Eight schools provide CAEP accredited education degree programs in Nebraska for “Cornhusker State” residents to plant the seeds for helping young children (Birth-Grade 3) grow. The BLS reports that Nebraska employs 810 preschool, 1,030 kindergarten, and 2,630 elementary school teachers for the United States’ highest average early childhood salary of $41,970. Although the Office of Early Childhood Education has developed Head Start, First Five Nebraska, and Sixpence Grant programs, Nebraska was still only graded “B-” for chance of success by Education Week. Perhaps that’s because just 47 percent of Nebraska’s three- and four-year-old residents attend preschool. ECE majors can improve outcomes by teaching pre-kindergarten and primary classes at Nebraska’s 246 districts, including the top-ranked Elkhorn Public Schools, Millard Public Schools, and Papillion-La Vista Schools. Prepare yourself for instructing children at their most impressionable years at these accredited education colleges in Nebraska.
Chadron State College
Department of Education
Opened in June 1911, Chadron State College remains western Nebraska’s sole public, four-year institution of the Rocky Mountain Conference that’s “Building Futures” for 3,000 Eagles on its 280-acre Pine Ridge campus in Dawes County near Buffalo Gap. Making the National Register of Historical Places, CSC is ranked America’s 172nd safest college on Niche and 17th best for vets school by Military EDGE. The Education Department grants eight CAEP accredited education degree programs in Nebraska for an average yearly net price of $10,993.
Bachelor of Science in Education with Field Endorsement in Early Childhood Inclusive
Chaired by Dr. Donald King, the Bachelor of Science in Education Program at CSC offers the Field Endorsement in Early Childhood Inclusive to encourage undergrads into working with the youngest pupils from birth to third grade. The 139-credit degree spends four years full-time building the pedagogical skills to adapt curriculum to the exceptional needs of each child with Nebraska clinical practice. After the Praxis I exam, students might also earn the Kathryn Knapp Memorial Scholarship, attend the Annual Early Childhood Conference, and study in the Child Development Center lab.
Accreditation
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Old Admin Building 116
1000 Main Street
Chadron, NE 69337
(308) 432-6442
dking@csc.edu
http://www.csc.edu/education/program.csc
Concordia University Nebraska
Education Department
Noted for its Plum Creek Children’s Literacy Festival, Concordia University Nebraska is a private, nonprofit Lutheran GPAC school that’s led by President Rev. Brian Friedrich to serve 2,300 Bulldogs at its 85-acre Seward campus and Lincoln extension. Endowed for $45 million, CUNE is ranked the 40th best Midwestern college by the U.S. News and America’s 129th best free application school on Niche. The Education Department maintains a 14:1 student-faculty ratio for immersive teacher prep that currently costs $31,620 annually before aid.
B.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Education
Awarding the Lutheran Teacher Diploma, the B.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Education is directed by Dr. Annette Oliver as one of Concordia’s two accredited education degree programs in Nebraska where the ministry of teaching is taught for Birth-Grade 3 practice. Face-to-face in Seward, the 140-credit curriculum map builds on courses like literacy assessment with student teaching, CASE Club meetings, and international travel to Shanghai. Alums have excelled at Hephata Lutheran School, Fortenelle Elementary, Grace Lutheran School, and others.
M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education
Prescribed to NAEYC standards, Concordia’s M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education provides eight-week, online graduate courses for certified teachers to become accomplished mentors who maximize the efficiency of Birth-Grade 3 instruction. Taking a Christian worldview and team-based approach, the 36-credit online degree spans 24 months with courses from pre-primary methods to family culture and transformative leadership. Featuring hassle-free concierge registration, the program culminates with a master’s action research project on ECE issues.
Accreditation
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Thom Education Center 214A
800 N. Columbia Avenue
Seward, NE 68434
(402) 643-7474
Annette.Oliver@cune.edu
http://www.cune.edu/directory/departments/education-department/
Creighton University
Graduate School
Affiliated with 68,470 living alumni in 93 countries, including Marcia Anderson and Mark Walter, Creighton University is Nebraska’s largest private, religious liberal arts school endowed for $448.5 million to teach Jesuit values to over 8,400 Bluejays annually atop a 132-acre Big East campus in Omaha. Creighton is ranked America’s third best master’s college in Washington Monthly and 12th top Catholic institution by Niche. Conferring 40+ majors devoted to social justice, the Graduate School is also recognized by the USNWR for the 61st best online master’s teaching degrees.
Elementary School Teaching M.Ed. with Early Childhood Education Certificate
Estimated to cost $850 per credit, Creighton’s Elementary School Teaching M.Ed. is one of the on-campus, accredited education degree programs in Nebraska that’s offering an Early Childhood Education Certificate for endorsement in Birth-Grade 3. The 52-credit curriculum nurtures the Ignatian charisms of service and excellence for initial teacher certification prep according to NAEYC standards. Coordinated by Dr. Tim Cook, the program lets post-grads practice at the James R. Russell Child Development Center and off-site partners like Conestoga Elementary.
Accreditation
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Eppley Hall 450
2500 California Plaza
Omaha, NE 68178
(402) 280-2820
tcook@creighton.edu
Doane University
College of Education
Named for Missouri River Railroad engineer Thomas Doane in 1872, Doane University is a private, nonprofit Methodist school on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll that’s delivering 45 majors to 2,950 Tigers at its Crete, Lincoln, Grand Island, and Omaha campuses. Doane is ranked America’s 149th best national liberal arts college by the USNWR and the Midwest’s 119th top university on Forbes. Also crowned the 44th best teachers college on Niche, the College of Education launched online study on Blackboard in Fall 2016 for flexibility.
M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood Endorsement
Ideal for certified, full-time PreK-12 teachers, the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction at Doane offers site-based and online courses for four accredited education degree programs in Nebraska, including an Early Childhood Education Endorsement (Birth-Grade 3), rolled into one. The 36-credit degree introduces the best pedagogical practices and teacher research methods for $460 per credit. Chaired by Dr. Lyn Forester, the program also requires creating an online portfolio, tackling a capstone project, and joining the DAEYC Chapter activities.
Accreditation
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
303 North 52nd Street
Lincoln, NE 68504
(402) 826-8631
lyn.forester@doane.edu
Peru State College
School of Education
Called Nebraska State Teachers College until 1949, Peru State College is a public, co-educational institution belonging to the Heart of America Conference that’s endowed for $10.5 million to train 2,422 Bobcats upon its 240-acre rural campus in Nemaha County just 11 miles northeast of Auburn. PSC is ranked Nebraska’s 10th most diverse college on Niche and America’s fifth cheapest online school by College Choice. Headed by Dean Ellie Kunkel, PhD, the School of Education placed in the top 5 percent nationwide for teacher preparation on College Factual.
BA/BS in Early Childhood Education Inclusive
Achieving 92 percent job placement, Peru State’s BA/BS Early Childhood Education Inclusive is one of the close-knit, accredited education degree programs in Nebraska for undergrads with a minimum 2.75 GPA to satisfy initial certification for teaching children with or without disabilities from infancy through third grade. The 86-credit major is affordably priced at $172 per credit with courses from speech correction to behavior management. Students may also join the NAEYC Chapter, finish practicum hours at nearby Calvert Elementary, study in Vienna, and attend the Honors Program.
Accreditation
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Administration Building 213
600 Hoyt Street
Peru, NE 68421
(402) 872-2244
ekunkel@peru.edu
http://www.peru.edu/education/EarlyEd
University of Nebraska at Kearney
College of Education
Following the motto “We Are Difference Makers,” the University of Nebraska at Kearney is a public, four-year supported normal school founded in March 1903 that’s occupying a 49-building campus conveniently off Interstate 80 in Buffalo County to enroll 7,052 Lopers under Chancellor Douglas Kristensen. Budgeting $164 million annually, UNK is ranked the Midwest’s 56th best school by the U.S. News and America’s 116th best Greek life college on Niche. Also placed 35th for best online graduate teacher training countrywide, the College of Education is headed by Dean Sheryl Feinstein with six departments and a 14:1 student-faculty ratio.
Early Childhood Inclusive Online B.A. Program
Building on UNK’s 112-year history, the Early Childhood Inclusive Online B.A. Program currently charges $247 for Nebraskans and $375 for non-residents per credit to deliver Blackboard courses that develop the skills and dispositions needed to lead PreK-3 primary classrooms with some children with disabilities. Transfers can pursue the 120-credit degree after general education courses, but second-degree students take just 80 credits for initial Nebraska licensure. Seven weeks of field practicum are integrated before a 16-week student-teaching semester at ollaborative schools like Meadowlark Elementary or Bright Futures Early Childhood.
Curriculum and Instruction M.A.Ed. in Early Childhood Education
Estimated to take 28 months part-time with teaching certification, the Curriculum and Instruction M.A.Ed. is another of the CAEP accredited education degree programs in Nebraska for Kearney post-grads to specialize with an Early Childhood Education Concentration. Taught online with 24/7 access to the Blackboard LMS, the 36-credit degree expands educators’ discipline knowledge with courses like children’s literature, assistive technology, and contemporary reading theory. Submitting the $45 application will require having an accredited bachelor’s, 2.75 GPA, and a professional biography instead of GRE scores.
Accreditation
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
COE Building 1st Floor
1615 W. 24th Street
Kearney, NE 68849
(308) 865-8502
feinsteinsg@unk.edu
http://www.unk.edu/academics/coe/index.php
University of Nebraska Omaha
College of Education
Directed by Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, the University of Nebraska Omaha is a premier public, space-grant RU/H research hub initially founded by Presbyterians in 1908 that’s now enrolling 15,536 Mavericks and employing 1,069 faculty upon its 534 acres split by Elmwood Park in Forbes’ 46th best city for careers. UNO is ranked America’s 169th most conservative college on Niche and Nebraska’s eight best value with an average 20-year net ROI of $262,000 on PayScale. The College of Education offers two CAEP accredited education degree programs in Nebraska for Birth-Grade 3 endorsements and the Buffett Early Childhood Institute.
Early Childhood Inclusive Major
Approved for 2016, UNO’s Early Childhood Inclusive Major awards a Bachelor of Science that uniquely emphasizes the developmental needs of infants and toddlers for ambitious undergrads seeking certified teaching roles in academic or childcare settings. Adhering to NAEYC guidelines, the dual Birth-Grade 3 program requires at least 120 credits costing $216 (in-state) and $677 (out-of-state) apiece for sharpening classroom leadership. Students could also add the ESL PreK-6 Endorsement, finish the 135-hour practicum requirement at Oakdale Elementary, and volunteer with Children’s Square.
Elementary Education Master’s: Early Childhood Education Concentration
Coordinated by Professor Rebecca Pasco, a Distinguished Service Award recipient, the Elementary Education Master’s confers an M.S. from UNO for certified Nebraska teachers seeking greater depth of content mastery in 10 concentrations, such as Early Childhood Education, for $269-$753 per credit. Capitalizing on the 16:1 student-faculty ratio, cohorts take 36 credits beyond the bachelor’s for courses like play theory and curriculum planning. Open for admission until August 1st or December 1st yearly, the 18-month, non-thesis program ends with an applied capstone project.
Accreditation
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Roskens Hall 211
6001 Dodge Street
Omaha, NE 68182
(402) 554-2212
nedick@unomaha.edu
https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-education/about/index.php
Wayne State College
School of Education and Counseling
Linked to notable alums like Gale McGee, Hilda Neilhardt, and Val Peterson, Wayne State College is a public, four-year NSCS constituent founded in 1910 that’s now led by President Marysz Rames with a $17.1 million endowment to enlighten 3,571 Wildcats upon its 128 acres in northeastern Nebraska near the Ashfall Fossil Beds. Wayne State is ranked the 94th best Midwestern college by the USNWR and 529th top American college campus on Niche. The School of Education and Counseling grants accredited education degree programs in Nebraska for 14 field endorsements with 100 percent admission.
Early Childhood Education B.A./B.S.
Unlocking a median alum salary of $36,400, the Early Childhood Education B.A./B.S. Program at Wayne State builds on a liberal arts or scientific foundation for undergrads to develop the mindset for instructing rambunctious kids in inclusive Birth-Grade 3 settings. Popularly paired with the English as a Second Language major, the 120-credit degree injects 100 fieldwork hours and student-teaching experience between courses like educational media. Wildcats may also substitute teach via NENTA, join Early Childhood Club, and jumpstart the Master of Science.
Accreditation
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Benthack Hall 107
1111 Main Street
Wayne, NE 68787
(402) 375-7282
doburya1@wsc.edu
https://www.wsc.edu/early-childhood
Research published in Parents Magazine shows that preschool education is essential for getting academically ready for kindergarten, socializing with peers, and fostering their playtime imaginations. NPR reported that the United States combined spends $37 billion annually on early childhood programs to set youth up for success. Increased enrollment and budgets mean that the hiring in early childhood education will rise by 6.6 percent in Nebraska by 2024. Check out these CAEP accredited education degree programs in Nebraska where high-quality training meets the standards for initial or professional certification in Birth-Grade 3 arenas.
Related Resource: 20 Best Online Master’s in Early Childhood Education
