There are many attractive choices among accredited education degree programs in New York, particularly those that focus on early childhood education. Early childhood education always has been important, but in the past it often was regarded as being secondary to education of children at older ages. When it seemed that children began “emerging” in middle school years, found themselves in high school and then gained self actualization in college, early childhood education often appeared to be little more than coloring, learning the alphabet and learning basic numbers. We now know that early childhood education encompasses far more than only those areas, even as important as they are. A good beginning in education can set the tone of the individual’s entire educational experience.To see more accredited early childhood education degree programs in New York, visit Early Childhood Education Degree Programs in New York (A-K), (N-S), and (S-Z).
Lehman College CUNY
Located in the Bronx, NY, Lehman College CUNY offers one of the accredited education degree programs in New York and is a public institution. Founded in 1968, it has an undergraduate enrollment of 10,800. Though U.S. News and World Report does not report the school’s specific ranking, the publication includes the school in its 2017 edition of Best Colleges among Regional Universities North, Tier 2.
School of Education, Department of Early Childhood and Childhood Education
The School of Education supports and works closely with more than 25 certification programs recognized either nationally or by the state of New York. The School’s mission is to facilitate and support development of competent and qualified teachers. The School of Education maintains active engagement with more than 200 schools located in the Bronx and lower Westchester as well as in other New York City boroughs. It focuses on bilingual education but does not require bilingual mastery.
Minor to Master’s program in Early Childhood Education (M.S.Ed.)
This program is an offering of the Department of Early Childhood and Childhood Education and leads to two New York State initial teaching certificates. The first is the New York State Initial Teacher Certification in Early Childhood Education (Birth to Grade 2); the second is the New York State Initial Teacher Certification in Childhood Education. Each is available with or without the bilingual extension. The school’s “Fast Track to Certification” requires 24 credits at the undergraduate level and 30 credits at the graduate level.
Accreditation
Lehman College CUNY is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), formerly the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) prior to 2013.
Contact
School of Education
B33 Carman Hall
250 Bedford Park Boulevard West
Bronx, NY 10468
Phone: (718) 960 – 8167
Email address: frances.rofrano@lehman.cuny.edu (Frances Rofrano, Early Childhood Minor to Masters Program Coordinator)
Website: http://www.lehman.edu/academics/education/early-childhood-education/undergraduate-ecce.php
Manhattanville College
Founded in 1841, today’s Manhattanville College remains a small, private institution. Located in Purchase, NY, Manhattanville College is in Westchester County about 30 miles northeast of New York City. U.S. News and World Report lists the college in its 2017 edition of Best Colleges. Though the publication does not list Manhattanville College’s specific rank, it does list the school among its best National Liberal Arts Colleges, Tier 2. The college offers one of the accredited education degree programs in New York.
Early Childhood Education Department
Programs offered by the Early Childhood Education Department trains educators to teach children from birth through grade 2. The department focuses on creating educators who promote inclusive, developmentally appropriate environments, curriculum and activities as well as employing best practices in teaching in all curriculum areas. Further, the department maintains a network of schools enabling student teaching in Connecticut, lower and upper Westchester, and New York City.
Master of Arts in Teaching in Early Childhood Education
This program requires completion of 36 prescribed credits as well as several other credits prescribed only by category. Specific classes include Inclusive Practices in Early Childhood Education, Working with Parents in Inclusive Schools, Early Literacy, Integrated Math, Science and Technology Curriculum, integrated Social Studies, Expressive Arts, Health and Safety Curriculum, Methods for Teaching Literacy and Language Arts, Strategies for Teaching Young Children and Guiding their Behavior and Research Seminar in Early Childhood Education. The program also requires courses in child development, visual or performing arts, communication, history, literature, science, mathematics, writing and foreign language. It also requires 18 credits in another single liberal arts area.
Master of Professional Studies in Early Childhood Education
This is a more targeted Master’s program. It requires completion of 38 hours, all of which are prescribed and required through the program. It includes study introducing students with learning and behavioral problems, classroom management in special education, special student assessment, consultation and collaboration in inclusive settings, technology in special education, inclusive practices in early childhood education, methods for teaching literacy and language arts, working with parents in inclusive schools and study in language, literacy and culture.
Accreditations
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
2900 Purchase Street
Purchase, NY 10577
Phone: (914) 798-2714
Email address: patricia.vardin@mville.edu (Patricia Vardin, Board Chair)
Website: https://www.mville.edu/programs/early-childhood-education
Mercy College
Now a nonsectarian institution, Mercy College was founded as a Catholic school in the 1950 by the Sisters of Mercy. Today, it is a private and non-profit research university that maintains four campuses. The primary campus is in Dobbs Ferry, NY, along the Hudson River. Additional campuses are in Manhattan, Yorktown Heights and the Bronx. Through its five schools, Mercy College offers more than 90 certificate programs and undergraduate degrees. Mercy College has more than 11,250 students originating from 43 states and 54 countries. It also offers one of the accredited education degree programs in New York.
School of Education, Department of Early Childhood and Childhood Education
The Department of Early Childhood and Childhood Education operates from the perspective that the early years of childhood education are formative and critical to each individual child’s future. The Department’s mission statement explains that the school believes teaching to be relational work informed by cultural and social contexts such as family, school and community, and that students are integral community members with the capacity to transform the lives of those around them.
Early Childhood Education: Birth-Grade 2 M.S.
Mercy College’s Master of Science in Early Childhood Education, Birth – Grade 2 is a 39 credit program that prepares students to gain New York State certification. The program requires prescribed course work and field experiences as well as clinical practice including student teaching. The multifaceted approach to teacher education prepares degree candidates for careers in early childhood education.
Accreditations
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE)
• American Council on Education
• Association of International Education Administrators
• Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities of the State of New York
• Council for the Advancement & Support of Education
• Council for the Advancement & Support of Education (CASE)
• Institute of International Education
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
• New York State Education Department (NYSED)
Contact
555 Broadway
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
Phone: 877-MERCY-GO or (914) 674-7370
Email address: enitecki@mercy.edu (Elena Nitecki, Associate Professor, Dept. of Childhood Education)
Website: https://www.mercy.edu/education/early-childhood-and-childhood-education
Molloy College
Located on Long Island, Molloy College is a private Catholic institution. Founded in 1955, it now has a total enrollment of 4,900 consisting of 3,425 undergraduate, Master’s and doctoral students. Its primary campus is located in Rockville Centre. Molloy College offers degrees in sciences, nursing, criminal justice and business as well as accredited education degree programs in New York. U.S. News and World Report ranks Molloy College as number 44 on its list of best colleges among Regional Universities North.
Education Division
The Education Division is one of the oldest divisions of Molloy College. It offers undergraduate programs in a number of education areas including Childhood, Adolescence, Music and Visual Education and Special Education. It also offers dual degree programs in Childhood and Adolescence Education or Special Education in which students can earn both bachelor and master’s degrees in only five years. Students have the option of choosing to complete student teaching requirements in London through the school’s Internationl Education Program.
B.A. in Childhood/Early Childhood Education
Both the BA and BS programs in Childhood/Early Childhood Education offer specific content specialties in an array of areas. The B.A. in Childhood/Early Childhood Education program offers specialties in Communications, Interdisciplinary Studies (PEH or TEH), English, Sociology, Psychology, History or LOTE (Spanish). Some of the core courses common to both the BA and BS programs include Field Experience in a School Setting, Foundations of Education for Regular and Special Education Teachers, Law and Professionalism in Inclusive Settings, Instructional Technology for Teachers, Critical Examination of Issues in Education and Critical Issues in Early Childhood Education.
B.S. in Childhood/Early Childhood Education
The B.S. in Childhood/Early Childhood Education program requires the same core courses as the BA program but differs in the specialty areas it offers. Whereas specialty areas in the BA program focus on Communications, Interdisciplinary Studies (PEH or TEH), English, Sociology, Psychology, History or LOTE (Spanish), the BS program offers specialties in Biology and Mathematics as well as in Interdisciplinary Studies (PEH or TEH).
Master of Science in Early Childhood Education
Molloy College offers a broad range of choices in earning its Master of Science in Early Childhood Education. Students may work for a dual degree as undergraduates, enabling them to complete both undergraduate and graduate degrees in only five years. For students who already have completed an undergraduate degree, Molloy College offers traditional on-campus programs and a hybrid structure of online and evening classes on campus. It also enables Master’s students to select a self-paced approach that may take longer to complete but allows the student great flexibility in scheduling.
Accreditations
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Contact
Kellenberg Hall, K-217
1000 Hempstead Avenue
Rockville Centre, New York 11571-5002
Phone: 516.323.3110 (undergraduate programs), 516.323.3116 (Master’s programs)
Email address: kfoster2@molloy.edu
Websites: https://www.molloy.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/education/about-the-program
https://www.molloy.edu/academics/graduate-programs/graduate-education
The City College of New York
Founded in 1847 as the Free Academy of the City of New York, today The City College of New York is a member institution of the City University of New York (CUNY) and is known locally as City College. It also is the oldest of all of the member institutions of CUNY. Located in New York City, the school’s campus is highly urban and accommodates more than 13,000 undergraduate students. U.S. News and World Report places City College in its list of best Regional Colleges North at number 85. City College offers one of the most accessible accredited education degree programs in New York.
School of Education
City College values its long tradition of education within and for the City of New York. The School of Education combines theory and practice with a special view toward the urban environment. It welcomes both beginning and experienced educators to its community of scholars and practitioners in its diverse environment that by design in turns serves a diverse environment within the urban context. The curriculum is both challenging and relevant, and designed to give rise to reflective practice focused on improving education for all children in any circumstance.
Undergraduate Early Childhood Education
City College’s undergraduate programs are designed to provide students with in-depth, practical and theoretical knowledge of all factors affecting early childhood education including childhood learning, child development and effective teaching skills for children from birth through age eight. The undergraduate programs lead to the New York State certification in Early Childhood Education that is required of all lead teachers in all early childhood settings including grades preK-2 and early elementary grades. Some of the courses included in the undergraduate program of study include Family, Child and School, Language and Literacy Development in Early Childhood, Professional Education Seminar, First and Second Language and Literacy Acquisition, Developmental Issues in Early Childhood Education, Social Studies in the Early Childhood Curriculum, Literacy Instruction for Struggling Readers and Writers in Inclusive/Mainstream Classrooms, How Young Children Learn Science, Education in the Early Years and Including Young Children with Special Needs in the Regular Education Classroom, among others.
Graduate Early Childhood Education
City College’s Early Childhood Education Graduate Programs continue undergraduate study in more detail. The graduate programs also are accredited, but are additionally nationally recognized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) as a part of the School of Education’s national NCATE accreditation. Some of the courses included in City College’s graduate study are Education That Is Multicultural, How Young Children Learn Mathematics: Implications for Teaching, Mathematics for Pre-K-6 Teachers, Urban Schools in a Diverse Society, Building Community in the Classroom, Fundamentals of Teaching in Early Childhood Contexts, Music and Movement for Young Children, Contemporary Problems and Issues in Early Childhood Education, Literacy Acquisition – from Emergent Reading to Fluency and Leadership in Early Childhood Education.
Accreditations
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Contact
North Academic Center
Room 5/211
160 Convent Avenue
New York, New York 10031
Phone: 212.650.5471 / 5434 / 5870 or 212.650.5182
Email address: bfalk@ccny.cuny.edu (Beverly Falk, Director)
Website: https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/earlychildhooded
Niagara University
Our Lady of Angels Seminary was founded in Buffalo in 1856 by the Vincentian Congregation of the Mission. The school moved to its current location in 1857 and changed its name to Niagara University in 1883. Of the 26 presidents that the school has had throughout its long history, each one has been a Vincentian priest. Niagara University currently has more than 3,000 undergraduate students. U.S. News and World Report ranks Niagara University as number 54 among Regional Universities in the North. The Princeton Review and several other publications also rate the school highly, indicating that the school offers one of the best accredited education degree programs in New York.
College of Education
Niagara University’s College of Education is dedicated to creating high quality teachers, leaders, school counselors and school psychologists. The driving focus is to prepare and create professionals who are well equipped to truly make a difference for children and their families. The College of Education has been accredited by NCATE since 1984. Niagara University is the only New York university accredited in both the United States and Canada.
Bachelor’s in Early Childhood and Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 6)
The undergraduate program equips graduates to teach children in grades 1-6 in both regular and special education. Students can choose Childhood and Special Education with specialization in Biology, Chemistry, English, French, Liberal Arts, Mathematics, Spanish or Social Studies
M.S.Ed. Early Childhood and Special Education
The Master of Science in Education, Early Childhood Education and Special Education program leads to both initial and professional New York state teacher certifications. Program graduates will be prepared not only to teach but also serve as leaders and directors of early childhood programs, teacher educators or development specialists.
Accreditations
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• National Council for the Accreditation for Teacher Education (NCATE)
Contact
College of Education
PO Box 2037
Niagara University, NY 14109
Phone: 800.778.3450 or 716.286.8511 for graduate admissions information
Email address: shorab@niagara.edu
Website: https://www.niagara.edu/college-of-education-undergraduate-programs/
https://www.niagara.edu/early-childhood-and-special-education-birth-grade-2
These are several choices available to aspiring or continuing students in early childhood education. Each school is accredited and each is highly effective in its approach to training teachers. All of these institutions offer solid and accredited education degree programs in New York.
Related Resource: 20 Best Online Master’s in Early Childhood Education
