Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Studies: Concentration in Pre-K to 3rd Grade
The Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Studies: Concentration in Pre-K to 3rd Grade is designed to expose undergraduates to childhood development and learning in children from preschool through third grade, with an emphasis on the promotion and advocacy of social justice through cultural awareness, humility, and responsiveness across ecological contexts. The major will provide undergraduates with the theoretical and applied knowledge necessary to understand children’s development and learning. This knowledge will enable them to develop and implement supportive practices in Pre-K-3rd grade classrooms that are evidence-based, meaningful, and rigorous This major prepares students who are interested in applying to California PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction credential programs.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Promote and advocate for social justice and be culturally responsive across young children's ecological contexts.
- Understand the professional roles and responsibilities in inclusive early care and education settings.
- Apply developmental, learning, and cultural theories in the field of early childhood education to
a) engage and support young children in learning by including young children’s prior experiences and interests, funds of knowledge, language and sociocultural backgrounds.
b) create and maintain effective environments for young children’s learning.
c) understand and organize subject matter for children’s learning.
d) plan instruction and intervention and design learning experiences for all children. - Develop effective literacy instruction for young children preschool through third grade that supports foundation skills, meaning making, language development, effective expression, and content knowledge.
- Understand assessment, evaluation, data collection, analysis and reporting in the context of preschool through third grade.
Early Childhood Studies (B.A.): Concentration in Pre-K to 3rd Grade - 45 units
All courses for the major must be completed with a grade of C or better.
Core (24 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CAD 210 | Introduction to Applied Child and Adolescent Development | 3 |
| Select One: | 3 | |
| Foundations in Early Childhood | ||
| Principles and Practices in Early Childhood Programs | ||
| CAD 260 | Children, Families, and Community: An Ecological Perspective | 3 |
| CAD 280 | Early Childhood Internship | 3 |
| CAD 300 | Professional Roles and Careers in Child and Adolescent Development | 3 |
| CAD 330 | Curriculum and Development in Early Childhood | 3 |
| CAD 410GW | Applied Developmental Science: Prenatal Through Early Childhood - GWAR | 3 |
| CAD 660 | Applied Advanced Developmental Science in Child and Adolescent Development | 3 |
Language and Literacy (3 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CAD 326 | Developing Language and Literacy Skills in Young Children | 3 |
Mathematics (3 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 165 | Concepts of the Number System | 3 |
Assessment (3 units)
Select One:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CAD 420 | Assessment and Observation with Children | 3 |
| E ED 610 | Classroom Assessment and Evaluation for Young Children | 3 |
Inclusive Education (3 units)
Select One:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| SPED 671 | Inclusive Social-Emotional Development & Equitable Practices for Children & Families in Early Educ | 3 |
| SPED 672 | Inclusive Learning Environments for Young Children | 3 |
| SPED 675 | Working with Families of Young Children with Disabilities | 3 |
Science (3 units)
Select One:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 300 | Nature Study | 3 |
| BIOL 310 | Biology for Today's World | 3 |
| BIOL 318 | Our Endangered Planet | 3 |
| ERTH 310 | The Violent Earth | 3 |
| ERTH 335 | Global Warming | 3 |
| ERTH 365 | Extreme Weather in a Warming World | 3 |
| E ED 655 | Hands-on Undergraduate Science Education Experience | 3 |
| GEOG 301 | Bay Area Environments | 3 |
| LS 310 | Science and Culture for Future Elementary School Teachers | 3 |
| LS 430 | Future of the Forests | 3 |
Physical Education (3 units)
Select One:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| KIN 240 | Introduction to Teaching Physical Education | 3 |
| KIN 401 | Elementary School Physical Education: K-5 | 3 |
| KIN 487 | Motor Development | 3 |
| SPED 370 | Early Development and Neurodiversity | 3 |
Arts (3 units)
Select One:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AFRS 400 | Black Arts and Humanities | 3 |
| AMST 310/HUM 485 | The Arts and American Culture | 3 |
| DANC 350 | Dance Aesthetics: Cultural/Historical Perspectives | 3 |
| E ED 450 | Art and Learning | 3 |
| LTNS 425 | Popular and Traditional Music of the Latinx U.S. | 3 |
| LS 427 | Social Movements & the Arts for Future Teachers | 3 |
| LS 403/COMM 557 | Performance and Pedagogy of the Oppressed for Educators | 3 |
| MUS 505 | Music of the World's Peoples | 3 |
| MUS 601 | Music for Children | 3 |
| TH A 451 | Storytelling and Folk Literature | 3 |
First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)
The roadmaps presented in this Bulletin are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor. For a more personalized roadmap, please use the Degree Planner tool found in your Student Center.
This degree program is an approved pathway (“similar” major) for students earning the ADT in Early Childhood Education
California legislation SB 1440 (2009) mandated the creation of the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) to be awarded by the California Community Colleges. Two types of ADTs are awarded: Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) and Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T).
Note: no specific degree is required for admission as an upper-division student. However, the ADT includes specific guarantees related to admission and graduation and is designed to clarify the transfer process and strengthen lower-division preparation for the major.
An ADT totals 60 units and in most cases includes completion of all lower-division General Education requirements and at least 18 units in a specific major. (The Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science AS-T degrees defer 3 units in lower-division GE area 3 and 3 units in lower-division GE area 4 until after transfer.) Students pursuing an ADT are guaranteed admission to the CSU if minimum eligibility requirements are met, though not necessarily to the CSU campus of primary choice.
Upon verification that the ADT has been awarded prior to matriculation at SF State, students are guaranteed B.A. or B.S. completion in 60 units if pursuing a “similar” major after transfer. Determinations about “similar” majors at SF State are made by faculty in the discipline.
Degree completion in 60 units cannot be guaranteed when a student simultaneously pursues an additional major, a minor, certificate, or credential.
A sample advising roadmap for students who have earned an ADT and continue in a "similar" major at SF State is available on the Roadmaps tab on the degree requirements page for the major. The roadmap displays:
- How many lower-division units required for the major have been completed upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
- Which lower-division requirements are considered complete upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
- How to complete the remaining 60 units for the degree in four semesters.
Students who have earned an ADT should seek advising in the major department during the first semester of attendance.
General Advising Information for Transfer Students
- Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
- The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
- a course in U.S. History
- a course in U.S. & California Government
For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes, options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.
Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.
Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).
Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.
Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.
Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.
Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs
Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet GE Areas 1A/A2, 1B/A3, 1C/A1, and 2/B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (1B/A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the 1B/A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.
Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.