����ʦapp

Program Highlights

The Bachelor of Early Care and Education (B.E.C.E) is more than a degree; it is a pathway to a rewarding career supporting young children and families during the most important years of development.

• Fully online for maximum flexibility
• Prepares ����ʦapp to work with children from birth through age eight
• Emphasizes inclusive education for children with and without disabilities
• Based on the most current national professional standards
• Flexible options for full-time or part-time study
• Can be completed in as little as two years with an A.A. degree
• Affordable tuition at one of the nation’s best values

Degree Requirements

The BECE Online degree is comprised of 60 credits of upper division coursework as follows:

• ����ʦapp Reading and COE College of Education Core - Four Courses (12 credits)
• B.E.C.E. Core Courses - Ten Courses (30 credits)
• Electives - Six Courses (18 credits)

For additional details of the degree requirements, click here. In addition to strong preparation in early childhood studies, ����ʦapp can personalize their academic path by selecting electives that align with their career goals. View the list of potential electives here. In consultation with the student’s academic advisor, alternative elective courses may be considered, provided they are offered and taken fully online.

Bachelor of Early Care and Education (BECE) Degree Requirements Overview

BECE CORE – 30 credits
EEC 3003 Media and Technology in Early Childhood Education: Foundations and Practice Prerequisites: EEC 3214 with a minimum grade of "C" and programmed B.E.C.E. major
EEC 3214 Designing and Implementing a Blended Curriculum for Young Children Prerequisite: B.E.C.E. majors only
EEC 4303 Creative Arts Young Child Prerequisite: None
EEC 4313 Blended Early Childhood Teaching Methods Prerequisites: EEC 3214 with minimum grade of "C"; B.E.C.E. majors only
EEC 4623 Foundations and Practical Applications of Play-Based Learning for Young Children Prerequisites: EEX 3201 with a minimum grade of "C" and programmed B.E.C.E. major
EEX 3201 Typical and Atypical Child Development Prerequisite: None
EEX 3226 Assessing Young Children with and without Disabilities Prerequisites: EDF 3430, EEX 3201 with minimum grades of "C"; B.E.C.E. majors only
EEX 3603 Positive Behavior Supports in Inclusive Early Childhood Settings Prerequisites: EEX 3226 with minimum grade of "C"; B.E.C.E. majors only
EEX 3754 Building Family, Community, and School Partnerships Prerequisite: B.E.C.E. majors only
EEX 4112 Language Development and Intervention in Young Children Prerequisites: EEX 3226 and B.E.C.E. majors only
READING & COLLEGE OF EDUCATION CORE – 12 credits
EDF 3430 Educational Measurement and Evaluation Prerequisite: None
LAE 4353 Language Arts & Literature: Birth- Grade 8 Prerequisite: None
RED 4308 Reading Development I: Birth – Grade 3 Prerequisites: LAE 4353, TSL 4080 with minimum grades of "C"
TSL 4080 Introduction to TESOL Prerequisite: None
APPROVED BECE ELECTIVES – 18 credits Choose six courses from the selections below.
College of Arts and Letters
SYO 3100 Family and Society Prerequisite: None
COM 4703 Storytelling in Popular Culture Prerequisite: None
College of Business
MAN 3025 Management of Organizations Prerequisite: Junior standing
ENT 4024 Entrepreneurship Prerequisite: Junior standing
College of Education
ARE 4313 Elementary School Art Prerequisite: None
EDF 3210 Applied Learning Theory Prerequisite: None
EDG 4419 Building Classroom Discipline and Management Prerequisite: None
EDG 4916 Directed Independent Research in Curriculum and Instruction Prerequisite: None
EEC 4020 Foundations of ECEE (Part of the EC Env. Ed. Certificate) Prerequisite: None
EEC 4404 Community Engagement in ECEE (Part of the EC Env. Ed. Certificate) Prerequisite: None
EEX 2091 Disability and Society Prerequisite: None
EEX 2091-RI Disability and Society: RI Prerequisite: None
EEC 4322 Effective Practices Early Child Environmental Education Prerequisite: None
EEX 4070 Inclusive Education for General Education 15 clock hours in field-based observation are required.
EEX 4763 Special Education Technology Prerequisite: None
EEX 4916 Directed Independent Research in Special Education Prerequisite: None
EEX 4050 Overview of Individuals served in VE classrooms (Only offered in Fall) Prerequisite: None
EME 4312 Educational Technology for 21st Century Teaching Prerequisite: None
TSL 4081 TESOL Issues and Practices (Prerequisite: TSL 4080)
College of Science
DEP 3053 Psychology of Human Development (Prerequisite: Psy 1012)
EXP 3505 Cognition Prerequisites: PSY 1012 and PSY 3234 with minimum grade of "C-" Corequisite: PSY 3234 with minimum grade of "C-"

---

BECE Elective Substitutions

Students may discuss the substitution of courses not included on the approved BECE elective list with their academic advisor. A previously completed course, or a proposed course for BECE elective substitution, may be approved if it demonstrates relevance to the BECE curriculum, aligns with approved elective content areas, reflects appropriate academic rigor, and contributes to the preparation of professionals who serve young children, families, and inclusive early learning environments. Courses that do not clearly meet these criteria are generally not eligible for approval.

Degree pacing

Students may choose to pursue the fully online B.E.C.E degree full-time or part-time. We offer fixed course rotations for:

• Full-time fall entry
• Full-time spring entry
• Full-time summer entry
• Part-time fall entry
• Part-time spring entry
• Part-time summer entry

Students are strongly encouraged to choose a pace to complete the degree (e.g., full-time or part-time) and to follow the specific rotation (e.g., full-time fall entry) for that pace. The pace and rotations are designed to align with the degree program’s pedagogy, course prerequisites, and department scheduling, so once chosen, ����ʦapp should follow their chosen pace and sequence.

Undergraduate Research

Are you curious? Academic curiosity is fueled by research. The B.E.C.E. offers ����ʦapp the opportunity to engage in research activities within their coursework. Research exposure and skill-building experiences are embedded throughout the coursework, providing opportunities to investigate questions about young children, families, teaching, learning, and inclusion.

By deliberately selecting elective courses and participating in dissemination activities, ����ʦapp completing the B.E.C.E. may also earn the Undergraduate Research Certificate. Learn more about the ����ʦapp Office of Undergraduate Research (OURI) Undergraduate Research Certificate.

Certificate in Early Childhood Environmental Education

The Certificate in Early Childhood Environmental Education is a specially designed 12-credit certificate intended to prepare individuals to develop innovative programs and guide children's environmental interests. The certificate consists of three core courses, EEX 4020, EEC 4237, EEC 4404, and one elective from an approved list, such as EEC 4322. Students completing the B.E.C.E. may choose to incorporate this certificate into their degree by deliberately selecting the certificate courses as a part of their BECE elective requirements. EEC 4020 and EEC 4404 are offered fully online and appear on the approved BECE elective list. EEC 4237 is offered in face-to-face format and thus requires a “campus override” for fully online ����ʦapp. Learn more about the certificate here, then discuss this option with your BECE advisor.