Teacher Education, Early Childhood Education (PreK-2) Licensure, B.A.

A co-major in Education consists of courses within the Department of Education & Community Studies as well as a set of additional courses across the arts & sciences to fulfill the Subject Matter Knowledge requirements outlined by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE). Please refer to each specific program chart to determine the exact set of required courses. Program sheets can be found in the School of Education & Social Policy in Austin Hall. All Teacher Education Program students will have an advisor who will work closely with them to identify the best program of study for their licensure concentration.

Practicum Information: In order to be eligible for practicum and complete our Massachusetts state-approved programs, students must meet the following requirements:

EDU 2500 Pre-Practicum I
EDU 2510 Pre-Practicum II
EDU 2520 Pre-Practicum III
3.0 GPA in program
A passing score on the Communication and Literacy (01) MTEL the semester prior to EDU 2510.
The remaining required MTELs must be passed the semester prior to each student’s practicum. See below for specific MTEL information.

Ultimately, Massachusetts state licensure depends on completion of aforementioned state- approved programs and passing scores on all MTELs. More information can be found in the School of Education & Social Policy’s Teacher Education Handbook.

Merrimack College has a Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) state-approved educator preparation program and as such has program and licensure reciprocity as outlined by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Interstate Agreement. Some states have additional requirements for full licensure.

All students in the Teacher Education Program should choose the particular licensure area and the grade level in which they ultimately want to teach. This will become your concentration.

Early Childhood Education (PreK-2)

Teacher Education Programs: The Teacher Education Program courses for the Early Childhood license are listed below.

Major Requirements

The following courses are required for licensure in Early Childhood Education (PreK-2) per the regulations outlined by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE). Program requirements may change to accommodate updated regulations. Students will be notified by the School of Education & Social Policy when changes are made, and students will work with their academic advisor to modify course sequence when applicable.

* The early childhood program is under revision. Please consult with your advisor about any changes in the program requirements.

EDU 2210 - Child and Adolescent Development Credits: 4
EDU 2310 - Introduction to Early Childhood Education Credits: 4
EDU 2410 - The Exceptional Learner Credits: 4
EDU 3210 - Psychology of Learning and Assessment Credits: 4
EDU 3310 - Teaching Reading and Language Arts Credits: 4
EDU 3340 - Teaching Mathematics & Technology Credits: 4
EDU 3360 - Teaching Science, Health & Physical Education Credits: 4
EDU 4220 - Differentiation & Instruction Credits: 2
EDU 4221 - Positive Learning Environments and Behavior Interventions Credits: 2
EDU 4320 - Teaching Social Studies Credits: 2
EDU 4340 - Children’s Literature Credits: 2
EDU 4500 - Curriculum Design Across All Content Areas for Children with Moderate Disabilities Credits: 4
MTE 1410 - Foundations of Mathematics I Credits: 4
MTE 1411 - Algebra for Elementary Teachers Credits: 2
STM 1010 - Foundations of STEM Credits: 4
EDU 4582 - Sheltered English Instruction Credits: 4

Practicum Requirements

The following courses are requried for students who seek licensure in Early Childhood Education (PreK-2). Please consult with your advisor for sequencing and/or substitutions.

EDU 2500 - Pre-Practicum I Credits: 0
EDU 2510 - Pre-Practicum II Credits: 0
EDU 2520 - Pre-Practicum III Credits: 0
EDU 4920 - Seminar: Practicum Organization Credits: 0
EDU 4921 - Seminar: Practicum Implementation Credits: 0
EDU 4905 - Practicum - Early Childhood Education Credits: 12

Early Childhood MTELs

Communication & Literacy Skills (01)
- Reading sub-test
- Writing sub-test
Early Childhood (02)
Foundations of Reading (90)

For more information about the MTELs and the preparation workshops available, please visit www.merrimack.edu/mtel.