Early Childhood Practice Degree

• Work in programs serving children from birth to 5 years old, if those programs do not require licensure, but do require Gateways to Opportunity Credentials

• Work in environments requiring an early childhood education background, and coursework relevant to supporting infant/toddler development and working with families

Wage and salary jobs in the child day care services industry are projected to grow about 15 percent over the 2008-18 period, compared with the 11 percent employment growth projected for all industries combined.

Center-based child care should continue to expand its share of the industry because an increasing number of parents prefer its more formal setting and believe that it provides a better foundation for children before they begin traditional schooling. However, family child care providers will continue to remain an important source of care for many young children because some parents prefer the more personal attention that such a setting can provide. Subsidies for children from low-income families attending child care programs also could result in more children being served in centers, as could the increasing involvement of employers in funding and operating child care centers. Legislation requiring more welfare recipients to work also could contribute to growing demand for child care services.

National Louis has a 130-year-old reputation for its teacher training programs, and is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). NLU has trained thousands of Chicago-area teachers, and graduated more prestigious Golden Apple Foundation award winners than any other institution in Illinois. In addition, this program is aligned with the standards determined by the State of Illinois’ Professional Development System, the Gateways to Opportunity Credentialing system, which is, in effect, aligned with National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards, to foster the ongoing professional development of teachers.

NLU was at the forefront of the kindergarten movement in 1886, preparing some of the first early childhood teachers to be employed in the Chicago area. Now more than a century later, our National College of Education continues to design and deliver the best teacher education programs. NLU’s early childhood education faculty brings deep experience teaching young children in classrooms, childcare facilities and communities. NLU’s professional portfolio assessment process documents student learning experiences and practices so that graduates may present a substantive body of work to potential employers.

The Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Practice program requires a minimum of 60 quarter hours or the equivalent in general education coursework for the completion of the B.A. degree. This includes demonstration of competence in all areas of general education. The Early Childhood Practice program accepts the following types of equivalent work: transfer from approved and accredited institutions, appropriate scores on advanced placement tests, and passing scores on CLEP and DANTES examinations.

All applicants must meet NLU's general admission requirements as well as additional requirements specific to this program. Refer to the appropriate application checklist available online at nl.edu/applyonline.