Early Childhood and Childhood Education

Candidates accepted in the undergraduate Early Childhood and Childhood Education program will work toward a B.S. in Education degree and eligibility for New York State initial certification in both Early Childhood Education (birth – Grade 2) and Childhood Education (Grade 1 – 6).

The program is organized into a sequence of courses taken together, referred to as Blocks. All candidates will complete 150 hours of field experience, as part of coursework, prior to student teaching. Students will have a variety of field experiences with breadth, depth, and diversity of placements. Throughout the program students will be responsible for their own transportation to field experiences. This program is effective Fall 2026.

Our program faculty believes that we must address anti-racist pedagogy, intentionally and substantively, from the first Block of the Early Childhood with Childhood Education program to the last (i.e., ensuring that this is a central focus during student teaching). We further believe that this should be a core part of the program, and our emphasis should be on not just “tolerance” for difference, but on welcoming and belonging. We maintain that this focus is too important not to do right, and will hold regular student and faculty conversations during our Fall and Spring semesters addressing relevant topics, questions and concerns, ideas, books and other resources, etc.

For more information, specifically with regard to scheduling, please see the Master Schedule. The 2026-2027 advising guide is also available for reference.

In addition to the General Education requirements, candidates in the grades birth-6 Education programs will need to select a Liberal Arts Concentration in: American Studies, Art History, Community & Society, Dance, English, Foreign Language (French or Spanish), Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies, History, Human Development, Latin American & Caribbean Studies, Mathematics, Music, Natural Science, Social Studies, or Theatre.

Please review the Undergraduate Bulletin regarding the courses required for each concentration. Note that the linked Bulletin is for 2022-2023; students must refer to the Bulletin for the academic year in which they matriculated into SUNY Geneseo.

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Block	Coursework
Pre-Block or Block I	INTD 203: Social Foundations of Education in the United States ECED 204: Introduction to Early Childhood and Childhood Education
Block I	ECED 208: Infants and Toddlers (Field Experience) ECED 209: Teaching in Diverse Early Childhood and Childhood Classrooms, Including Teaching Students with Disabilities
Block II	CURR 225: Reading and Writing Processes (Field Experience) ECED 360: Teaching Multilingual Learners ECED 361: Curriculum Development for Young Children (Field Experience)
Block III	CURR 362: Methods and Materials for Teaching Elementary Social Studies (Field Experience) ECED 363: Building Positive Learning Environments: Classroom, Family, and Community (Field Experience) CURR 364: Teaching Science for Equity & Inclusion in Elementary Classrooms (Field Experience) CURR 365: Classroom Reading and Literature Programs (Field Experience) CURR 366: Teaching Mathematics for Equity and Inclusion in Elementary Classrooms (Field Experience)
Block IV	EDUC 431: Student Teaching I EDUC 432: Student Teaching II

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• PSYC 215 Child Development
• MATH 140 & MATH 141 Mathematical Concepts for Elementary Education I & II
• H&PE 350 Health & Safety Issues in Schools

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• Infectious Control Seminar (Blood Borne Pathogens) held two times per semester; candidates are notified through campus e-mail
• Child Abuse Seminar held as part of H&PE 350 as well as one time per academic year outside of H&PE 350; candidates are notified through campus e-mail
• SAVE Seminar held as part of H&PE 350 as well as one time per academic year outside of H&PE 350; candidates are notified through campus e-mail
• Dignity for All Students Act held as part of H&PE 350 as well as one time per academic year outside of H&PE 350; candidates are notified through campus e-mail

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All initial certification programs require the satisfactory completion of the foreign language requirement. For candidates who entered SUNY Geneseo in 2003 or later, the College language requirement is proficiency through the second semester (102) of a foreign language. The foreign language requirement for certification can be satisfied in any one of the following ways:

• a grade of C- or better in a foreign language course at the 102 level or a score on the foreign language placement test that places the student at the 102 level,
• four units of a foreign language in high school (completion of foreign language sequence through Level IV, one year beyond regents exam) and a grade of 85% or better in the New York State Regents Exam,
• a score of 4 or better on the advanced placement examination in a foreign language, or
• equivalent coursework with a minimum grade of C- transferred from another college

American Sign Language proficiency equivalent to 102 level also can be used to fulfill this requirement for students seeking teacher certification.

Teacher candidates must maintain a 2.5 cumulative grade point average to continue in a certification program. In addition, a grade of C- or better is required for each of the following courses:

Early Childhood and Childhood: INTD 203; ECED 204, 208, 209, 360, 361, 363; CURR 225, 362, 364, 365, 366; EDUC 431, 432; Language 101/102 (for FORL requirement); MATH 140 and 141

Candidates in the Early Childhood/Childhood degree program meet the College writing requirement by successfully completing ECED 363.

All teacher education programs include a clinical/field component. If you have been convicted of a felony, your criminal history record may impede your ability to complete this program and/or become a NYS certified teacher. Please review the SUNY Geneseo policy.

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