Early Childhood/Childhood Education (BS)

New Program Beginning Fall 2025

Department Chair: Marya Grande, Ph.D.

INTRODUCTION

This major prepares candidates in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) and Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 2).  Coursework includes the pedagogical knowledge and skills to ensure that candidates are qualified to teach at these levels and in high needs classroom settings.  Many courses are infused with field experiences so candidates build skills as they progress through the program.  In addition, each candidate must take coursework as set forth in the Canisius University Core Curriculum and must also choose a 30 credit liberal arts concentration to ensure that they have the content knowledge necessary to teach children from Birth through Grade 6 in general education settings. 

Licensure Disclosure

Canisius University cannot determine whether completion of this program would be sufficient to meet licensure requirements outside of New York State for the intended occupation. We advise you to contact your state licensing board or appropriate licensing entity to determine whether the program meets requirements for Professional Licensure in the state where you are located or the state in which you intend to pursue licensure. Please contact the associate dean of your school if you have further questions.

QUALIFICATIONS

Academic Criteria for Endorsement and Completion of Program:

  • Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher
  • Grades of C or higher in major courses and content requirements
  • Satisfactory performance in field placements

Students must meet the requirements at all transition points in order to graduate with an education degree and be recommended for teacher certification. Please see School of Education and Human Services website for transition point requirements.

Curriculum

An Ignatian Foundation

All undergraduate students must complete either the Canisius Core Curriculum or the All-College Honors Curriculum. Many schools refer to their college-wide undergraduate requirements as "general education" requirements. We believe that the core curriculum and the honors curriculum are more than a series of required classes; they provide the basis for a Jesuit education both with content and with required knowledge and skills attributes that are central to our mission.

Free Electives

Students may graduate with a bachelor's degree with more but not less than 120 credit hours. Free electives are courses in addition to the Canisius Core Curriculum or All-College Honors Curriculum and major requirements sufficient to reach the minimum number of credits required for graduation. The number of credits required to complete a bachelor's degree may vary depending on the student's major(s) and minor(s).

Major Requirements

ECCH 221Emergent Literacy3
ECCH 222Literacy and the Arts in the Elementary Classroom3
ECCH 412Managing the Elementary & Secondary Ed Classroom3
ECCH_493 Student Teaching-Early/Childhood 12
EDE 100Human Growth and Development - Birth through Childhood3
EDE 390Cognition and Learning - Birth through Adolescence3
EDE_432 Seminar in Teaching Assessment (50 hours)3
EDU 100Exploring the Teaching Profession3
EDU 122Technology in Education3
EDU 250Foundations of Education3
EDU 272Teaching Social Studies Integrating English Language Arts3
EDU 428Teaching Math and Science: Supporting STEM Education3
EDU 494Capstone Seminar for Teacher Candidates3
EDU 495Child Abuse Workshop0
EDU 496Prevention of School Violence Workshop0
EDU 497Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) Workshop0
EDU 498Student Teaching Seminar3
EDY 208Infant/Toddler Care and Education3
EDY 209Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum in Early Childhood Classrooms3
EDY_313 Family & Community Involvment in Early Childhood Education3
EDY_312 Teaching Early Childhood Across Disciplines3
SPE 341Inclusive Strategies3
SPE 356Assessment for Diverse Learners3
Total Credits69

Major Electives

Candidates wishing to obtain an extension to teach grades 7-9 in their area of concentration (English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Spanish, French and German) must take EMC 352 and EMC 391 in addition to the courses listed. The Science, Music, and Social Justice concentrations do not lead to middle school certification extensions. Keep in mind that NYS requires at least 18 credit hours in a content area to add the middle school certificate.

Additional Course Considerations

Childhood majors need to choose one of the following academic concentrations: English, Mathematics, Biology, Social Studies, Spanish, Liberal Arts, or Social Justice.

Optional Extensions to Teach at Additional Grade Levels

MIDDLE CHILDHOOD EXTENSION

Candidates wishing to obtain an extension to teach grades 5-6 for Adolescence majors or 7-9 for Childhood majors in their area of concentration (English, Mathematics, Social Studies, or Spanish) must take EMC 352 and EMC 391 in addition to the courses listed. Please note that in order to obtain the extension, you must have at least 18 hours in the content area.

Additional Curriculum Requirements

Childhood majors need to choose one of the following academic concentrations: Liberal Arts, Social Justice,  English, Mathematics, Social Studies, or Spanish . 

Liberal Arts Concentration 

English (6 credits in addition to the core requirement)6
Literature and Medicine
Literature and Psychology
Images of Women in Literature and Film
The Journey in World Literature
The Journey in American Literature
Social Justice in Childrens and Young Adult Literature
The Quest in Medieval Literature
Introduction to Creative Writing
Introduction to English Studies
American Literature I
Native American Literature
Advanced Academic Writing
Tutoring Writing
Mathematics (6 credits) 6
Calculus for the Non-Sciences
College Precalculus
Calculus I
Calculus for Business
Mathematics through History
Statistics for Social Sciences
Inferential Statistics and Computers for Science
Mathematics and Politics
Mathematics for Elementary Teachers
Discrete Mathematics I
Linear Algebra
Differential Equations
Science(6 credits) 6
Introductory Animal Behavior I
Introductory Animal Behavior II
Introductory Biology I
and Introductory Biology Laboratory I
Introductory Biology II
and Introductory Biology Laboratory II
Human Anatomy and Physiology I
and Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory
Human Anatomy and Physiology II
and Human Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory
Human Reproduction
Energy, Environment, and Society
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Laboratory
History and Social Sciences (6 credits)6
History of the United States: The Colonial Period to Reconstruction
History of the United States: 1877 to the Present
History of Asia to 1800
History of Asia Since 1800
From Jamestown to Yorktown: Making the United States
From Washington to Lincoln: The Making of American Democracy
African American History
Latin American History to 1830
Latin American History Since 1830
Historian's Craft
The American Constitution
American Political Process
Western Political Tradition
International Relations
Comparative Government and Politics
Race, Law, and Politics
Interest Groups and Public Opinion in America
Congress and the Legislative Process
U.S. Presidency
State and Local Politics
Principles of Macroeconomics
Principles of Microeconomics
Liberal Arts Electives (Can take a total of 6 credits from this list to get to the minimum of 30 hours for the concentration)6
Psychology
Introduction to Psychology I
Basic Statistics for Behavioral Sciences
Digital Media Arts
Introduction to Digital Media
Kinesiology
Nutrition
Emergency Care
Wellness and Fitness
Healthy Behaviors
Psychology of Sport and Mental Health
Evolution of Disease and Illness
Journalism
Introduction to Journalism
Multimedia Storytelling
Fine Arts/Music
History of Rock and Roll
World Musics
America's Music
Art History
History of Architecture
Frank Lloyd Wright
Art in Buffalo
Communicatoin
Dynamic Presentations
Writing for Contemporary Media
Media Literacy
Sociology
Introduction to Sociology
Contemporary Social Problems
Identity and Society
Race and Ethnicity
Philosophy
Justice
Ethics of Technology
Race and Philosophy
Spanish
Introductory Spanish I
Introductory Spanish II
French
Introductory French I
Introductory French II
Total Credits30

Social Justice Concentration 

Foundations Course3
Social Movements and Social Change
Research Courses (select one of the following)3
Research Methods in the Social Sciences
Research Methods in Psychology
Skills Classes (select one of the following)3
Dynamic Presentations
Writing for Contemporary Media
Relational Communication
Strategic Communication in Teams
Training and Development
Leadership and Motivation
Elective Courses (choose four from the courses listed below)12
Impact of Culture, Race, and Gender on Message Design
Media & Children
Violence and the Family
Gangs in American Society
Women In The Western World
Immersion East Side Seminar
American Political Process
State and Local Politics
Children, Schools, and the Community
Stereotyping and Prejudice
Contemporary Social Problems
Gender and Society
Sociology of the City
Deviant Behavior
Math Requirement (3 credits)3
Finite Mathematics
Calculus for the Non-Sciences
College Precalculus
Calculus I
Mathematics through History
Statistics for Social Sciences
Inferential Statistics and Computers for Science
Mathematics and Politics
Mathematics for Elementary Teachers
Discrete Mathematics I
Linear Algebra
Differential Equations
Science (3 credits)3
Introductory Animal Behavior I
Introductory Animal Behavior II
Introductory Biology I
Introductory Biology II
Human Anatomy and Physiology I
Human Anatomy and Physiology II
Human Reproduction
Energy, Environment, and Society
General Chemistry I
History and Social Sciences (3 credits)3
History of the United States: The Colonial Period to Reconstruction
History of the United States: 1877 to the Present
United States Military History
History of Asia to 1800
History of Asia Since 1800
America and the Holocaust
From Jamestown to Yorktown: Making the United States
From Washington to Lincoln: The Making of American Democracy
Women in American History 1880 to Present
Latin American History to 1830
Historian's Craft
The American Constitution
Western Political Tradition
Race, Law, and Politics
Congress and the Legislative Process
Principles of Macroeconomics
Principles of Microeconomics
Total Credits30
1

The list of courses provided here only includes active courses at the time this catalog was prepared.  Additional classes that are added by other departments might also be used to satisfy this requirement.  If you think a class should count, please contact the chair of the Teacher Education Department.

 English Concentration 

Two 200-level literature courses6
ENG 299Introduction to English Studies 13
One American Literature course 23
One British Literature Course 33
Two writing courses 46
Mathematics Course Requirement3
Science Course Requirement 3
Social Studies Course Requirement 3
Total Credits30
1

Must take at least one 200-level literature course before taking ENG 299.

2

Choose from ENG 315, ENG 316, ENG 319 or ENG 396 (if the topic is American Literature).

3

Choose from ENG 233, ENG 305, ENG 306, ENG 308, ENG 309, ENG 322, ENG 323, ENG 347, ENG 370, ENG 373, and ENG 381.

4

Choose from EDU 205, ENG 294, ENG 342, ENG 383, ENG 385, ENG 388, ENG 389, ENG 390, ENG 392, ENG 393, & ENG 490.

Mathematics Concentration 

MAT 111Calculus I4
MAT 112Calculus II4
MAT 219Linear Algebra4
MAT 230Logic, Set Theory, and Proofs4
MAT 311Abstract Algebra4
MAT 331Geometry3
MAT 351Probability & Statistics I3
OR
Inferential Statistics and Computers for Science
Science Elective 3
History Elective 3
Total Credits32

Social Studies Concentration

PSC 104American Political Process3
HIS 107History of Modern Europe to 18153
HIS 108History of Modern Europe since 18153
HIS 123History of the United States: The Colonial Period to Reconstruction3
HIS 124History of the United States: 1877 to the Present3
HIS 209History of Asia to 18003
HIS 255African American History3
One European or Asian/African/Latin American History elective3
European History Options
Europe and the World in a Century of Conflict
The History of Food
Asian/African/Latin American History Options
History of Asia Since 1800
Wars of Latin America
Latin American History to 1830
Latin American History Since 1830
The Making of Modern Africa
Math Elective3
Science Elective3
Total Credits30

Spanish Concentration 

SPA 215Communicating in Spanish 13
SPA 217Intro Comp Panorama SocioCultural Latinoamericano 13
SPA 323Topics in Conversation I Peninsular Culture and Civilization3
SPA 324Topics in Conversation II Latin American Culture and Civilization3
SPA 332Advanced Spanish Composition3
Two Advanced-Level Spanish Classes (any SPA class at 300 or 400 level)6
Mathematics Course Requirement3
Science Course Requirement3
Social Studies Course Requirement 3
Total Credits30
1

Students who begin language study at the 300-level may substitute additional electives in lieu of the intermediate (200) level courses.  Thus, students still will take 10 courses for the concentration.

Roadmap

Freshman
FallSpring
EDE 100ECCH 221
EDU 100EDY 208
EDU 122SPE 341
ENG 111ENG 112
ConcentrationConcentration
Sophomore
FallSpring
EDU 250RST 101
ECCH 222EDU 272
EDY 209EDY312 Teaching Early Childhood Across Disciplines
PHI 101Concentration/Core (Field 4, Global)
EDU 495Concentration/Core (Field 7)
EDU 496Core Course (Field 1)
Concentration 
Junior
FallSpring
EDE 390ECCH 412
SPE 356Concentration/Core (Field 6)
Concentration/Core (Adv Writing)Concentration/Core
ConcentrationCore (Field 3)
Core (Field 2, Ethics) 
Senior
FallSpring
EDU 428EDU 497
EDU 432EDU 498
EDU 494 
Concentration 

Courses

ECCH 221 Emergent Literacy 3 Credits

Examines theories of language development and implications for practice. Strategies are presented to facilitate emergent and developing literacy skills in young children and to develop fluent readers and writers throughout the elementary years. Includes twenty hours of field experience. (This class may be used to apply to NYSED or BOCES for early childhood certification.)

Offered: every spring.

ECCH 222 Literacy and the Arts in the Elementary Classroom 3 Credits

Examines effective methods for assessing children's literacy skills and for developing targeted instruction that reinforces, remediates and/or enriches literacy learning. Issues related to the literacy learning of all children, including children with disabilities and children from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds are examined. Research-based early intervention programs will be examined. Includes 20 hours of field experience in grades PreK-6.

Offered: every fall.

ECCH 412 Managing the Elementary & Secondary Ed Classroom 3 Credits

Discusses implications of behavior management and importance of a proactive approach to prevent behavior problems. Emphasizes appropriate classroom structure, and individual and group contingencies to support children with E/BD in grades PreK-12.

Prerequisite: EDU 356. Corequisite: SPE 330.

Offered: occasionally.

EDY 208 Infant/Toddler Care and Education 3 Credits

This course utilizes developmental theory and research findings to examine issues of attachment, perception, motor skills, cognition, language, emotions and social skills in children birth through age three. An emphasis is placed on understanding children in the context of family and culture. Requires 10 hours of field placement: infant/toddler.

EDY 209 Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum in Early Childhood Classrooms 3 Credits

Emphasizes research-supported practice for enhancing children's physical, cognitive, social, emotional and behavioral development within the framework of the New York State Standards. Focuses on developmentally appropriate learning opportunities. Requires 10 hours of field placement: PreK/K.

Offered: occasionally.

EDY 509 Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum in Early Childhood Classrooms 3 Credits

Emphasizes research-supported practice for enhancing children's physical, cognitive, social, emotional and behavioral development within the framework of the New York State Standards. Focuses on developmentally appropriate learning opportunities. Requires 10 hours of field placement: PreK/K.