“Children must have at least one person who believes in them. It could be you.”
(Marian Wright Edelman, President Emerita, Children’s Defense Fund)
A Nationally Ranked Program
The Bama by Distance program in early childhood education is ranked third in the
national top ten list of best online programs
(The Best Schools, 2020). The program has held similar rankings in previous years.
Accreditation
The ECE major is a teacher preparation program accredited by The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). It was one of the first two ECE programs (at four-year institutions) accredited by NAEYC in the entire nation.
Learning Opportunities
Students in the early childhood education major study child development and learn skills in developmentally appropriate practice – defined by NAEYC as a strengths-based and play-based approach to learning – to teach children in infant, toddler, and preschool settings. With engaging practicum and internship opportunities, students learn about development and learning through hands-on experiences in top-notch early learning programs.
Career Opportunities
Because of these high-quality placements, ECE students are prepared to teach in a variety of early learning programs, such as Pre-K programs housed in public schools, private childcare programs, faith-based programs, community-based programs, and others. Students are also able to work in non-teaching careers as early interventionists, case managers, employees for non-profit organizations, and curriculum specialists.
Teaching Certification
Eligible students may apply for teacher certification (Pre-Kindergarten: Birth To Age 4 Child Development Teaching Certificate) to work as classroom teachers in public Pre-K classrooms in Alabama.
Distance Learning Options
The ECE major is also available online through Bama By Distance. A degree earned through Bama By Distance is identical to one earned on UA’s main campus. Distance learning students receive exceptional academic advising from faculty and advisors in The Department of Human Development and Family Studies and utilize the same campus resources as students on the main campus, such as The UA Writing Center and UA Libraries.
Partnerships
ECE students have opportunities to complete practicum and internship experiences with The Children’s Program and The RISE Center on UA’s campus. They observe and practice in various classroom settings serving young children with and without special needs. Through these experiences, students watch and work in two of our State’s most highly regarded early learning programs (The Children’s Program and The RISE Center) as they connect learning to practice.
Distance learning students complete practicum and internship experiences in early learning programs in their communities. Students work with NAEYC-accredited and high-quality programs that are child-focused, relationship-based, and responsive to the whole child in a developmentally appropriate way.
Content in distance education courses feature the exemplary practices of The Children’s Program and The RISE Center, so students experience these programs whether they are on UA’s main campus or in their own communities.
The ECE major also collaborates with Child Development Resources (CDR) and the many resources CDR provides on child development and early learning. Walk into the Child Development Research Center (CDRC), and you’ll see students in The Learning Center, a resources room and lending library for childcare providers, teachers, and childcare professionals.