Students looking into early childhood education degree programs in New York will not be disappointed by the affordable, high-quality institutions in the state. With students hailing from diverse backgrounds, teachers with bilingual skills and those with experience teaching to English language learners will be at a distinct advantage. Additionally, the teacher certification exams in New York, long criticized for being overly stringent, are currently being revamped. As a result, a larger pool of graduates will be able to qualify, and current exam-takers will be measured by more lenient standards. To see more accredited early childhood education degree programs in New York, visit Early Childhood Education Degree Programs in New York (L-N), (N-S), and (S-Z).
Adelphi University
Ruth S. Ammon School of Education
The School of Education at Adelphi University is committed to providing educational opportunities for professional advancement at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. The School creates authentic field and academic experiences, embracing ethical practices, cultivating respect for diverse populations, and preparing students to become agents of change through leadership, collaboration, and research. More than 760 students pursue master’s degree from the School of Education, and the average age of degree recipients is 26.
M.A. in Early Childhood Education
The M.A. in Early Childhood Education at Adelphi University is designed for students who are not currently certified in elementary education. Instead, students who are certified in other areas may seek enrollment in this degree program to earn a second teaching certificate. Students may also use this program to fulfill the school’s graduate degree requirement for permanent, professional certification in both areas. The program offers convenient evening classes for working students, and students can take advantage of partnerships with local school districts. Foundation courses will teach students how children develop emotionally, socially, and intellectually while exposing students to the dynamics of school reform and how it impacts local schools. The 40-credit program also includes field-based methods courses that show students how to teach elementary-aged children in the area of social studies, science, math, and English language arts.
Accreditations
– Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
One South Ave.
P.O. Box 701
Garden City, NY 11530
(516) 877-4100
graduateadmissions@adelphi.edu
http://education-ci.adelphi.edu/childhood-education/graduate-programs/m-a-in-childhood-education/
Brooklyn College of CUNY
School of Education
The School of Education at Brooklyn College of CUNY is one of the most comprehensive teacher preparation programs in the city. Not only does the faculty include a network of scholars who educate inside the classroom, but the School urges students to take advantage of innovative partnerships with national organization and throughout the metropolitan area. Upon graduation, students are well-prepared to thrive in their chosen fields, whether as school psychologists, administrators, or teachers.
B.A. Degree Program for Early Childhood Education Teacher (Birth-Grade 2)
In order to be accepted into the early childhood education program at Brooklyn College of CUNY, students must satisfy English requirements and complete at least 40 credit hours in the sciences and liberal arts. In addition to completing the school’s general education requirements, students must either have a second major or complete a sciences and liberal arts concentration of 30 credit hours. Students are required to successfully complete courses in psychology, mathematics, speech, general science, and health and nutrition science. After graduation with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, students are eligible to apply for the New York State initial teacher certification for birth through second grade.
Accreditations
– Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
2900 Bedford Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11210
(718) 951-5000
ccolthirs@brooklyn.cuny.edu
http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/courses/acad/program_info.jsp?major=255&div=U&dept_code=28&dept_id=99
Canisius College
School of Education & Human Services
The School of Education & Human Services at Canisius College is committed to preparing socially committed, highly effective professionals. The School offers nationally recognized programs in specialized allied health, counseling, administration, and education fields and is home to four departments: Teacher Education, Kinesiology, Graduate Education and Leadership, and Counseling and Human Services. Students may choose from advanced certificates of study, multiple certifications, 22 graduate programs, and 13 undergraduate majors. The School also houses the new Center for Urban Education, the JUSTICE Project, and the Institute for Autism Research.
Bachelor’s Major in Early Childhood/Childhood Education
The undergraduate degree in early childhood education prepares students for teaching young students by investigating various educational approaches for students from toddlers and preschoolers through the elementary years. Students will learn how to use multiple measures to document and assess student growth, modify instruction for diverse learners, and evaluate instructional effectiveness. The program combines general education coursework with field experiences such as student teaching, allowing students to develop classroom skills throughout the course of the program. The degree also includes seminars and practica that include topics related to assessment at the childhood level, increasing family involvement, and classroom management. Major requirements include infant/toddler care and education, technology in education, foundations of education, and literacy. Students are also exposed to teaching social studies, math, and science as well as music, movement, and the arts in early childhood education. Students must also complete a child abuse workshop as well as a capstone seminar for teacher candidates.
Accreditations
– Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
2001 Main St.
Buffalo, NY 14208
(716) 883-7000
info@canisius.edu
https://www.canisius.edu/academics/programs/early-childhood-education
College of Staten Island CUNY
School of Education
The School of Education at the College of Staten Island CUNY is committed to helping students develop deep relationships with adolescents and children in order to educate them to the best of their abilities. Through enhanced academic offerings and co-curricular opportunities, the School aims to help meet the needs of its community and its students. The School offers a number of undergraduate and graduate degrees in education as well as advanced certificates in the field.
Undergraduate Program in Early Childhood Education
The undergraduate program in early childhood education is designed for students who wish to specialize in the area of childhood education from birth to second grade. It also provides the academic coursework necessary to sit for certification in the state of New York at the early childhood level. The degree includes 124 to 128 credit hours and requires students to take courses in language, literature, social sciences, mathematics, scientific analysis, and childhood teaching methods. Candidates in the teacher education program at the College of Staten Island must also complete at least 100 hours of observation as per the New York State requirement prior to applying for student teaching. The observations will include at least one observation of English Language Learners (ELL), a minimum of 15 hours working with students with disabilities, and at least 50 hours in a high-needs, diverse school. Students are required to observe a number of developmental levels, including first and second grade, prekindergarten and kindergarten, and birth through age three.
Accreditations
– Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
2800 Victory Blvd.
Staten Island, NY 10314
(718) 982-2000
admissions@csi.cuny.edu
Five Towns College
B.S. Childhood Education
The Bachelor of Science in Childhood Education degree from Five Towns College is designed for students seeking a career as an educator in private or public elementary schools for grades one through six. The program meets the requirements set by the New York State Education Department for initial certification in childhood education. The pedagogical core of the degree includes courses that incorporate both state and student learning standards. The field-based program offers students a number of opportunities for practical applications in the classroom as well as observations to help them develop their skills and knowledge of childhood education. Candidates are required to fulfill certain workshops and complete one semester of student teaching in order to be eligible for certification before graduating. The degree’s content core includes literature courses designed to provide students with a humanistic, broad appreciation of the world and its diverse cultures and people. The elective core provides students with a choice of coursework in theater, music, and art.
Accreditations
– Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
305 North Service Rd.
Dix Hills, NY 11746
(631) 656-2110
admissions@ftc.edu
http://www.ftc.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/childhood-education/
Hunter College CUNY
School of Education
The School of Education at Hunter College CUNY is committed to preparing highly effective, knowledgeable, and thoughtful teachers, counselors, and administrators. The School’s mission is to educate future professionals who will make a positive impact on the emotional, social, and intellectual development of their students as well as the academic achievement of those they teach. The School offers a number of undergraduate and graduate degrees designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and techniques they’ll use on a daily basis both within the classroom and within their communities.
Undergraduate Early Childhood Education (Birth – Grade 2)
The undergraduate degree in early childhood education at Hunter College CUNY prepares students to become certified early childhood education teachers in the state of New York. The 36-credit program allows students to earn their degree in four or six semesters. Students will learn approaches to early education and care, thus gaining an in-depth understanding of human development and behavior. Students will also learn how to plan and implement meaningful, appropriate learning experiences. Coursework is aligned with student teaching experiences and field work, offering opportunities to work with children from different backgrounds and in various settings such as elementary school classrooms and child care centers.
Accreditations
– Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
695 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10065
(212) 772-4000
admissions@hunter.cuny.edu
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/school-of-education/programs/undergraduate/early_childhood
MSEd in Early Childhood Education
Students can choose from two master’s degree programs in early childhood education. The first is designed for students who do not have any prior teaching certification, while the second is designed for students with permanent, professional, or initial certification in New York in the fields of TESOL, special education, pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, or childhood education. However, the master’s degrees are not for applicants who are already certified in early childhood education; instead, those students may consider an early childhood special education program. Students pursuing the first pathway can expect to take classes in early childhood curriculum, social and historical contexts of early childhood education, child development from birth to age eight, educational technology in early childhood, and expressive arts in early childhood. Sample courses offered for the students following the second pathway include health, safety, and nutrition in early childhood, children with special needs, mathematical and scientific thinking in early childhood, and social and an integrative seminar in early childhood education.
Accreditations
– Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
695 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10065
(212) 772-4000
gradadmissions@hunter.cuny.edu
http://catalog.hunter.cuny.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=14&poid=1833&returnto=1250
Iona College New Rochelle
Education Department
The Education Department, located within the School of Arts & Sciences at Iona College New Rochelle, offers a number of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The School’s New York State-approved degrees are designed to prepare students for initial or additional state certifications, and the highly qualified faculty holds experience as school superintendents, principals, and teachers. The school focuses on integrating practice and theory by offering field placement opportunities within the student’s first two years in the program.
BS in Childhood/Early Childhood Education
The undergraduate degree in early childhood education prepares aspiring teachers to work with a diverse population of students in grades one through six. Teacher candidates may also consider pursuing dual certification for teaching students from birth through sixth grade. The major is comprised of 126 total credits, including 46 credits at the college core level, 47 education credits, 30 credits in a concentration, and nine to 18 credits in liberal arts and science co-requisites. Students wishing to seek certification should also keep in mind that there are additional requirements from New York. Students will take courses in foundational theory, principles and procedures of education, language and literacy acquisition development, child psychology, and a capstone project in which students will observe and student teach at the early childhood level.
Accreditations
– Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
715 North Ave.
New Rochelle, NY 10801
(800) 231-IONA
admissions@iona.edu
MS in Teaching: Early Childhood and Childhood
The Master of Science in Teaching degree is designed for students who currently hold a bachelor’s degree and who wish to pursue a career in elementary teaching but lack the formal training to do so. The graduate degree includes 45 credits, and students will cover topics such as multicultural education, multimedia in teaching, language and literacy across the curriculum, and foundations of teaching students with disabilities. In addition, core courses include Instruction and Assessment Strategies for Learning Science by All Children, Language and Literacy Development, and a special project in curriculum research.
Accreditations
– Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
715 North Ave.
New Rochelle, NY 10801
(800) 231-IONA
gradadmissions@iona.edu
Ithaca College
School of Humanities and Sciences
A liberal arts degree from the School of Humanities and Sciences at Ithaca College prepares students for life in a globally inclusive, multicultural, and rapidly changing world. Through the School’s general education program, students develop a foundational understanding of community issues, and majors allow students to focus on exciting areas of study. The faculty members are known for their scholarship, research, and performance and creative activities, working to guide students in the classroom and helping them put theory into practice via a number of experiential learning activities.
Master of Science in Childhood Education
The Master of Science in Childhood Education from Ithaca College prepares graduate students for careers as elementary school teachers. The program is designed as a 13-month, full-time, cohesive graduate program that leads to a master’s degree. Graduates are also eligible to sit for their initial teaching certification for first grade through sixth grade. Graduate students can expect to take coursework in educational practice and theory while gaining crucial field experience in community and school settings. The school offers a number of opportunities for teaching, tutoring, and observation in different grade levels in urban, rural, and suburban schools. Applicants into the program must have demonstrated a commitment to working with diverse students in various educational settings as well as a strong background in the sciences and liberal arts. Prerequisites include social and cultural foundations of education as well as an early field experience, which includes 50 hours of hands-on practice in school settings.
Accreditations
– Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
953 Danby Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 274-3124
admission@ithaca.edu
https://www.ithaca.edu/gradprograms/education/programs/childhooded/
The state of New York is home to a number of high-quality, accredited institutions that offer early childhood education degrees. Regardless of whether you’re seeking an on-site, traditional degree or you’re looking to further your education while working part-time, finding the right education program to meet your needs will not be difficult. From undergraduate programs that introduce students to the field to master’s degrees designed for teachers seeking formal training in childhood education, the early childhood education degree programs in New York are designed for students of all backgrounds and for individuals with varying degrees of hands-on experience.
Related Resource: 20 Best Online Master’s in Early Childhood Education
