hour practica and a 16-week student teaching semester. Undergrads could also research at the on-campus Greenwood Lab School, join the Missouri SNEA, earn the Bernice Jackson Scholarship, go global to Dalian, and become Udall Scholars.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation (CAEP)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Strong Hall 108
901 S. National Avenue
Springfield, MO 65897
(417) 836-4492
DeniseCunningham@MissouriState.edu
https://education.missouristate.edu/ece/
Missouri Western State University
Department of Education
Declaring “Everything is Possible,” Missouri Western State University is a public, coeducational baccalaureate institution founded as St. Joseph Junior College in 1915 that’s now attracting 5,388 Griffons onto its 744-acre Buchanan County headquarters and its Kansas City extension. MWSU is ranked Missouri’s 21st best college campus on Niche, 10th top value by Best Value Schools, and 25th best university on BestColleges.com. Currently charging $6,842 annually for all Midwesterners, the Department of Education chaired by Dr. Daniel Shepherd has 10 affordable, accredited education degree programs in Missouri with 100 percent admission.
Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education
Taught at the Kansas City Northland Campus or online, MWSU’s Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education is a degree completion program for childcare employees or teacher aides who’ve finished associate programs in applied arts and sciences. The two-year, 64-credit curriculum blends course delivery formats to conveniently help students finish their Missouri birth-grade 3 certification. Boasting an above-average Praxis II pass rate, the degree covers topics from child welfare and literacy development to play-based instruction and mathematics methods. Seniors devote their Spring semester to full-time student teaching at nearby schools like Faxon Elementary and Border Star Montessori. Pre-service teachers could also study away in Argentina, receive Phi Theta Kappa Scholarships, and join Education Club.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation (CAEP)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA)
Contact
6464 N. Cosby Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64151
(816) 746-1001
kpayne7@missouriwestern.edu
Related Resource: 20 Best Online Master’s in Early Childhood Education 2018
Northwest Missouri State University
School of Education
Located atop 370 rural acres in Maryville around 100 miles north of Kansas City, Northwest Missouri State University is a public, state-sponsored teaching school chartered in 1905 that’s now led by President John Jasinski with a $25.5 million endowment to inspire 6,485 Bearcats. NWMSU is ranked the Midwest’s 21st top public school by the US News and World Report and 119th best bang for the buck in Washington Monthly. Bestowed the 2006 Christa McAuliffe Award for Excellence in Teacher Education, the School of Education follows NBPTS standards and carries a 20:1 student-professor ratio as America’s 247th best education college according to Niche.
Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Special Education
Coordinated by Dr. Timothy Wall, Northwest Missouri’s Early Childhood Special Education Bachelor of Science in Education uses the resources of the Phyllis and Richard Leet Center to deliver practice-oriented instruction that prepares undergrad cohorts for dual endorsement in birth-grade 3 settings. Following a strengths-based perspective, the 78-credit major brings the constructivist curriculum to life to shape teachers’ methods for instructing young children inclusively. The textbook and rental program saves nearly $7,300 total while tackling courses like parenthood education. Field experience begins the sophomore year at the on-campus Horace Mann Lab School and across Nodaway County. Students may also earn the American Dream Grant, study in Reggio Emilia, join the honors program, and attend the James H. Lemon Lecture Series.
Master of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education
Requiring a GRE Writing score of 3.5 or better, the Early Childhood Education Master of Science in Education is one of the few accredited education degree programs in Missouri for post-grads with state certification to further develop their instructional methods for inspiring youth through age eight. Giving the Bearcat Advantage for annual tuition of $7,003, the 32-credit curriculum challenges cohorts with courses like child psychology, educational philosophy, and reflective teaching. Cohorts blend accelerated, seven-week sessions online via Blackboard with four credits of field experience and an action research paper. Preference is given to in-service teachers with high Praxis II scores and two or more years of classroom experience. Graduates may also join the S-MSTA, engage with the K.I.D.S. Initiative, and consider the EdS in Educational Leadership.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation (CAEP)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Brown Hall 230
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468
(660) 562-1239
timwall@nwmissouri.edu
https://www.nwmissouri.edu/education/programs/index.htm
CareerOneStop reports that preschool teacher hiring will jump by 7 percent with 15,869 U.S. jobs created annually through 2024. Strict requirements are established for Missourians wishing to join the over 441,000 Pre-K educators nationwide though. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education mandates 120+ higher education credits with a minimum 2.75 GPA, passing background clearances, and teaching experiences before the Initial Professional Certificate (IPC). Advancing to the master’s level also lets you file the Upgrade Professional Application for greater teaching autonomy. Continue searching for accredited education degree programs in Missouri for reaching your dream classroom roles here.