University General Course Catalog 2025-2026 (DRAFT) 
    
    Dec 23, 2024  
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University General Course Catalog 2025-2026 (DRAFT)

Early Childhood Education, B.S.

The Early Childhood Education (ECE) undergraduate degree program at the University of Nevada, Reno is administered by the Department of Human Development, Family Science, and Counseling and leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. Graduates are eligible to apply for a Nevada Department of Education Early Childhood Teaching License (birth‐2nd grade).

The ECE program is committed to preparing teachers to provide a developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate education for young children, birth to age 8. ECE students will gain an appreciation for and rich understanding of child development and the importance of working reciprocally with families in programs for young children. ECE program faculty are firmly dedicated to the belief in every child’s potential, and in preparing teachers to recognize and promote this potential.

The program is designed to develop in students the professional standards and competencies described in the National Association for the Education of Young Children (2019) position statement, Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators. The themes of the standards are:

  1. Child development and learning in context
  2. Family-teacher partnerships and community connections
  3. Child observation, documentation, and assessment
  4. Developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate teaching practices
  5. Knowledge, application, and integration of academic content in the early childhood curriculum
  6. Professionalism as an early childhood educator

Through intentional, hands-on learning experiences in program coursework, students will build their capacity as effective early childhood educators.

ECE students are strongly encouraged to choose elective courses that bolster their knowledge of diversity, equity, and justice or to declare one of the Gender, Race, and Identity (GRI) minors. 

Program Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • understand child development and learning from birth through age 8 in the contexts of family, culture, and society, and use this knowledge to make evidence-based decisions that support each child.
  • demonstrate knowledge of and value the diversity of families and use this knowledge to build partnerships between families, early childhood education settings, and the community.
  • demonstrate knowledge of and use relevant research and assessment tools to gather data, answer questions, inform instructional planning, and implement assessment practices that are ethically grounded. (QR)
  • describe and demonstrate developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate teaching practices in early childhood education.
  • understand the central concepts of academic content areas, including how young children learn in each content area, and apply an integrated understanding of this knowledge in early childhood settings. (CT)
  • demonstrate professionalism as an early childhood educator and professional oral and written communication on early childhood topics. (C)

Contact Information

The College of Education & Human Development’s Student Success Center (WRB 4002) provides advisement for the ECE major. Most ECE major courses are taken in the Department of Human Development, Family Science, and Counseling. Our student-centered faculty look forward to engaging with you.

Student Success Center

Phone: 775-784-4298

Website: https://www.unr.edu/education/advisement

Program Faculty 

Website: https://www.unr.edu/education/faculty-and-staff/human-development-and-family-science

Graduation Requirements

  • Total Units: 120
  • Cumulative GPA: 2.0
  • Residency Requirement: 30 Upper-Division Units at University of Nevada, Reno
  • Upper Division Requirement: 40 Upper-Division Units

 

Key Assessments

All ECE Majors will complete a series of Key Assessments throughout the program as part of their coursework. These Key Assessments, alongside other learning opportunities in coursework, are designed to display students’ readiness for the field of Early Childhood Education. The Key Assessments are aligned to the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators. 

Additional Testing Requirements for Licensure

All ECE majors are prepared with the coursework necessary to pursue an Early Childhood Education Teaching License with the Nevada Department of Education. Majors intending to apply for ECE teacher licensure after graduation must meet additional testing requirements, as listed below.

  • Passing scores on the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Exam (or equivalent) 
  • Passing scores on the Early Childhood Education (5025) Exam 
  • Passing scores on the Education of Young Children (5024) Exam

The Praxis Core Exam (or equivalent) may be taken at any time during the program. It is a test of basic reading, writing, and mathematics. The subject exams (5025 and 5024) should be taken after completion of the ECE Advanced Coursework. 

I. Core General Education Requirements (24-27 units)

NOTE: Refer to the Core Curriculum  chapter of this catalog for information regarding the “Core English and Math Completion Policy .”

Students must meet all Core Objectives (CO1 through CO14). Courses satisfying Core Objectives are designated (e.g., CO9) in General Catalog curricula and course descriptions.

A. Composition & Communication; Critical Analysis & Use of Information (3-6 units) - CO1, CO3

B. Quantitative Reasoning (3 units minimum) - CO2

Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO2  courses; MATH 120  is the minimum requirement.

C. Physical & Natural Phenomena (6 units minimum) - CO4, CO4L

Refer to the Core Curriculum  chapter for a list of approved CO4  and CO4L  courses. The program recommends the following two CO4L  courses.

D. Cultures, Societies, & Individuals (3 units) - CO6

E. Artistic Composition, Interpretation, & Expression (3 units) - CO7

Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO7 courses . Choose any from the approved list.

F. History & Culture; Constitution (6 units) - CO5, CO8

II. ECE Foundations (21 units)

Foundational courses provide students with the background needed to be successful in upper division coursework. Several of these courses are prerequisites for later requirements.

III. Advanced Program Requirements (54 units)

IV. Required Program Electives (18-21 units)

ECE majors are strongly encouraged to take 18-21 units in Gender, Race, and Identity (GRI) or related diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice coursework or to declare a dual major or minor offered by GRI for their required program electives. Majors may also choose to add coursework or a minor in Developmental Disabilities or Human Development and Family Science for their required program electives. A list of optional courses to meet the Required Program Electives requirement appears below. Alternate coursework may be substituted for students transfering from another institution of higher education. 

Please note: The variability in units required (18-21) exists to account for students who place directly into ENG 102 and thus need 21 units to meet the total units required for the degree.

V. Recommended Schedule

Full-time majors starting at the University of Nevada, Reno should plan to take an average of 15 units per semester to graduate with this degree in 4 years. Required Program Electives are integrated into the recommended schedule, noted as RPE.

A. First Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

B. Second Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

C. Third Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

D. Fourth Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

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