Early Childhood Education in Pennsylvania
Early childhood education is a career field with many possibilities. You can train to be a classroom teacher, a teaching assistant, or a preschool director. You can also work with varying ages of children from birth through the third grade.
On top of that, with the right credentials, you can work in public schools, private schools, or even provide your expertise to government agencies.
Of course, you need to get an education before you can begin your career. For that, Pennsylvania is an excellent choice. There are dozens of early childhood education programs offered at the state’s colleges and universities. And with varying levels of degree programs, you are sure to find a good fit for your needs.
Early Childhood Education Programs in Pennsylvania
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering early childhood education programs in Pennsylvania:
- Pennsylvania State University
- Wilkes University
- West Chester University
- Gwynedd Mercy University
- Walden University
- Purdue Global
To find out how we select colleges and universities, please click here.
Pennsylvania State University
Penn State is by far the largest university in the state. It’s also one of the largest universities in the nation, with more than 100,000 students at two dozen campuses. Penn State has a robust online campus as well, where you can take classes or complete entire degrees without ever having to step foot on a physical campus.
As a prospective student, you want the school you choose to have a solid reputation for academics. Penn State fits the bill with many different undergraduate and graduate degree programs that rank highly at the national level.
The university itself ranks highly, too – 31st in the U.S. among national public universities. With that kind of reputation, you can rest assured that your education will be top-notch.
Early Childhood Education Program Information
Penn State’s Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Early Childhood Education offers the flexibility of beginning the program at 20 of the university’s campuses. To finish, you must attend school at one of five campuses in the system.
This program is designed to prepare you to teach children in pre-K through fourth grade. Not only that, but you will receive training to teach all subjects at each of these grade levels. As part of your preparation, you’ll take courses focusing on the following:
- Teaching Methods in Mathematics and Science
- Teaching Methods in Language and Literacy
- Teaching Methods in Social Studies
- Child Development
- Curriculum and Instruction
You are also required to complete field experiences in pre-K through fourth-grade classrooms. These experiences begin with you observing an experienced teacher and culminate with you working as an independent student teacher in the classroom.
Upon completion of the degree requirements, you will be eligible for the PK-4 Instructional I Certificate from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
To apply, you must have a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA and have at least 48 semester credit hours completed, including three credits of natural science, three credits of literature, three credits of English, and six credits of quantification.
Wilkes University
Wilkes University was founded in 1933 as an outreach campus of Bucknell University. However, Wilkes became an independent institution in 1947 and has operated as a private school ever since. The school is quite small – just 2,200 undergraduate and 2,200 graduate students. This small student population means the university offers small class sizes and a 12:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
As a student at Wilkes, you can choose from nearly 50 degrees and programs. You can do so knowing that 98 percent of graduates find jobs, too! Additionally, you’ll get an education that won’t break the bank.
The university ranks among the most affordable schools in the northeast. Additionally, Wilkes ranks 14th in the nation for helping middle-class students raise their income level.
Early Childhood Education Program Information
The Bachelor of Arts in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Wilkes University is specifically designed as a degree completion program. That is, you must have at least 55 undergraduate credits already completed to be eligible for this program.
This program is online, which gives you added flexibility to complete the degree requirements with minimal impact on your work schedule. Though the program is online, you must still complete teacher education requirements, including coursework in the following areas:
- Family, School, and Community
- Classroom Management
- Inclusionary Practices
- Assessment in Education
- Applied Reading Strategies
Likewise, you must take a 12-credits of student teaching, during which time you will get real-world experience applying what you’ve learned in a classroom setting.
You can apply to this program if you have at least 55 undergraduate credits. Likewise, you must be an early childhood professional working in a Keystone STARS facility. When applying, you must submit official transcripts from each college or university you have attended.
West Chester University
If you want to study in an urban setting, West Chester University offers a prime location in Philadelphia. You can study on a beautiful campus while enjoying the history of the City of Brotherly Love. Likewise, you can take part in more than 300 student organizations on campus as a way to supplement your education and become a more well-rounded student.
West Chester has more than 17,000 students, making it a fairly large school. As a result, there are dozens of degree options at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. Moreover, there are dozens of majors and areas of study, including psychology, science and technology, and, of course, education.
Early Childhood Education Program Information
The Master of Education in Early Childhood Education from West Chester University is an advanced degree that allows you to deepen your understanding of critical aspects of teaching and learning. This includes studying child development, educational assessments, and academic content areas, to name a few. This is not a teacher certification program, though.
This online program utilizes the cohort model, so you will progress through the degree with the same classmates from start to finish. In some cases, you’ll meet together online for discussions and other activities. However, you’ll also have ample independent learning time.
This program’s accelerated format means you can complete it in about five semesters. Once you graduate, you might be eligible for careers in:
- Social Services
- Preschool Administration
- Curriculum Development
- Child Advocacy
- Early Intervention
You can apply to this program online throughout the year, though cohorts only begin in the fall. You must have an undergraduate degree from a regionally-accredited institution with a 2.8 cumulative GPA or higher. Furthermore, you must have one year of experience working with children before applying to the program.
Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Mercy University is a private Roman Catholic-affiliated university founded in 1948. It’s a very small school with just over 1,400 undergraduates and fewer than 700 graduate students. However, this can be beneficial to you because it ensures you receive individualized attention from your professors. In fact, the school boasts a 10:1 student-to-teacher ratio, which is among the lowest in the state.
Though Gwynedd Mercy is a small school, it’s big on academics. You can choose from more than 50 undergraduate majors and minors and more than 40 graduate programs. You can pursue your degree knowing that 100 percent of first-time, full-time Gwynedd Mercy students receive some kind of financial aid to offset the cost of getting an education.
Early Childhood Education Program Information
Gwynedd Mercy’s Bachelor of Science in Early Education is a certification-track program that qualifies you to become a certified pre-K-4 teacher in Pennsylvania. It’s a typical 120-credit, four-year undergraduate degree.
A unique feature of this degree is its Teacher Apprentice Program or TAP. This program places you in actual early education classrooms the first semester of the program and each semester thereafter to ensure you get as much time to observe how teaching and learning unfold in the real world.
In addition to TAP, you will complete rigorous coursework that prepares you to lead early childhood classrooms. Some of the courses you will take include:
- Classroom Management for PreK-4
- Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment Methods for Mild/Moderate Disabilities
- Technology Integration in Education Pre K-8
- Health & Motor Development Pre K-4
- Education in America
A 12-credit student teaching experience is also required, which occurs during the final year of the program.
You can apply to the program online. To do so as a first-year student, you must also submit high school transcripts or evidence of completing a GED program. Other requirements may apply. Consult with Gwynedd Mercy’s admissions department for detailed information.
Early Childhood Education Work Opportunities in Pennsylvania
As discussed in the introduction, one of the benefits of majoring in early childhood education is that you can work in a wide range of settings. Likewise, you can work with a range of children from birth through the third grade.
While many people who get a degree in this field become teachers, that is certainly not the only option. This is especially true if you get an advanced degree, like a master’s or doctorate. For example, with a master’s degree, you might transition from being a classroom teacher to being an administrator, like a principal or assistant principal at a public elementary school in Pittsburg.
Another option to consider with an advanced degree in early childhood education is to work for the Pennsylvania Department of Education. A good example of this is to work in the area of curriculum and instruction, where you can help guide curriculum development for public schools statewide.
But you don’t have to get an advanced degree to find a satisfying career in early childhood education. You only need an associate’s degree to become a teaching assistant or a preschool worker. These positions are invaluable for helping children learn and grow and offer you an excellent opportunity to get relevant on-the-job skills that will help you be more successful in undergraduate or graduate programs in the future.