Welcome from the Department Chair

The Department of Early and Elementary Education offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education, as well as a double major in Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Programs are accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Faculty advisors will work with you to develop a plan that meets your needs and that prepares you to become eligible for a teaching certificate. As a prospective teacher, it is the responsibility of the student to comply with all prerequisite requirements and to make sure that all selected course work complies with university and teacher certification requirements. Teacher candidates are encouraged to complete a minor in a content area appropriate to their major, such as Art, Biology, Chemistry, Creative Arts, Dance, Earth Science, English, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Geography, Health, History, Math, Middle School Science Education, Music, Social Studies, Social Justice Studies, Spanish and Theatre. All of these recommended minors represent content that can be taught in a variety of school settings. Candidates are encouraged to check the minor requirements.

Many learning opportunities are available to teacher candidates. Some of these include membership in the Living Learning Community, Education Club, and Kappa Delta Pi; organizations for education majors. The Riall Lecture Series invites nationally known researchers to speak on current educational topics each semester. Also, we offer numerous scholarship opportunities for teacher candidates.

You will find that faculty in the Department of Early and Elementary Education are a creative, enthusiastic, and talented group of educators. They are engaged in local Professional Development Schools, working closely with prospective candidates and interns. Several faculty members sponsor international courses that include locations such as New Zealand, Australia and Italy. Faculty have also created collaborative programs that provide international sites for student interns, such as New Zealand. The integration of new technologies for teaching, including the use of mobile devices, interactive boards, and Web-based learning, is a department priority among faculty. We invite you to explore these exciting opportunities as you prepare to teach in the 21st century!

Chair: Dr. Chin-Hsiu Chen