Special Education Bachelor Degree, PreK-Grade 4

Make a crucial impact on the intellectual growth of young children.

If you're interested in alternatives careers in education and are not seeking Pennsylvania teaching certification, a bachelor's degree in Professional Studies in Education is the right fit for you. At PennWest California, you'll gain the comprehensive knowledge and skills you need to thrive in a career working with young children.

This non-certificate Bachelor of Education program combines classroom learning with real-world experiences, including a six-credit internship that will introduce you to career opportunities such as child daycare assistant, classroom aide, docent, program planner and more.

Students who do not pursue teaching certification at the undergraduate level may later choose to pursue certification in PennWest California's pre-K to grade 4 master's degree program. Students also may earn a master's degree in school counseling or clinical mental health counseling in a five-year accelerated program.

Discover PennWest California's top standards for teacher education.

This bachelor's degree program follows the high standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
Our coursework and experiences also adhere to the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC).
PennWest California's teacher education programs have been accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) since 1954, and we are continuing with the successor organization, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Learn about our accelerated bachelor's-to-master's degree program.

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Program Highlights: Professional Studies in Education

Hands-on Learning: At PennWest California, learning is not limited to the classroom. Our students are given a wealth of opportunities to gain hands-on experience in a variety of internship settings, designed to prepare the student for an alternative educational career of choice.

Top Faculty: PennWest California's faculty members are among the best scholars and practitioners in the elementary education and early childhood education fields, cumulatively contributing to hundreds of scholarly books, magazines and journals.

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1852

PennWest California has a rich history of preparing teachers and education specialists since 1852.

Top 5

Pennsylvania ranks among the top five states for highest number of employed childcare workers. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Degree Benefits

Our faculty is dedicated to creating self-assured undergraduates who are ready to make an impact aseducators. You will graduate with:

In-depth knowledge of childhood education, human development and learning.

Top strategies in classroom management, student assessment and instructional planning.

The ability to adapt your teaching to the individual needs of your students in any type of classroom setting or learning situation.
A resume demonstrating hands-on teaching

Active job placement support from PennWest California's Career and Professional Development Center

Graduate Outcomes

This non-certification degree program prepares you for work in a variety of educational settings, including: Day care centers, Head Start centers and nursery schools.

Adoption agencies.
Tutorial learning organizations.
Community recreation centers and camps.
Publishers.
School service supply companies.
Child abuse centers.

Curriculum and Related Programs

This four-year bachelor's degree program combines classroom learning and teaching field experiences. Students will follow the same course schedule for the early childhood education pre-k to grade 4 certification program until their junior year. After that, their paths diverge.

Curriculum

Course	Credits
General Education Courses	40 or 41
Building a Sense of Community UNI 100 First-Year Seminar	1
Composition ENG 101 English Composition I (or any approved Comp menu course)	3
Public Speaking EDU 350 Supporting English Language Learners (or any approved Public Speaking menu course)	3
Mathematics and Quantitative Literacy MAT 120 Elementary Topics I (or any approved Math and QL menu course)	3
Health and Wellness Any Health and Wellness Course	3
Technological Literacy EDU 333 Technology in Teaching and Learning (or any approved Tech Lit menu course)	3
Humanities ESP 210 Special Education Foundation and Collaboration (or any approved Humanities menu course)	3
Fine Arts Any Fine Arts Course	3
Natural Sciences Select one of the following: PHS 120 Basic Physical Science PHS 137 Environmental Chemistry PHY 101 College Physics EAS 100 Intro to Earth Sciences GLG 150 Intro to Geology CHE 101 General Chemistry Any approved Natural Sciences menu course with lab	3 or 4
Social Sciences GEO 102 Geographic Systems (1 credit) AND POS 102 American Government for Elementary Education (1 credit) AND ECO 102 Economics for Elementary Education (1 credit) (or any approved Social Sciences menu course)	3
Ethics and Multicultural Awareness Emphasis CHD 350 Family and Community Collab. Part.	3
General Education Options Approved American/British Literature Course MAT 130 Elementary Topics II (or any approved Math and QL menu course) HIS 101 U.S. History to 1877 OR HIS 102 U.S. History since 1877 (or any approved History menu course)	9

Required Major Courses	30
PSE 200 Intro to Professional Studies in Education	3
ELE 220 Instruction and Assessment in PreK	3
ELE 221 Instruction and Assessment in K-4	3
CHD 250 Health and Physical Education Methods for PreK-Grade 4	3
ELE 300 Emerging Literacy	3
ELE 310 Teaching PreK STEAM	3
CHD 312 Instructional Leadership in Childhood Ed.	3
ELE 410 Field Experience PreK-4	3
CHD 322 Professional Education Internship (x2)	6

Minor Courses*	18 to 24

Free Electives	23 to 32

Total	120 or 121

Additional requirements not counted toward the General Education requirements and included in this program are:

Special Experience Course (1 course required): CHD 322 Professional Education Internship
Writing-Intensive Component Courses (2 courses required): ELE 410 Field Experience PreK-4 AND CHD 322 Professional Education Internship
Laboratory Course (1 course required): Approved Natural Science Course with Lab

* In consultation with your adviser, choose one minor from the university approved minors list.

Program Notes:

The following courses need a grade of “C” or higher to pass: MAT 120, MAT 130, ENG 101, Am/Brit Lit course and all ELE, CHD or ESP courses.
PSE 200 requires a 2.0 GPA and current clearances. CHD/ELE 200 and ELE 220 require a 2.0 GPA and current clearances; all other ELE, CHD and ESP courses require current clearances and a minimum 2.5 GPA to register.
40% of courses (16 courses) must be 300 to 400 level.
At least one minor must be selected.
Internship application, training and guidelines must be completed a semester in advance of registration.
Internship: must take at least two 3-credit internships. Can repeat up to 12 credits. Consult your dept. adviser.
Approved American/British literature courses: ENG 107, 125, 127, 148, 150, 155, 160, 203, 301, 302, 337, 338 and HON 250. (HON 250 has a pre-requisite of HON 150; the 300-level ENG courses have pre-requisites of ENG 101 and 102.)

Related Programs

Grades PreK-4 Education Certification
A four-year Bachelor of Education degree for students seeking Pennsylvania teaching certification in early childhood education, grades pre-k to 4.

A PennWest California student teaches children in a classroom.

What can I do with a bachelor's degree in Professional Studies in Education?

Abby Tirpak '15 earned her bachelor's degree and quickly found a job as an assistant group supervisor at The Village, a fully accredited early childhood education center in California, Pa. Tirpak was soon promoted and is now the center's lead infant teacher.

An elementary student uses an educational toy.

Professional Development Schools

PennWest California proudly collaborates with public schools in Pennsylvania. The Professional Studies in Education program requires a 6-credit internship, which can be designed to fit the needs and goals of the student who wishes to work in an alternative career in education.

A young student is being taught the alphabet.

Student Clubs

Develop your interests and passions in the field of early childhood education through a number of student-run clubs [link to club and activities page], such as:

Professional Studies in Education Degree: Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies in Education

About Professional Studies in Education