Early Childhood Studies (FCNS), Interdisciplinary Major (B.S.)

The School of Family, Consumer, and Nutrition Sciences and the Department of Teaching and Learning offer a collaborative program leading to the B.S. degree with a major in early childhood studies. The program is designed to prepare personnel for professional roles serving children from birth through eight years of age and their families. This program includes the concepts, competencies, and skills required by teachers, child care workers, and other professionals involved in the education and care of young children.

Graduates in either of the emphases qualify for Illinois Early Childhood Teacher Certification enabling them to teach children from birth through grade three in Illinois public schools. Students in the 04 certification emphasis are prepared to teach a diverse student population in inclusive classrooms. Strong emphasis is placed on understanding the child in family and community contexts. The early childhood studies program has been approved by the Illinois State Board of Education and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Admission to either of the emphases in the interdisciplinary major in early childhood studies is limited. University admission does not necessarily constitute eligibility for admission into this program. Admission policies are described in the “Limited Admissions Requirements” section of this catalog.

Students must be admitted to the early childhood studies program before they can enroll in any of the professional course work. To continue to enroll, students must maintain a minimum overall GPA of 2.75.

Students should carefully read the section entitled “Teacher Certification Requirements.”

As part of teacher certification, students will need to pass Illinois Certification Testing System (ICTS) examinations, including the basic skills test prior to program admission and the subject matter knowledge test prior to student teaching in early childhood studies, as required by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Due to the comprehensive nature of the program and required course sequence, all students must plan their program of study with an early childhood studies adviser.

The major GPA in the interdisciplinary major is calculated using course work completed in the School of Family, Consumer, and Nutrition Sciences and the Department of Teaching and Learning.

Students enrolled in the interdisciplinary major as a declared major or pre-major are not permitted to count FCNS courses toward fulfilling general education requirements or to declare a minor in the School of Family, Consumer, and Nutrition Sciences.