Study Early Childhood Education in Arizona

Though it’s easy to think of Arizona as a bastion for retired people, it’s actually a diverse state in terms of its demographics. In fact, Arizona has a very large network of public schools with nearly 1.15 million students. 

Aside from the sheer number of students in the state, there are also many different education agencies. There are more than 200 public school districts in Arizona as well as 14 career and technical districts. Likewise, the state operates an Early Childhood Education Unit in the State Department of Education to ensure all children in the state get the quality start in education they need.

Of course, the early childhood education schools in Arizona need highly-qualified teachers and support staff. If your career dreams are in this field, consider enrolling in one of the popular early childhood education programs listed below!

Early Childhood Education Programs in Arizona

Listed below are some of the popular schools offering early childhood education programs in Arizona:

  • Maricopa Community Colleges
  • University of Arizona
  • Arizona State University
  • Northern Arizona University
  • Capella University
  • Walden University

To find out how we select colleges and universities, please click here.

Maricopa Community Colleges

Maricopa Community Colleges is a large system of two-year institutions that serves nearly 95,000 students. The system has ten colleges throughout Maricopa County that offer in-person and online courses and programs. In addition to a large selection of associate’s degrees, Maricopa also offers a handful of bachelor’s degree programs.

One of the advantages of beginning your college education at Maricopa Community Colleges is that you’ll save money. Tuition, fees, and other expenses are less at Maricopa than at four-year institutions in the area.

Another benefit is that Maricopa offers a seamless transition to Arizona’s network of four-year schools. Your credits from Maricopa will transfer to partner universities, which allows you to hit the ground running to complete your degree. 

Early Childhood Education Program Information

The Certificate of Completion in Early Childhood Education from Maricopa Community Colleges readies you for employment in an early childhood education setting. With just 36 credits required, you can complete this certificate in two to three semesters (though you can opt to pursue an Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education if you want to further your education.

During your time in this program, you will learn critical skills that enable you to be an effective early childhood worker. You will learn about educational theory, gain classroom management skills, and develop an understanding of child development. 

Additionally, you might take classes such as:

  • Early Childhood Curriculum Development
  • Science For The Young Child
  • Language and Literacy in the Context of Culture and Relationships
  • Introduction to the Exceptional Learner
  • Early Learning: Health, Safety, Nutrition and Fitness

Another aspect of this program is experiential learning in a real-world early childhood education environment. You have the option of participating in an early childhood teaching internship in an infant/toddler, preschool, or elementary school setting.

You can apply to Maricopa Community Colleges online year-round. To apply as a traditional student, you must meet at least one of the following:

  • Be a high school graduate
  • Have a GED
  • Be 18 years of age or older
  • Be a transfer student from another institution

University of Arizona

Studying at a large school like the University of Arizona has its perks. On the one hand, you have a greater selection of courses and programs to choose from than smaller schools offer. On the other hand, there are also more clubs, organizations, and student activities to explore on campus. Either way, the University of Arizona provides a robust, diverse environment in which you can learn alongside nearly 47,000 other students!

Yet, despite being a very large school, UA has a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The combination of small class sizes and faculty with the highest levels of expertise ensures you get a high-quality education. You will learn in a diverse environment, too – nearly half of the university’s students identify as a minority.

Early Childhood Education Program Information

The Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Arizona offers a strong curriculum in early childhood education. The curriculum prepares you to teach children from birth through the third grade, giving you flexibility regarding the teaching positions you can apply for after graduation.

This is a cohort-based program, so you will progress through the curriculum with the same classmates from start to finish. The curriculum includes various essential courses in early childhood education, including:

  • Language Arts and Literacy Practices for the Young Child
  • Technology for Young Children
  • Teaching Mathematics
  • Reflective Professionalism and Leadership in ECE
  • Special Education

In addition to classroom work, you must participate in practicum and student teaching experiences to further develop your knowledge and skills. Practicum experiences usually involve more observation of practicing teachers, while the student teaching experience involves taking over teaching duties in an early childhood education environment.

You must meet the following requirements to enroll as a first-year student:

  • A GED or high school diploma that shows:
    • 4 years of English
    • 4 years of math
    • 3 years of lab science
    • 2 years of social sciences, including one year of American history)
    • 2 years of the same second language
    • 1 year of fine arts or career and technical education

If you rank in the top 25 percent of your graduating class or you have a 3.0 unweighted GPA in high school, you will qualify for admission to the university.

Arizona State University

Arizona State University is the largest university in the state with approximately 142,000 students between its physical and online campuses. This figure makes ASU one of the largest universities in the nation, too! The vast majority of ASU students are undergraduates – about 112,000 – versus around 30,000 graduate and professional students.

A school of this size offers amenities like more than 400 undergraduate degree options and more than 550 graduate degree and certificate options. ASU ranks in the top 10 in the nation for online undergraduate programs and has nearly 90 degrees that rank in the top 25 in the nation. So, not only do you have a lot of choices regarding your degree, but you can also select from some of the best programs in the country!

Early Childhood Education Program Information

ASU’s Bachelor of Arts in Education in Educational Studies focuses on early childhood studies. Though it’s a typical 120-credit program that takes about four years to complete, it’s offered online to give you modern flexibility for finishing your studies.

In all, you need to finish 40 courses to graduate with this degree. Each course is accelerated, meaning it takes about 7.5 weeks to complete each class. Coursework explores early childhood education, child development, and care. More specifically, you’ll take the following classes:

  • Cognition and General Knowledge: Science, Math, Logic and Reasoning
  • Classroom Organization and Child Guidance
  • Supporting Dual Language Learners
  • Systems, Policy, and Advocacy in Early Childhood and Special Education
  • Inequality and Diversity in Education

Even though this is an online degree, you must complete in-person learning opportunities in educational settings. ASU allows you to do so at a school or learning center of your choice. Note that this is not a student teaching experience – this degree does not include this requirement and does not lead to a teaching certification.

Instead, you can use your studies in this program to start a career in child care, as a teaching assistant, or a preschool teacher, to name a few.

You can apply to ASU online. Note that you will need about 30 minutes to do so. You must meet the following requirements to be admitted:

  • A GED or high school diploma that shows:
    • 4 years of English
    • 4 years of math
    • 3 years of lab science
    • 2 years of social sciences, including one year of American history)
    • 2 years of the same second language
    • 1 year of fine arts or career and technical education
  • Be in the top quarter of your high school graduating class or have a 3.0 GPA or higher in competency courses
  • Have an ACT score of 22 (Arizona residents ) or 24 (non-residents) or higher or an SAT reasoning score of 1120 (Arizona residents) or 1180 (non-residents)

Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University isn’t as large as the University of Arizona or Arizona State. However, NAU still boasts more than 28,000 students, making it a sizable school. As such, NAU has the resources to offer a wide range of courses and degree programs. There are more than 180 bachelor’s degrees, over 90 graduate programs, and more than 150 undergraduate and graduate programs available online.

Unlike the desert locations of many Arizona universities, NAU is in Flagstaff in the northern part of the state. The cooler climate is a bonus if you don’t like the hotter temperatures so common elsewhere in Arizona. There are also abundant recreational opportunities near campus, including hiking, biking, and even skiing!

Early Childhood Education Program Information

The Master of Education in Early Childhood Education from Northern Arizona University offers four areas of emphasis so you can tailor your program to your specific needs. These options include:

  • Early Childhood Teacher
  • Early Childhood Leadership
  • Early Childhood Multiage
  • Early Childhood National Board Preparation

Regardless of the area you choose to focus on, you must complete at least 30 graduate credits to graduate. You must do so with a 3.0 GPA or higher as well and finish the program within six years of starting.

Some of the courses you will take include Development of Children’s Logical Concepts, International Education, and Educational Sociology. You will also take courses in selected topics in early childhood education that might focus on child development, language development, and teaching methods, to name a few.

This is an online degree (regardless of the focus area you choose). In some cases, you might be able to finish the degree in as little as one year. Part-time students usually need at least two years to complete all the requirements for graduation.

Before you start the program, you must first apply to NAU. Eligibility requirements are as follows:

  • Have an undergraduate degree from a regionally-accredited college or university
  • Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Submit a current teaching certificate (if you have one)
  • Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities you’ve attended
  • Provide an IVP fingerprint clearance card

Early Childhood Education Work Opportunities in Arizona

As noted in the introduction, Arizona has a very large public school system with over a million students. This creates a strong need for teachers and support staff at all grade levels, including pre-K through third grade.

The state is also growing. Arizona added about 750,000 residents during the last ten year, and the state continues this rapid growth. With more residents come more students, which should contribute to added work opportunities in the future. At present, there are well over 1,600 early childhood education-related jobs available on a single job search website!

The types of jobs available to you in early childhood education range from supportive roles, like a teaching assistant, to more hands-on roles like an early childhood teacher. Support roles usually only require an associate’s degree while teaching positions typically require you to have a bachelor’s degree and state certification.

You might also advance your career by getting a master’s or doctorate degree, which might qualify you for other early childhood education roles. For example, with a master’s degree, you might become an early childhood education curriculum specialist or a preschool administrator. 

There are jobs outside the classroom or school environment, too. With a doctorate and some classroom experience, you might be a good candidate for working in the state’s Department of Education. These jobs run the gamut from specializing in curriculum and instruction to overseeing policy development to advocacy. In each instance, you can greatly affect how children in Arizona learn and develop!

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