Study Early Childhood Education in Indiana

Getting an education in early childhood education not only sets you up for success in your job but also allows you to set children up for success throughout their academic careers. Your work as an early childhood educator lays the foundation for children to have the knowledge, skills, and aptitudes to learn and grow from preschool through the twelfth grade.

It’s an important job, to be sure. And it’s a job that requires you to complete the proper studies – which you can do at any number of colleges and universities throughout Indiana.

The question is, which schools offer the best early childhood education programs? This guide seeks to answer that question with some of the popular choices to consider.

Early Childhood Education Programs in Indiana

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

  • Ivy Tech Community College
  • Indiana University
  • University of Indianapolis
  • Ball State University
  • Indiana Wesleyan University
  • Capella University
  • Walden University

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

Ivy Tech Community College

Ivy Tech Community College had humble beginnings as a two-year school when it was founded in 1963. As the decades passed, the school greatly expanded its footprint, and today is the largest singly accredited community college in the nation with more than 177,000 students.

Ivy Tech is able to serve so many students because it’s expanded well beyond its original campus to include learning centers in 43 Indiana communities. The school also has a large online campus.

As a student at Ivy Tech, you can choose from more than 75 academic programs. No matter what course of study you choose, you will learn from dedicated and experienced faculty in a small class environment – the average class size is just 22 students.

Additionally, you can begin your college education while saving money. Roughly 73 percent of Ivy Tech students receive financial aid.

Early Childhood Education Program Information

The Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education from Ivy Tech is a two-year, 60-credit program that provides foundational education in this field. Once you complete the program, you can work in support roles in early childhood education settings or pursue a bachelor’s degree at a four-year university. Ivy Tech students benefit from guaranteed admission at four Indiana schools, including Ball State, Purdue, Southern Indiana, and Purdue University Fort Wayne.

This degree’s curriculum includes 33 general education courses required of all degree-seeking students (e.g., math, science, history) and 26 credits specific to the early childhood education major. These courses include:

  • Child Growth and Development
  • Emerging Literacy
  • Early Childhood Administration
  • Introduction to Early Childhood Education
  • Curriculum in the Early Childhood Classroom

This program also offers the option to complete a technical certificate. This certificate prepares you to qualify for entry-level careers in education, which can provide valuable experience as you continue your studies.

Applications for admission are accepted year-round. You can apply online in about 10-15 minutes. To apply as a first-year student, you need to provide high school transcripts and SAT, ACT, or PSAT scores.

Indiana University

Indiana University is perhaps the best-known university in the state. It’s one of the oldest, too, having been founded in 1825. The school’s first class included just ten men, but in 1867, the school admitted female students, and in 1895, IU graduated its first African-American student. The university’s commitment to diversity has led to significant growth, and today, IU has more than 71,000 students, more than a quarter of which are multiracial.

IU offers nearly 1,000 academic programs in its system of campuses and more than 20,000 courses each semester. As a student at IU, you can experience a high level of academics with challenging courses, knowledgeable faculty, and more than 200 research centers, institutes, and museums. The school offers over a billion dollars in financial aid each year, which allows you and other students to get an education for a lower cost.

Early Childhood Education Program Information

IU’s Bachelor of Science in Education focuses on Early Childhood Education principles needed to prepare you to teach children from birth to third grade or work in an administrative capacity in an early childhood setting.

In either case, you will learn about child development and gain the skills needed to support children and their families to facilitate social, emotional, and academic growth. The program does so with a complex array of coursework, including:

  • Introduction to Educational Thought
  • Foundations of Early Childhood Education
  • Comprehensive Classroom Management
  • Mathematics in the Elementary School
  • Teaching Exceptional Learners in Elementary School

A semester-long student teaching experience is also required. This experience occurs during the final semester of the program and serves as a vehicle for connecting your classroom learning with competent, professional practice.

You must be an IU student to apply to this program. You must also be certified by the School of Education. You can do so by having an overall GPA at IU of 2.5 or higher with at least 30 credits completed. You must also complete the Communication for Youth-Serving Professionals course with a grade of C or higher. To gain admission to IU as a first-year student, you must have a high school diploma or its equivalent.

University of Indianapolis

The University of Indianapolis is a small school with less than 6,000 students. This small school environment starkly contrasts other schools on this list, which boast many times the number of students. As a small school, the University of Indianapolis boasts small class sizes that average just 17 students. This being the case, you’re more likely to get individualized attention from your professors, which can help you succeed more in your coursework.

Though the University of Indianapolis is small, it still offers more than 100 undergraduate degrees and more than 40 graduate programs. The school even has a handful of doctoral programs available should you wish to get a terminal degree. Given this variety, you can find the degree or program that best suits your professional goals.

Early Childhood Education Program Information

The Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from the University of Indianapolis is unique in a couple of ways. First, the program focuses on developing globally responsive educators who can meet the needs of a diverse range of students. Second, the degree includes a special education minor that helps you prepare to work with special needs students.

Another interesting feature of this program is that it revolves around play-based learning. You will learn how to use a child’s natural desire for play as a vehicle for teaching and learning. This play-based approach can be used for all sorts of learning activities, from academics like math and science to social and emotional growth as well.

During the four-year program, you will take courses like:

  • Psychology of Learning – Child Development
  • Universal Design for Learning: STEM
  • Learners, Motivation & Family Collaboration
  • Play and Emergent Multicultural Literacy
  • Inclusion and Co-teaching

The final semester of the program is dedicated to student teaching. You will take a two-credit student teaching seminar course and complete two student teaching experiences – one in a multicultural classroom and another in a multicultural, inclusive classroom with special needs students.

If this program interests you, you can apply online. As a first-year student, you must supply official high school transcripts to the university along with supporting evidence you believe demonstrates your academic value to the institution. This might include letters of reference, a personal statement, or a graded writing sample, to name a few.

Ball State University

Ball State University was founded in 1918 in Muncie, Indiana, and has grown into a respected institution considered one of the best schools in the Midwest. Moreover, the university consistently ranks among the top schools for first-year experience. This is partly due to the robust selection of student organizations on campus – more than 350, to be exact! 

But the student experience isn’t the only benefit of studying at Ball State. It’s an affordable school where four out of five new freshman students receive a scholarship or grant for their studies – neither of which has to be repaid. The university offers small class sizes (22 students, on average) and a student-to-faculty ratio of just 14:1. Nearly 90 percent of courses are taught by faculty, too, ensuring you learn from the most experienced teachers in your field of study.

Early Childhood Education Program Information

Ball State’s Early Childhood Education program culminates in either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education. Both options require 120 credits to graduate. Both options likewise provide preparation for licensure as an early childhood educator in Indiana.

You will learn from expert faculty with at least three years of experience working with early childhood students. Likewise, you will have the opportunity to engage in community-based learning, which will help you develop into a culturally responsive teacher committed to inclusion in the classroom.

Some of the courses you will take include:

  • Planning for the Elementary and Early Childhood Classroom
  • Learning and Assessment in Elementary Education
  • Early and Elementary Education for Social Justice
  • Teaching Students with Disabilities in the General Education Classroom
  • Administration of Early Childhood Programs

You will also take courses in math, science, social studies, and other core and elective areas to prepare you for providing your students with a diverse and cohesive curriculum. You will practice teaching these and other subjects in local education centers or schools where you can choose to concentrate in pre-K, kindergarten, or primary grades.

Ball State has a selective admissions process that looks for prospective students with an exceptional academic track record. To apply as a first-year student, you must meet the following requirements:

  • An Indiana Academic Honors Diploma (or the equivalent from another state) is highly recommended, though a Core 40 Diploma from an Indiana high school (or its equivalent from out-of-state) is acceptable
  • Completion of the following courses in high school:
    • Four years of English
    • Three years of math
    • Three years of science, including two lab sciences
    • Three years of social studies
    • Study of a world language is strongly recommended

Other admission considerations might include an essay, a portfolio, or an audition. Admitted students also have an average high school GPA of 3.5.

Early Childhood Education Work Opportunities in Indiana

Indiana has a vast network of public and private early childhood education centers and schools where you can find employment upon your graduation. If you complete an associate’s degree program, you will likely qualify for entry-level positions, such as a preschool teacher, a classroom aide, or a childcare worker.

With a bachelor’s degree, you might qualify for a licensed teaching position in a pre-K through third-grade setting. For example, you might teach at a suburban elementary school or an urban after-school program, or you might work in a private parochial school teaching a mix of early childhood grades.

Other work opportunities in Indiana might include working in an administrative role, for which you will need a graduate or doctoral degree. Administrative roles might include being a principal of an elementary school, a curriculum specialist for a public school district, or the headmaster of a private preschool.

These are just a few examples of the careers you can pursue with an early education degree in Indiana. No matter your specific role, you will provide critical services to children that set them up for success now and later in life.

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