UHCL offers B.S. in Early Childhood Care and Education for Fall 2017

The University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) announces the addition of a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Care and Education in Fall 2017. Because of the need for high quality early-care professionals, this program will focus primarily on children from birth through age five. This new program is designed to give students the skills needed to influence children’s academic, social and cognitive skills in a variety of careers.

The B.S. in Early Childhood Care and Education is UHCL’s second degree that promotes the importance of a bachelor’s degree in early childhood care and education. In 2009, the university introduced its Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S) in Interdisciplinary Studies with a major in Early Childhood Education. This program was designed as a 2+2 program for students transferring from a community college seeking coursework toward a bachelor’s degree.

The B.S. in Early Childhood Care and Education will allow students to enroll in the program as freshmen.

“We didn’t have a four-year program, and as a way to begin to attract freshmen and sophomores, we developed this program to accommodate their needs,” said Mark Shermis, Dean of the College of Education. “Students coming in through our B.S. program will have more academic orientation on their courses, rather than a more technical orientation.”

Students will have the opportunity to explore all aspects of early childhood care and education. Course topics include: curriculum, assessment and instructional strategies, child development, infants and toddlers, nutrition, health and safety, family and community relations, diversity, special needs and inclusion, and advocacy and program leadership.

Unlike the B.A.S in Interdisciplinary Studies degree, students enrolled in the B.S. in Early Childhood and Education degree program will have the opportunity to earn a minor with 15 hours of approved university electives.

“Let’s say a student wants to work in licensing or early childhood intervention, they can do this degree, have the focus on birth through five in terms of childcare because that’s who they’ll be working with,” said Preeti Paresh Jain, assistant professor of early childhood education, who worked on the development process of the program. “Students can also earn a social work minor so they have that experience and that knowledge that would make them really well qualified for the kind of workforce that we need.”

This program includes multiple opportunities for firsthand classroom experience and is based on the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards, the Council for Exceptional Children Division of Early Childhood (CEC/DEC) standards, and the Texas Early Childhood Core Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals.

Although this program does not include a Texas Teacher Certification, it is designed to maximize individual engagement through interactive instruction.

Courses are designed so that students can master the necessary skills needed to become leaders in careers such as: consulting, assessing, coaching, mentoring, early childhood care, and education facility ownership.

For more information about the B.S. in Early Childhood Care and Education, contact The University of Houston-Clear Lake Office of Admissions at 281-283-2500, or visit www.uhcl.edu/admissions.