General Academic Information
Academic Policies
It is the responsibility of each student to know and follow all academic policies established by UCCS and the College of Education that are set forth in this catalog.
Course Prerequisites
Students are responsible for knowing and completing all course prerequisites. Course prerequisites are strictly enforced for all classes at UCCS.
Email Accounts
All students are assigned an official UCCS email address. Email is the official means of communication for UCCS, so it is imperative that students check their email accounts regularly.
Advising
Education students in good standing are not required to meet with their academic advisor before registering for courses in any semester, but it is recommended. Academic advising assists students in selecting their classes so that they can progress effectively through their degree program. To make an appointment with a College of Education faculty advisor, please contact the COE Student Resource Office, University Hall Room 324, 719-255-4996 or education@uccs.edu.
Probation/Suspension
Students in the College of Education who have attempted at least 12 or more credit hours at any CU campus will be placed on academic probation in the College of Education for the following semester if their cumulative CU Grade Point Average (GPA) falls below a 2.0. The cumulative CU GPA includes all courses taken at any CU campus. Students may remain on academic probation for a maximum of 3 semesters as long as they maintain a minimum semester GPA of 2.5 during that time to demonstrate academic improvement.
Students on academic probation may continue to take a normal course load but should plan their schedules carefully and are strongly advised to meet with their Academic and Faculty Advisors regularly. While on academic probation, students will have a registration hold placed on their student account and they will not be able to register for the next semester (excluding summer) until their current semester grades have been posted and academic improvement can be verified. Once a cumulative CU GPA of 2.0 or higher can be verified, students will be removed from academic probation.
If, after being placed on academic probation, the student’s semester GPA continues to fall below the required 2.5 or their cumulative GPA is still below 2.0 after 3 semesters, then the student will be suspended from the College of Education. Students who have been suspended from the College of Education are not automatically suspended from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. Suspended students may apply to transfer to another college within the university and, if approved, take courses in the new major.
Students who have been suspended may apply for re-admission to the College of Education once they have raised their cumulative CU GPA to 2.0. Suspended students must apply to have their suspension removed (after meeting the above requirement) with their Academic and Faculty Advisors. In addition, students may be required to reapply to the University. Students who are in doubt of their academic standing with regard to scholastic deficiency are strongly urged to consult with the College of Education Academic and Faculty Advisors.
Course Load
A full-time course load is 12 credit hours in a semester. The maximum course load is 18 credit hours in a semester. If a student wishes to take more than 18 credit hours in a given semester, special permission must be obtained through the Academic Advising Center. Students who expect to work while enrolled in university courses should register for course loads that they can complete without unusual difficulty. Recommended course loads based on work hours are listed below.
Employed Hours |
Enrolled Credit Hours |
40 hours per week |
6-9 credit hours |
30 hours per week |
8-11 credit hours |
20 hours per week |
10-13 credit hours |
Degree Requirements
- A minimum of 120 hours must be completed with a cumulative CU grade point average of 2.5; at least 45 of these hours must be at the upper-division level (courses numbered 3000-4999).
- A minimum GPA of 2.75 or higher must be maintained in upper-division level College of Education courses to be awarded the BI in Inclusive Early Childhood Education.
- A cumulative CU GPA of 2.50 or above must be maintained in the upper-division level to remain in good academic standing in the program.
- Students must complete all Block 1, Block 2, and Student Teaching or IECE Professional Internship courses as a student in the College of Education.
- Students pursuing Teacher Licensure must complete student teaching.
- Students pursuing the Non-licensure option must complete IECE Professional Internship.
- Courses numbered below 1000 do not count towards degree completion.
- Additional course options may be available for the Humanities and Natural Science requirements. Contact your faculty or academic advisor for more details.
Application and Admissions Requirements
Please visit our website for admissions information.
Course Requirements
The IECE program requires a minimum of 60 credit hours of College of Education coursework.
All upper-division (3000+ level) IECE courses must have a grade of “B-” or better.
All other courses must have a grade of “C-” or better.
Post Bac Licensure - Inclusive Early Childhood Education
The post baccalaureate licensure program is designed for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree, but would like to earn their teaching license in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and endorsement in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE).
Students wishing to earn teaching licensure in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education can take the licensure portion post baccalaureate. The student would earn the licenses offered, but no degree would be awarded.
Licensure Coursework
Initial Coursework (14 Credit Hours)
Block 1 - Offered in Spring (12 credit hours)
Block 2 - Offered in Fall (15 credit hours)
Student Teaching - Offered in Spring (12 credit hours)
**Students who are seeking endorsement in ECE and ECSE are required to take student teaching. Students who already hold a valid Colorado teaching license and are looking to earn an added endorsement in ECE only are NOT required to complete student teaching. Students seeking an endorsement in ECSE are required to complete student teaching, regardless of prior, similar coursework.
Additional Information on Licensure
The Inclusive Early Childhood Education Licensure Program is a dual licensure program. Students who successfully complete the post baccalaureate program will be recommended for an initial teaching license in Early Childhood Education (CDE License 4.01) and an added endorsement in Early Childhood Special Education (CDE License 5.09).
Upon completion of the program students should apply for the following:
- Initial teaching license in Early Childhood Education (CDE License 8.01)
- Added endorsement in Early Childhood Special Education (CDE License 9.08)
Students completing the post baccalaureate program as an added endorsement should apply for both Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education as added endorsements.
Exam Requirements
In order to receive an initial license or added endorsement students will need to complete the following exams:
- PRAXIS Elementary Content Knowledge 5001 (strongly recommended, not required)
- Taken prior to degree program admission
- PRAXIS Early Childhood Education
- Prior to Student Teaching
- PRAXIS Early Childhood Special Education
- Prior to Student Teaching
For more information, students should visit: https://www.ets.org/praxis/
Students should take the exams during the semester before student teaching.