If you are interested in teaching young children, this list of accredited education degree programs in Ohio will be a useful tool. Early childhood education provides teachers the opportunity to impart a love of learning and basic skills that will shape a child’s educational experience throughout school. Preschool and primary education is the place where learning habits are formed and where educational deficits may be detected. For that reason, it is vital that persons educating young children, whether in preschool or childcare settings or in public and private schools should understand childhood development as well as impediments to learning. Some of the programs in this article provide the opportunity to get a generalized certification that permits early childhood educators to teach through the fifth grade. To see more programs in Ohio, visit Early Childhood Education Degree Programs in Ohio (A-G) and (M-T) and (T-Z).
Heidelberg University
School of Education and Counseling
This private school is affiliated with the university in Heidelberg, Germany. It began in 1850, started by the German Reformed Church, but it now has ties to the United Church of Christ. The U.S. News and World Report ranks Heidelberg as # 60 of Regional Universities Midwest and 26th of Best Value Schools. The university offers thirty-six undergraduate degree programs and four graduate programs as well as sixteen minors and 13 pre-professional programs. The accredited early childhood education program allows students to participate in an exchange program with Heidelberg University in Germany during their junior year. Before students can student teach, they must have accumulated more than 60 hours of classroom instruction.
Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood and Preprimary Education
This 120 credit-hour program consists of a required liberal arts core followed by requisite early childhood courses such as Vital Connections, Human Growth and Development, Principles of Teaching and others. In addition, there is a capstone experience. Students may follow the early childhood track which consists of fifteen courses including math and science for early learners, or they may choose the generalist track. Completing the generalist program involves taking six additional courses, but it allows educators to teach through the fifth grade.
Accreditations
• Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association
• National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
• Authorized by the Ohio Board of Higher Education
Contact
School of Education and Counseling
Heidelberg University
310 East Market Street
Tiffin, OH, 44883
419-448-2089
lcartwri@heidelberg.edu
https://www.heidelberg.edu/academics/programs/education/education-major-requirements
Hiram College
Education Department
This school was founded in 1850 as the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute. It is a private school that is affiliated with the Disciples of Christ Church. One of its most distinguished graduates is James Garfield, the 20th President of the United States. In 2012, Forbes Magazine ranked the college as #39 of Midwestern Colleges. Hiram specializes in undergraduate programs but offers a limited number of graduate degrees as well. The college offers a tuition guarantee that the amount a student pays as a freshman will be his tuition through his senior year. It also affords working adults the chance to earn a degree in four years by taking courses on alternate weekends.
Bachelor in Early Childhood Education
This accredited Ohio education degree program begins with a required colloquium and a first-year seminar. There is a core curriculum that covers at least six academic disciplines and accounts for 38 credit hours. Following that, there is a Professional Educator Component that includes 32 hours of courses like Education, Culture and Society and Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Birth to Eight. The degree program also examines exceptionality in both delayed and advanced pupils. There is a required unit on Early Childhood Literacy and Early Childhood Curriculum Methods that provides 16 credits and one on Curriculum Content for Early Childhood that contains another 26 credit-hours.
Accreditation
• North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
• National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
• Authorized by the Ohio Board of Higher Education
Contact
Education Department
Hiram College
11715 Garfield Road,
Hiram, OH 44234
330-569-5274
mccreighta@hiram.edu
http://www.hiram.edu/academics/majors-minors/education-teacher-licensure/program/
John Carroll University
College of Arts and Sciences
This private Jesuit university was founded in 1886 as Saint Ignatius College. It became John Carroll University in 1927. With an undergraduate population of 3,673 students, it has a student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1. Most classes consist of less than 20 students. The U.S. News and World Report ranks John Carroll as # 6 of Regional Universities Midwest. The school requires a “rigorous liberal arts core” for all students that includes public speaking and two philosophy courses as well as two courses in religious studies. They must also take courses in social justice and in global perspectives. There is a foreign language requisite. The College of Arts and Sciences offers 31 majors and 28 minors.
Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood
The focus of this accredited education degree program is to develop expertise in educators who work with children from ages three through eight, and with children in prekindergarten through third grade. Students may also earn a generalist certification that entitles them to teach fourth and fifth grades. The program provides several field experiences in preschool, home, elementary school and service agency environments. Clinical experience occurs over the period of a full year in the same school. The goal of the degree path is to encourage personal and professional development in teachers.
Master of Education in Early Childhood Education
This graduate program is school based. It is a collaborative effort between the university and partner schools. It is a 40-to-46 credit-hour program that includes six semester hours of teaching internship. The M.Ed. degree requires attendance during a summer and the following academic year. Courses are taken on a full-time basis.
Accreditation
• North Central Association of the Higher Education Commission
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Contact
College of Arts and Sciences
John Carroll University
1 John Carroll Boulevard
University Heights, OH 44118
216-397-4693
amoses@jcu.edu
http://sites.jcu.edu/education/pages/programs-of-study/undergraduate-programs/early-childhood/
Kent State University
College of Education, Health and Human Services
This public research university began in 1910 as a teacher training school. The first classes were held in 1912. During the 1960s and 1970s, the school became known for student activism against the Vietnam War. The Kent State shootings occurred n 1970. With almost 40,000 students, Kent State is one of the largest universities in Ohio. The U.S. News and World Report ranks the school as #188 of National Universities. Kent State has more than 250 baccalaureate degree programs, 40 associate degrees, 50 master’s programs and 23 doctoral degrees.
M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education
This degree program is intended for students with a bachelor’s degree in education and an advanced knowledge of pre-school and primary education. Students can add courses and qualify for a generalist certification which allows them to teach fourth and fifth grades as well. Concentrations are available in the STEM subjects, in globalization and intercultural education and in early childhood leadership and advocacy. In addition, students with a baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than teaching may elect to earn a MAT degree which gives them the education requisites they need to sit for the Ohio teacher’s licensing exam. Although the MAT program is not an early childhood education program, it can be tailored to this concentration. Both degrees stress construction of curriculum and diversity and inclusion. The MAT program consists of 18 months of full-time study and intensive supervised field experiences in preschools, kindergartens and primary programs.
Accreditations
• The North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
• The National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
Contact
College of Education, Health and Human Services
Kent State University
800 East Summit Street
Kent, OH 44240
330-672-2580
www.kent.edu/ehhs/tics
https://www.kent.edu/ehhs/tlcs/eced/master-education-early-childhood-med
Malone University
College of Education and Human Development
This school is a private liberal arts university. It started in 1892 as Cleveland Bible College and is affiliated with the Religious Society of Friends. The school was renamed Malone University in 2008. There are 1,311 undergraduates enrolled in the school, and it is ranked # 75 among Regional Colleges Midwest by the U.S. News and World Report. The university contains four colleges and schools, and most classes contain fewer than 20 students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1. All students are required to take a foundational core in Christian Higher Education.
Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education
Some classes in this accredited teacher education program are taught by professors in a public school setting instead of a campus classroom. The program emphasizes use of the latest technology. There are 31 semester hours in professional education and another 33 in the early childhood specialty in addition to the general education component of the degree. Students can earn money tutoring children in the “America Reads-America Counts” program. The degree requires extensive field experience in addition to student teaching.
Accreditation
• North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
• National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
Contact
College of Education and Human Development
Malone University
2600 Cleveland Avenue,
Canton, OH 44709
330-471-8629
dbishop@malone.edu
https://www.malone.edu/academics/undergraduate/majors-minors/early-childhood-education/
Marietta College
Education Department
This private school began as Muskingum Academy in 1797. It became a college in 1835 and played an important role in the American Abolitionist Movement. The school sheltered fugitive slaves and was a part of the Underground Railroad. All students at the school are required to live on campus. There is a large sorority and fraternity presence at Marietta, and nearly twenty percent of the student body belong to a “Greek” organization. The seven core values of the school are a liberal arts foundation; in-depth programs of study; global perspectives; the World of Work; community; leadership and service.
Early Childhood Education major
Graduates of this accredited education degree program are expected to demonstrate effective teaching skills, act as “agents of change” and engage in the issues of education as they arise. The degree entitles educators to teach preschool through grade three. Students may also elect to take additional courses to qualify for the generalist certification to teach fourth and fifth grades. There are “methods” courses in all subjects taught at the early childhood level in addition to a 16 credit-hour core program.
Accreditation
• North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
• National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
Contact
Education Department
Marietta College
215 Fifth Street
Marietta, OH 45750
740-376-4794
jieool@marietta.edu
http://www.marietta.edu/ed-majors
Miami University
Department of Teacher Education
This is the 10th oldest public university in the U.S. It was founded in 1809, but classes did not begin until 1824. There are 120 undergraduate degree programs and 60 graduate programs offered through eight schools and colleges. The U.S. News and World Report ranks Miami University as #79 of National Universities and #30 of Top Public Universities. It is also cited for having the second best undergraduate teaching. The motto of the school is “Improvement of the common good through teaching and learning.” Graduates of the teaching programs at Miami University can teach in 46 states due to Ohio’s reciprocity agreements.
Early Childhood Education Undergraduate Degree
Graduates of this accredited early childhood education program use tools like differentiated education and inquiry-based learning to bridge cultural and racial challenges as well as the challenges faced by disabled students and English language learners. The program includes 700 hours of supervised field experiences that begin during the sophomore year. There is also an “Urban Teaching Cohort” and specialized test for those who wish to specialize in teaching in urban areas. The program contains 91 credit hours in teaching in addition to the required liberal arts component of the degree. Special emphasis is placed on teaching math, science and social studies to young learners, on language and literacy and on serving both the challenged and the gifted students.
Accreditation
• The North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
• The National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
• Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) which is actually a sister organization to the above.
Contact
Department of Teacher Education
Miami University
501 East High Street
Oxford, OH 45056
513-529-2156
haerrca@mioh.edu
https://www.miamioh.edu/ehs/academics/departments/edt/academics/majors/primary-education/index.html
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
School of Education and Professional Studies
This private Christian university was founded in 1968 by the Church of the Nazarene. Approximately 88 percent of the degrees the school awards are baccalaureate degrees. The U.S. News and World Report ranks the school as # 93 of National Universities Midwest. Unlike most teacher preparation programs, the School of Education begins field experiences during the freshman year. The early childhood education program benefits from an on-campus preschool that serves as a teaching lab. The university also promotes study-abroad programs in Central America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education
This program consists of 82 hours plus the requisite liberal arts core courses. Required early childhood education courses include Language and Literacy Fundamentals; Art, Music and Movement and Differentiated Instruction. Cognate courses such as Introduction to Math Systems and Public Speaking or Introduction to Communications are also required. Students must take classes in American history and in Intervention Specializations. The program includes 101 hours in addition to the LA core.
Accreditations
• North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
• National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
Contact
School of Education and Professional Studies
Mount Vernon University
800 Martinsburg Road
Mt. Vernon, OH 43050
740-397-9000 ext. 3424
Email through website
https://mvnu.edu/gps/undergraduateprograms/bachelorofartsinearlychildhoodeducationhttp://catalog
Students who wish to become licensed to teach young children in the state of Ohio should remember that in addition to the educational and experiential requirements they must pass an examination. Ohio’s reciprocation agreement allows students who pass this exam to teach in most, but not all states. It is the responsibility of the teacher to make certain he or she meets all requirements of the state where he wants to practice. This list of accredited early childhood education degree programs will assist prospective teachers to select the program that best suits their needs.
Related Resource: 20 Best Online Master’s in Early Childhood Education 2018
