Early Childhood Education in North Carolina
North Carolina has abundant opportunities to get a higher education. From two-year colleges to four-year doctoral universities, you can choose from dozens upon dozens of schools to complete your degree.
The range of schools is even more diverse than that. You can study at a public university or a private college. There are very large schools and very small schools, too. Some of North Carolina’s colleges and universities date to the 1700s, while others were founded in the late 1900s.
Not all schools in North Carolina offer an early childhood education program, but many do – far too many to list here. So, we have identified excellent options for enhancing your education.
Early Childhood Education Programs in North Carolina
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering early childhood education programs in North Carolina:
- North Carolina Central University
- University of North Carolina at Wilmington
- North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Grand Canyon University
- Capella University
- Elon University
- University of Arizona Global Campus
To find out how we select colleges and universities, please click here.
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University might not have the name recognition of some of the other schools on this list. However, you can reap many benefits from studying at this school. With a student body of around 8,000 students, you can enjoy a small school environment and have varied extracurricular experiences. The school offers dozens of clubs and organizations, including team sports, honor societies, and special interest groups.
Despite being a smaller school, NCCU offers many degree programs. If you are an undergraduate, nearly three dozen degrees and just about as many graduate degrees are available. There are also various certificate programs if you wish to expand your skills without getting a degree.
Early Childhood Education Program Information
NCCU’s Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education is a four-year, 120-credit online program that focuses specifically on working with children from birth through kindergarten. This is an excellent option if you are a first-time student and want to work with young kids. It’s also a great avenue for acquiring new skills if you already have a bachelor’s degree and experience teaching other age groups.
The program prepares you to work with children in traditional and special settings. For example, you will explore themes related to at-risk youth, children with disabilities, and children diagnosed with medical or psychological disorders. There is also an inclusionary component to the curriculum – you will learn how to plan lessons and activities that are accepting of all children and without bias.
Other topics of study might include:
- Instructional design
- Classroom management
- Child development
- Educational assessments
- Teaching methods for pre-k classrooms
You can apply for this program provided you have a 2.0 GPA or higher as a first-time student or a 2.7 GPA or higher if this is your second degree. You must also submit the following:
- Official transcripts from your high school (or a GED diploma)
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities you’ve attended
- Praxis Core for Educators Exam Score
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
The University of North Carolina at Wilmington is just one of seventeen universities in the University of North Carolina system. The school boasts a student body with 18,000 students, so it’s a large enough university to give you a “big school” experience while offering you smaller class sizes and a lower student-to-teacher ratio than many other schools.
Additionally, UNC Wilmington’s membership in the University of North Carolina System means that you can easily transfer credits to or from member universities. So, if you want to begin your education at Wilmington and continue it in Chapel Hill, you can easily do so.
Of course, Wilmington is an exciting place to live and study, with a gorgeous campus, many student activities, and a variety of recreational opportunities just minutes away from campus.
Early Childhood Education Program Information
UNC Wilmington’s Bachelor of Arts in the Education of Young Children prepares you to teach children in pre-K and kindergarten settings. This in-person program requires the completion of 120 credits and takes about four years to complete if you study full-time.
The curriculum is broken down into several required types of courses. You will take university studies classes like history, science, and math, as well as interdisciplinary coursework, like:
- Child Observation and Assessment
- Psychology of Infancy and Early Childhood
- Introduction to Early Childhood Education
- Administration of Preschool Programs
- Infant and Toddler Program Models
Additionally, you must take enough electives to reach the 120-credit requirement to graduate. A professional semester during which you student teach is also required.
Though this degree is good preparation for becoming a teacher, it’s also a good option if you want to work in education administration, education consultation, or use it as a springboard for advanced studies in a graduate program.
The eligibility requirements for the program are as follows:
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher
- Completion of two English courses, one math course, one science course with a lab, and one education course with at least a C- in each class
- Passing scores on the Praxis or an exemption from the exam, if applicable
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
North Carolina A&T was founded in Greensboro in 1891. The purpose of the school was to teach agricultural and mechanical arts to African American students. Over the years, the school has expanded its educational offerings to include undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in many fields.
North Carolina A&T is a moderately-sized school with more than 13,000 students in attendance. Not all students attend classes in person in Greensboro, though. North Carolina A&T’s robust online learning platform allows you to take individual courses online. You can also complete entire degree programs online if you wish.
Early Childhood Education Program Information
North Carolina A&T offers several early childhood-related programs, including a Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Family Studies. More specifically, this degree specializes in family relations.
Your studies in this program prepare you to pursue certification as a North Carolina state-certified child care provider. You can also pursue child care administration posts upon your graduation. There is the option to get the Certified Family Life Educator certification as well. That certification comes from the National Council on Family Relations, not North Carolina A&T.
This program features a curriculum with many interesting early childhood education courses, including:
- Child Development: Prenatal-Middle Childhood
- Assessment and Evaluation of Young Children
- Introduction to Exceptional Children
- Contemporary Nutrition
- Development of Speech and Language in Childhood
Furthermore, you must complete six to nine credits of a Community of Practice Internship-Capstone during the final semester of the program. This experience allows you to work directly with children in a supervised student-teaching experience in an early childhood education setting.
You can apply to North Carolina A&T online. You must have a 2.5 cumulative GPA or higher to gain admission to the program. This is in addition to satisfying the requirements of admission to the university, which requires you to submit high school transcripts or a GED diploma as well as SAT or ACT scores.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is the flagship institution in the University of North Carolina System. Not only is UNC one of the premier universities in the state, but it’s also one of the most highly-regarded colleges in the entire nation. The school ranks 20th among universities in the United States and 29th among global universities. It’s also 41st among universities in the world for research.
In addition to being an excellent academic college, UNC is also a large university with more than 31,500 students. Unlike most universities which are disproportionately undergraduate students, UNC has a very large graduate student body. In fact, more than one-third of UNC students are pursuing a graduate degree.
With more than 100 graduate programs and 65 doctoral degrees available, there are plenty of choices for getting an advanced education.
Early Childhood Education Program Information
The Master of Education in Early Childhood Intervention and Family Support from UNC is unique in that it is designed specifically for practicing teachers who want to build additional skills. You can do so in just two years – this program only requires 33-36 credits to graduate.
Since the program is designed for practicing teachers, it offers a flexible curriculum that works around your schedule. For example, you can complete coursework on a part-time basis that includes online studies and on-campus courses. Alternatively, you can learn online and participate in synchronous meetings in the late afternoon after the typical school day is complete.
Examples of courses you will take include:
- Families and Teams – Sociocultural and Interdisciplinary Practices
- Infant/Toddler Curriculum and Learning Environments
- Biological Bases of Children’s Development
- Foundations of Special Education
- Early Childhood Teacher Leadership
Additionally, your studies will focus on skills that enable you to provide necessary services to high-needs children and their families.
The deadline to apply to this program for the start of the summer session is late March of each year. You will need the following to apply:
- A bachelor’s degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher
- Transcripts from all colleges and universities you’ve attended
- Three letters of recommendation
- A professional statement of purpose
- A resume or curriculum vitae
- Proof of a current teaching license
- TOEFL/IELTS scores if English is not your native language
Early Childhood Education Work Opportunities in North Carolina
Though it might seem at first that early childhood education is limited in the scope of possible jobs, this certainly is not the case. With an early childhood education degree, you can work with children that range in age from birth up to kindergarten, and in some cases, up to third grade.
In North Carolina, this means you can work in daycare centers, preschools, and early childhood education programs. You can also work in public or private schools in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms.
If you are ready to leave the classroom, you can do so with an advanced degree, like a master’s. In many school settings, a master’s degree might qualify you for an administrative position, provided you have the appropriate administrative certifications, too.
Teaching isn’t your only option if you are a first-year college student looking forward to your first job after graduation. You might work as a preschool teaching assistant, a childcare worker, or a caseworker for a government agency like the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
This is just a very short list of the potential careers you might consider, too. With the right education and training, you can perform highly specialized tasks in many different fields that enable young children to learn, grow, and thrive.