Early Childhood Inclusive Online Program
The Early Childhood Inclusive Program at the University of Nebraska at Kearney is a premier undergraduate program that will prepare you to work with children ages birth through age 8 in a variety of early childhood settings. Our close partnership with Nebraska schools and early childhood programs will give you numerous opportunities to interact in field experiences so you will be well prepared by the time you student teach. When you complete this program you will be qualified to teach in the following settings: Infant Toddler Programs; 0-3 Sixpence Programs; Early Intervention; Early Head Start; Head Start; Preschools (public or private); Early Childhood Special Education; and K-3 Classrooms.
- Early Childhood Inclusive Bachelor of Arts in Education
- Program: Early Childhood Inclusive
- Credit Hours: 120 Credit Hours
- Prerequisites: Completion of general studies courses that meet academic transfer program guidelines.
- Early Childhood Inclusive Initial Certification
- Program: Early Childhood Inclusive
- Credit Hours: 80-83 Credit Hours
- Prerequisites: A completed Bachelor’s Degree in any non-teaching discipline is required.
- Early Childhood Inclusive Additional Endorsement
- Program: Early Childhood Inclusive
- Credit Hours: 56-59 Credit Hours
- Prerequisites: A completed Bachelor’s Degree and Teaching Certificate in any discipline is required.
The Early Childhood Inclusive program contains field experiences (time spent observing and/or teaching in early childhood programs and primary grade school settings). The field experiences component of earning a teaching endorsement at UNK includes:
- The state of Nebraska requires a minimum of 100 clock hours of pre‐student teaching field experience. The Early Childhood Inclusive program requires significantly more clock hours. In most cases, individuals taking field based courses must be available during regular school hours (8 AM – 3 PM) for selected field days and times as required by each class. For more information about the Early Childhood Inclusive field experience requirements in individual classes, please visit our Student Information page and review the Field Requirements.
- A student teaching (TE 400) experience. (Bachelor and Initial Certification Students Only) Student teaching is an all‐day (8AM‐4PM)/all‐semester (16 weeks) experience in a Birth-3rd placement, which is often in a school setting. The vast majority of student teaching placements happen between the months of August and May. If you are currently employed in a school setting, arrangements will need to be made because the state does not allow students to be paid while they student teach. Student teaching will be completed in the last semester of the program.
- A practicum (TE 816a) experience. (Additional Endorsement Students Only) Practicum is an all‐day (8AM‐4PM)/partial-semester (7 weeks) experience in a Birth-3rd placement, which is often in a school setting. The vast majority of student teaching placements happen between the months of August and May. If you are already teaching in a Birth-3rd classroom, the practicum can be completed in your current classroom. The practicum will be completed in the last semester of the program.
The Nebraska Department of Education requires all teachers to pass two tests prior to receiving a Nebraska teaching certificate. The tests are as follows:
- Praxis Core (PPST prior to September 1, 2014) - a basic skills test (reading, writing, and math) taken at the beginning of your program. We strongly recommend that you make passing the PRAXIS Core exam a priority early in your program. (This test is not required for those students who are adding an ECI endorsement to a certificate.
- Subject Assessments (formerly PRAXIS II) - a content test taken at the end of an endorsement program just before student teaching or practicum. Students will take the Subject Assessment test (5024) “Education of Young Children”. The Early Childhood Inclusive Subject Assessment test must be passed before the state of Nebraska will issue the teaching certificate.
- We recommend that you carefully review the exam information located on the Praxis website, including test preparation materials, before you enroll for the exam. The current cost of the Praxis Core test is $150 for all three sections taken combined: reading, writing, and math.
- For more information on test-prep options and materials, please visit the Educator Certification Office webpage.
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For Undergraduate and Initial Certificate students only.
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Complete ENG 102, SPCH 100, TE 100, and TE 204 or TE 206 with a “C” or higher (2.0 GPA)
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Establish and maintain a 2.75 GPA or higher.
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Successfully pass all three components of the PRAXIS Core exam: Reading, Math, and Writing.
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Visit our Educator Certification Office webpage for a complete list of requirements.
For assistance, please reach out to one of the following:
1. Your first step is to fill out the Request Unofficial ECI Transcript Review form. To initiate the review, you must also email unofficial copies of your transcripts from all previous colleges you have attended to the Chilene Black.
2. You will need to apply to UNK through the Undergraduate Admissions Office (Bachelors) or through the Graduate Admissions Office (Initial Certification or Additional Endorsement). Send your official transcripts from every institution that you have attended to the following addresses (High School transcripts are needed for Undergraduates only):
For Bachelors:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Memorial Student Affairs Building
2504 9th Avenue
Kearney, NE 68849
308-865-8526
For Initial Certification or Additional Endorsement:
Office of Graduate Admissions
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Warner Hall, Room 2131
Kearney, NE 68849
800-717-7881
gradstudies@unk.edu
3. After you have confirmed your admission with the Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions, contact Chilene Black for online program advising or Dr. Dawn Mollenkopf for campus program advising.
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