Inclusive Early Childhood Education, BA

About the Program

The Bachelor of Arts in Inclusive Early Childhood Education (IECE) program offered by UCCS is an excellent opportunity for aspiring educators who wish to specialize in inclusive early childhood education. Graduates qualify for Colorado Teacher License in Early Childhood Education (ages birth-8 years), Early Childhood Special Education (ages birth-8 years), as well as the Colorado Child Care Center Director Qualification. The BA in Inclusive Early Childhood Education degree program is available on campus or 100% online.

Best Accredited Colleges named the Inclusive Early Childhood Education undergraduate program at UCCS one of the best online IECE programs in the nation.

Focus of Study

The BA in Inclusive Early Childhood Education degree program educates the head, heart, and hands of future inclusive early childhood educators through a three-fold focus on essential foundational knowledge, relationship-driven dispositions, and evidence-based inclusive practices and tools.

The BA in IECE integrates content in:

An Initial Teaching License in Early Childhood Education (birth-8)
An Early Childhood Special Education (ages birth-8) Endorsement
Colorado Child Care Center Director Qualification
Culturally responsive practice
Strategies for inclusion
Trauma-sensitive care
Learning through play and developmentally appropriate practices

Effective distance education and supervision methods, including intensive field residencies, deeply engage students in a rich, meaningful curriculum and interactive learning experiences.

Program Requirements

A minimum of 120 credit hours must be completed with a cumulative CU grade point average of 2.5.
At least 45 credits must be completed at the upper-division level (courses numbered 3000+).
All upper-division (3000+) IECE courses must be completed with a minimum grade of B-.
Students must complete all 3000- and 4000-level IECE courses and field placement courses as a student at UCCS.
Courses numbered below 1000 do not count towards degree completion.

Program Coursework

	Courses
IECE Core Courses 76 Credit Hours	IECE 1000 Introduction to Inclusive Early Childhood Education IECE 1010 Inclusive Child Development Birth-8 IECE 1020 Learning Through Play IECE 1500 Diversity and Anti-Bias Practice in IECE IECE 2000 Collaborative Partnerships in Inclusive Early Childhood Education IECE 2100 Social Emotional Learning and Trauma Sensitive Practice IECE 2200 Designing Inclusive Child-Centered Curriculum IECE 2500 Relationships, Positive Guidance, and Behavior Supports in IECE IECE 3000 Observation and Assessment for Inclusive Early Childhood Education IECE 3010 Early Language Arts and Communication Disorders (Birth-4) IECE 3020 Practicum 1: Birth-4 IECE 3025 Practicum 1 Seminar IECE 3500 Young Dual Language Learners and Family Literacy IECE 3600 Culturally Responsive Leadership and Practices in IECE IECE 4000 Math and Numeracy in the Early Childhood Inclusive Classroom IECE 4010 Literacy Development, Instruction, and Interventions K-Grade 3 IECE 4020 Creating Classroom Communities: Social & Behavioral Supports for Young Children IECE 4030 Practicum 2: K-3rd Grade IECE 4035 Practicum 2 Seminar IECE 4500 Universal Design for Learning and Individualized Supports in IECE IECE 4600 Practicum 3: Differentiating Instruction for Young Children IECE 4800 Inclusive Early Childhood Student Teaching IECE 4801 IECE Capstone Professional Portfolio
Education Courses 19 Credit Hours	COUN 4500 Wellness, Resilience and Emotional Intelligence EDUC 2200 Children’s Literature EDUC 2400 Arts Integration for Educators EDUC 2600 Integrated Science I EDUC 2650 Integrated Science II EDUC 3991 Introduction to Professional Year - Inclusive Early Childhood IELM 3250 Teaching Students with Complex Support Needs
General Education Courses 25 Credit Hours	GES 1980 World Regional Geography GPS 1010 Gateway Program Seminar ENGL 1310 Rhetoric and Writing I ENGL 1410 Rhetoric and Writing II: Argument and Research MATH 3010 Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I MATH 3020 Mathematics for Elementary Teachers II PORT 3000 Writing Portfolio Assessment PSY 1000 General Psychology U.S. History (choose one): EDUC 2500 Integrated Social Studies I OR HIST 1510 U.S.: Birth of a Nation, 1607-1789 OR HIST 1520 U.S.: Expansion and Division, 1789-1877

Partnership with TEACH Colorado

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Professional Exam Requirements

Undergraduate-level IECE teacher candidates are required to take the following Praxis exams or submit for the corresponding Multiple Measures of Content Competency (MMCC) by May 1 prior to their Professional Year. (Please see the CDE website for more information)

5024: Education of Young Children

5692: Special Education: Preschool/Early Childhood

Candidates who have not passed these Praxis exams or secured approval for MMCC by August 1 of their Professional Year will have a formal conference with their Faculty Director and document a plan to meet content competency requirements.

Undergraduate-level IECE teacher candidates are also required to take the following Praxis exam by August 1 of their Professional Year. Note: MMCC are not accepted for reading.

5205: Teaching Reading: Elementary

Candidates who have not passed Praxis 5205 by January 1 of their Professional Year will have a formal conference with their Faculty Director and document a plan to meet content competency requirements.