Undergraduate

Major

Early Childhood/Childhood Education Catalog

School of Education & Leadership Studies

Early Childhood/Childhood Education (BS)

Department Co-Chairs: Mark Harrington, EdD and Kelly Harper, Ph.D.

INTRODUCTION

This major prepares candidates in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) and Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 2). Coursework includes the pedagogical knowledge and skills to ensure that candidates are qualified to teach at these levels and in high needs classroom settings. Many courses are infused with field experiences so candidates build skills as they progress through the program. In addition, each candidate must take coursework as set forth in the Canisius University Core Curriculum and must also choose a 30 credit liberal arts concentration to ensure that they have the content knowledge necessary to teach children from Birth through Grade 6 in general education settings.

Licensure Disclosure

Canisius University cannot determine whether completion of this program would be sufficient to meet licensure requirements outside of New York State for the intended occupation. We advise you to contact your state licensing board or appropriate licensing entity to determine whether the program meets requirements for Professional Licensure in the state where you are located or the state in which you intend to pursue licensure. Please contact the associate dean of your school if you have further questions.

QUALIFICATIONS

Academic Criteria for Endorsement and Completion of Program:

Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher
Grades of C or higher in major and content course requirements
Satisfactory performance in field placements

Students must meet the requirements at all transition points in order to graduate with an education degree and be recommended for teacher certification. Please see School of Education and Human Services website for transition point requirements.

Curriculum

An Ignatian Foundation

All undergraduate students must complete either the Canisius Core Curriculum or the All-College Honors Curriculum. Many schools refer to their college-wide undergraduate requirements as "general education" requirements. We believe that the core curriculum and the honors curriculum are more than a series of required classes; they provide the basis for a Jesuit education both with content and with required knowledge and skills attributes that are central to our mission.

Free Electives

Students may graduate with a bachelor's degree with more but not less than 120 credit hours. Free electives are courses in addition to the Canisius Core Curriculum or All-College Honors Curriculum and major requirements sufficient to reach the minimum number of credits required for graduation. The number of credits required to complete a bachelor's degree may vary depending on the student's major(s) and minor(s).

Major Requirements

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
EDE 100	Human Growth and Development - Birth through Childhood	3
EDE 390	Cognition and Learning - Birth through Adolescence	3
EDE 432	Seminar in Teaching and Assessment (50 hours)	3
ECCH 221	Emergent Literacy	3
ECCH 222	Literacy and the Arts in the Elementary Classroom	3
ECCH 412	Managing the Elementary & Secondary Ed Classroom	3
ECCH 493	Student Teaching-Early Childhood/Childhood	12
EDU 100	Exploring the Teaching Profession	3
EDU 122	Technology in Education	3
EDU 250	Foundations of Education	3
EDU 272	Teaching Social Studies Integrating English Language Arts	3
EDU 428	Teaching Math and Science: Supporting STEM Education	3
EDU 494	Capstone Seminar for Teacher Candidates	3
EDU 495	Child Abuse Workshop	0
EDU 496	Prevention of School Violence Workshop	0
EDU 497	Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) Workshop	0
EDU 498	Student Teaching Seminar	3
EDY 208	Infant/Toddler Care and Education	3
EDY 209	Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum in Early Childhood Classrooms	3
EDY 312	Teaching Early Childhood Content Across the Disciplines	3
EDY 313	Family & Community Involvement in Early Childhood Education	3
SPE 341	Inclusive Strategies	3
SPE 356	Assessment for Diverse Learners	3
Total Credits		69

Major Electives

Candidates wishing to obtain an extension to teach grades 7-9 in their area of concentration (English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Spanish, French and German) must take EMC 352 and EMC 391 in addition to the courses listed. The Science, Music, and Social Justice concentrations do not lead to middle school certification extensions. Keep in mind that NYS requires at least 18 credit hours in a content area to add the middle school certificate.

Additional Course Considerations

Childhood majors need to choose one of the following academic concentrations: English, Mathematics, Biology, Social Studies, Spanish, Liberal Arts, or Social Justice.

Optional Extensions to Teach at Additional Grade Levels

MIDDLE CHILDHOOD EXTENSION

Candidates wishing to obtain an extension to teach grades 5-6 for Adolescence majors or 7-9 for Childhood majors in their area of concentration (English, Mathematics, Social Studies, or Spanish) must take EMC 352 and EMC 391 in addition to the courses listed. Please note that in order to obtain the extension, you must have at least 18 hours in the content area.

Additional Curriculum Requirements

Childhood majors need to choose one of the following academic concentrations: Liberal Arts, Social Justice, English, Mathematics, Social Studies, or Spanish .

Liberal Arts Concentration

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
English (6 credits in addition to the core requirement)		6
ENG 218	Literature and Medicine
ENG 219	Literature and Psychology
ENG 223	Images of Women in Literature and Film
ENG 224	The Journey in World Literature
ENG 225	The Journey in American Literature
ENG 226	Social Justice in Childrens and Young Adult Literature
ENG 233	The Quest in Medieval Literature
ENG 294	Introduction to Creative Writing
ENG 299	Introduction to English Studies
ENG 315	American Literature I
ENG 368	Native American Literature
ENG 383	Advanced Academic Writing
ENG 390	Tutoring Writing
Mathematics (6 credits)		6
MAT 106	Calculus for the Non-Sciences
MAT 108	College Precalculus
MAT 111	Calculus I
MAT 115	Calculus for Business
MAT 121	Mathematics through History
MAT 131	Statistics for Social Sciences
MAT 141	Inferential Statistics and Computers for Science
MAT 150	Mathematics and Politics
MAT 161	Mathematics for Elementary Teachers
MAT 191	Discrete Mathematics I
MAT 219	Linear Algebra
MAT 222	Differential Equations
Science(6 credits)		6
ABEC 101	Introductory Animal Behavior I
ABEC 102	Introductory Animal Behavior II
BIO 111 & 111L	Introductory Biology I and Introductory Biology Laboratory I
BIO 112 & 112L	Introductory Biology II and Introductory Biology Laboratory II
BIO 114 & 114L	Introductory Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Introductory Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory
BIO 115 & 115L	Introductory Human Anatomy and Physiology II and Introductory Human Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory
BIO 121	Human Reproduction
CHM 104	Energy, Environment, and Society
CHM 111 & 111L	General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory
History and Social Sciences (6 credits)		6
HIS 124	History of the United States: 1877 to the Present
HIS 209	History of Asia to 1800
HIS 210	History of Asia Since 1800
HIS 235	From Jamestown to Yorktown: Making the United States
HIS 236	From Washington to Lincoln: The Making of American Democracy
HIS 255	African American History
HIS 264	Latin American History to 1830
HIS 265	Latin American History Since 1830
HIS 299	Historian's Craft
PSC 103	The American Constitution
PSC 104	American Political Process
PSC 111	Western Political Tradition
PSC 140	International Relations
PSC 150	Comparative Government and Politics
PSC 201	Race, Law, and Politics
PSC 233	Interest Groups and Public Opinion in America
PSC 224	Congress and the Legislative Process
PSC 225	U.S. Presidency
PSC 237	State and Local Politics
ECO 101	Principles of Macroeconomics
ECO 102	Principles of Microeconomics
Liberal Arts Electives (Can take a total of 6 credits from this list to get to the minimum of 30 hours for the concentration)		6
Psychology
PSY 101	Introduction to Psychology I
PSY 201	Basic Statistics for Behavioral Sciences
Digital Media Arts
DMA 201	Introduction to Digital Media
Kinesiology
KIN 115	Nutrition
KIN 170	Emergency Care
KIN 205	Wellness and Fitness
KIN 220	Healthy Behaviors
KIN 361	Psychology of Sport and Mental Health
KIN 425	Evolution of Disease and Illness
Journalism
JRN 100	Introduction to Journalism
JRN 200	Multimedia Storytelling
Fine Arts/Music
FAM 122	History of Rock and Roll
FAM 123	World Musics
FAM 124	America's Music
Art History
FAH 109	History of Architecture
FAH 271	Art in Buffalo
Communicatoin
COM 201	Dynamic Presentations
COM 203	Writing for Contemporary Media
COM 205	Media Literacy
Sociology
SOC 110	Introduction to Sociology
SOC 111	Contemporary Social Problems
SOC 220	Identity and Society
SOC 341	Race and Ethnicity
Philosophy
PHI 240	Justice
PHI 246	Ethics of Technology
PHI 273	Race and Philosophy
Spanish
SPA 103	Introductory Spanish I
SPA 104	Introductory Spanish II
French
FRC 103	Introductory French I
FRC 104	Introductory French II
Total Credits		30

Social Justice Concentration

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Foundations Course		3
SOC 273	Social Movements and Social Change
Research Courses (select one of the following)		3
EDU 303	Research Methods in the Social Sciences
PSY 202	Research Methods in Psychology
Skills Classes (select one of the following)		3
COM 201	Dynamic Presentations
COM 203	Writing for Contemporary Media
COM 204	Relational Communication
COM 302	Strategic Communication in Teams
COM 319	Training and Development
PSY 329	Leadership and Motivation
Elective Courses (choose four from the courses listed below)		12
COM 327	Representation in Media
COM 385	Media & Children
CRJ 337	The Life Course, Family, and Violence
CRJ 345	Gangs in American Society
HIS 211	Women In The Western World
IGSR 300	Immersion East Side Seminar
PSC 104	American Political Process
PSC 237	State and Local Politics
EDU 302	Children, Schools, and the Community
PSY 340	Stereotyping and Prejudice
SOC 111	Contemporary Social Problems
SOC 291	Gender and Society
SOC 340	Sociology of the City
SOC 355	Deviant Behavior
Math Requirement (3 credits)		3
MAT 105	Finite Mathematics
MAT 106	Calculus for the Non-Sciences
MAT 108	College Precalculus
MAT 111	Calculus I
MAT 121	Mathematics through History
MAT 131	Statistics for Social Sciences
MAT 141	Inferential Statistics and Computers for Science
MAT 150	Mathematics and Politics
MAT 161	Mathematics for Elementary Teachers
MAT 191	Discrete Mathematics I
MAT 219	Linear Algebra
MAT 222	Differential Equations
Science (3 credits)		3
ABEC 101	Introductory Animal Behavior I
ABEC 102	Introductory Animal Behavior II
BIO 111	Introductory Biology I
BIO 112	Introductory Biology II
BIO 114	Introductory Human Anatomy and Physiology I
BIO 115	Introductory Human Anatomy and Physiology II
BIO 121	Human Reproduction
CHM 104	Energy, Environment, and Society
CHM 111	General Chemistry I
History and Social Sciences (3 credits)		3
HIS 124	History of the United States: 1877 to the Present
HIS 201	United States Military History
HIS 209	History of Asia to 1800
HIS 210	History of Asia Since 1800
HIS 235	From Jamestown to Yorktown: Making the United States
HIS 236	From Washington to Lincoln: The Making of American Democracy
HIS 264	Latin American History to 1830
HIS 299	Historian's Craft
PSC 103	The American Constitution
PSC 111	Western Political Tradition
PSC 201	Race, Law, and Politics
PSC 224	Congress and the Legislative Process
ECO 101	Principles of Macroeconomics
ECO 102	Principles of Microeconomics
Total Credits		30

¹: The list of courses provided here only includes active courses at the time this catalog was prepared. Additional classes that are added by other departments might also be used to satisfy this requirement. If you think a class should count, please contact the chair of the Teacher Education Department.

English Concentration

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Two 200-level literature courses		6
ENG 299	Introduction to English Studies ¹	3
One American Literature course ²		3
One British Literature Course ³		3
Two writing courses ⁴		6
Mathematics Course Requirement		3
Science Course Requirement		3
Social Studies Course Requirement		3
Total Credits		30

¹: Must take at least one 200-level literature course before taking ENG 299.
²: Choose from ENG 315, ENG 316, ENG 319 or ENG 396 (if the topic is American Literature).
³: Choose from ENG 233, ENG 305, ENG 306, ENG 308, ENG 309, ENG 322, ENG 323, ENG 347, ENG 370, ENG 373, and ENG 381.
⁴: Choose from EDU 205, ENG 294, ENG 342, ENG 383, ENG 385, ENG 388, ENG 389, ENG 390, ENG 392, ENG 393, & ENG 490.

Mathematics Concentration

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
MAT 111	Calculus I	4
MAT 112	Calculus II	4
MAT 219	Linear Algebra	4
MAT 230	Logic, Set Theory, and Proofs	4
MAT 311	Abstract Algebra	4
MAT 331	Geometry	3
MAT 351	Probability & Statistics I	3
OR
MAT 141	Inferential Statistics and Computers for Science
Science Elective		3
History Elective		3
Total Credits		32

Social Studies Concentration

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
PSC 104	American Political Process	3
HIS 107	History of Modern Europe to 1815	3
HIS 108	History of Modern Europe since 1815	3
HIS 124	History of the United States: 1877 to the Present	3
HIS 209	History of Asia to 1800	3
HIS 255	African American History	3
One European or Asian/African/Latin American History elective		3
European History Options
HIS 213	Europe and the World in a Century of Conflict
HIS 220	The History of Food
Asian/African/Latin American History Options
HIS 210	History of Asia Since 1800
HIS 263	Wars of Latin America
HIS 264	Latin American History to 1830
HIS 265	Latin American History Since 1830
HIS 280	The Making of Modern Africa
Math Elective		3
Science Elective		3
Total Credits		27

Spanish Concentration

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
SPA 215	Communicating in Spanish ¹	3
SPA 217	Intro Comp Panorama SocioCultural Latinoamericano ¹	3
SPA 323	Topics in Conversation I Peninsular Culture and Civilization	3
SPA 324	Topics in Conversation II Latin American Culture and Civilization	3
SPA 332	Advanced Spanish Composition	3
Two Advanced-Level Spanish Classes (any SPA class at 300 or 400 level)		6
Mathematics Course Requirement		3
Science Course Requirement		3
Social Studies Course Requirement		3
Total Credits		30

¹: Students who begin language study at the 300-level may substitute additional electives in lieu of the intermediate (200) level courses. Thus, students still will take 10 courses for the concentration.

Roadmap

Freshman
Fall	Spring
EDE 100	ECCH 221
EDU 100	EDY 208
EDU 122	SPE 341
ENG 111	ENG 112
Concentration	Concentration
Sophomore
Fall	Spring
EDU 250	RST 101
ECCH 222	EDU 272
EDY 209	Concentration/Core (Field 4, Global)
PHI 101	EDY 313
EDU 495	Concentration/Core (Field 7)
EDU 496	Core Course (Field 1)
Concentration
Junior
Fall	Spring
SPE 356	ECCH 412
EDE 390	Concentration/Core (Field 6)
EDY 312	Concentration/Core
Concentration/Core (Adv Writing)	Core (Field 3)
Concentration
Core (Field 2, Ethics)
Senior
Fall	Spring
EDU 428	EDU 497
EDU 494	EDU 498
Concentration
EDU 432

Courses

ECCH 221 Emergent Literacy 3 Credits

Examines theories of language development and implications for practice. Strategies are presented to facilitate emergent and developing literacy skills in young children and to develop fluent readers and writers throughout the elementary years. Includes twenty hours of field experience. (This class may be used to apply to NYSED or BOCES for early childhood certification.)

Offered: every spring.

ECCH 222 Literacy and the Arts in the Elementary Classroom 3 Credits

Examines effective methods for assessing children's literacy skills and for developing targeted instruction that reinforces, remediates and/or enriches literacy learning. Issues related to the literacy learning of all children, including children with disabilities and children from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds are examined. Research-based early intervention programs will be examined. Includes 20 hours of field experience in grades PreK-6.

Offered: every fall.

ECCH 412 Managing the Elementary & Secondary Ed Classroom 3 Credits

Discusses implications of behavior management and importance of a proactive approach to prevent behavior problems. Emphasizes appropriate classroom structure, and individual and group contingencies to support children with E/BD in grades PreK-12.

Prerequisite: SPE 356.

Offered: occasionally.

ECCH 493 Student Teaching-Early Childhood/Childhood 12 Credits

Highlights knowledge, skills, and dispositions of professional educators. Two full-time 7-week placements- one in each childhood and early childhood classroom requires candidates to become the instructional leader under the supervision of cooperating teachers and college faculty.

Offered: every fall & spring.

EDY 208 Infant/Toddler Care and Education 3 Credits

This course utilizes developmental theory and research findings to examine issues of attachment, perception, motor skills, cognition, language, emotions and social skills in children birth through age three. An emphasis is placed on understanding children in the context of family and culture. Requires 10 hours of field placement: infant/toddler.

EDY 209 Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum in Early Childhood Classrooms 3 Credits

Emphasizes research-supported practice for enhancing children's physical, cognitive, social, emotional and behavioral development within the framework of the New York State Standards. Focuses on developmentally appropriate learning opportunities. Requires 10 hours of field placement: PreK/K.

Offered: occasionally.

EDY 312 Teaching Early Childhood Content Across the Disciplines 3 Credits

This course helps candidates to be able to identify and understand content knowledge and resources for the academic disciplines in an early childhood curriculum. It also addresses pedagogical content knowledge, how young children learn in each discipline and how to use teacher knowledge and practices to support young children’s learning in each content area. This course addresses methods for teaching math, science, music, movement, and literacy arts to young children. This course includes a 20 hour field experience working with children at the preschool level (ages 2-5).

Prerequisite: EDY 208, EDY 209.

Offered: every fall.

EDY 313 Family & Community Involvement in Early Childhood Education 3 Credits

Learning goals and objectives are derived from the School of Education and Human Services Conceptual Framework which was established to organize student performance data for the teacher accreditation review process. The objectives, and their supporting assessments, are aligned with the standards of the NYSTS, AAQEP, and the appropriate Specialized Professional Association as described in the program handbook (NAEYC). This course will also examine the different agencies in the community that service young children and their families, including early intervention programs.

Offered: every spring.