Bachelor of Science in Education (Early Childhood Unified)
The Bachelor of Science in Education (Early Childhood Unified) will prepare you for a career in early childhood programs, serving as a teacher, administrator, or coordinator (the "unified" portion of this degree includes Special Education coursework). According to the Kansas Department of Education, teachers with an early childhood unified endorsement can teach regular and special education at the birth to third-grade level. The BS in Early Childhood Unified education will allow you to seek licensure that can be used to enter into education-related occupations serving children and families from birth to age 8 (third grade). The Early Childhood Unified teacher education program is an online program, with some courses also offered on campus. The program provides both internship and student teaching experiences in diverse environments.
The Department of Teacher Education also offers scholarships. Please visit the Teacher Education Scholarships website and the Financial Assistance Office's website for a current listing of available scholarships.
If you live in a different state:
Licensure in Other States
It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that candidates check with their state department of education and anticipated school site prior to participating in any internship or student teaching to determine any additional requirements that may be in place by that state. Failure to do so could result in needing to repeat that internship or student teaching.
Disclosure for Out of State Teacher Licensure
The United States Department of Education (Federal regulation Sec 668.43 A-C) requires universities to determine which states meet educational requirements to apply for teaching certification or licensure in that state. Upon obtaining a Kansas teaching license, FHSU’s programs for initial teaching licensure MEET the educational requirements for licensure in all other states except for:
Alaska
Georgia
Indiana
New York
Wyoming
These states have a designation of “Does Not Meet” and have additional requirements that must be met first. Common causes for a state not meeting requirements are:
- The state certification agency requires a transcript review prior to application for certification.
- The state does not have an equivalent for an endorsement completed in Kansas.
- The state requires you to take an additional course or exam specific to that state’s history or laws.
If you live in or plan to live in one of the “Does Not Meet” states, you may still enroll in your selected FHSU program per Federal regulation, by agreeing to an Attestation statement completed at time of application to the university.
For licensure questions, contact Kerry Schuckman, FHSU Licensure Officer, at kschuckm@fhsu.edu, 785-628-4542.
If you live in a country other than the United States, you will need to check with your country to find out about required educational credentials required for teacher licensure. Our programs require clinical experiences that must be completed at an accredited school in your area.
Program Summary
^General Education Coursework: 34 Credit Hours
Professional Studies & Major Courses (Non-restricted): 26 Credit Hours
Major Courses (Restricted to program admits): 17 Credit Hours
Internships and Methods Courses (Restricted to program admits): 21 Credit Hours
Approved Electives: 12 Credit Hours
Student Teaching (Restricted to program admits): 12 Credit Hours
TOTAL: 120 Credit Hours
"Non-restricted" courses below are open to Teacher Education majors who have not yet been admitted to the Teacher Education program (some prerequisites apply). Admission to Teacher Education is a prerequisite for "Restricted" courses. You're also required to complete General Education courses, and Teacher Education requires you to take specific courses from among the General Education selections. These links will outline the General Education courses you'll need to take based on your status: Freshman or Transfer with 44 credit hours or less, Transfer with Associate's or 45 credit hours or more.
* = Must complete course before applying to Teacher Education
PROFESSIONAL STUDIES & MAJOR COURSES (Non-restricted)
- TEEL 202 Foundations of Education* (3 Credit Hours)
- TEEL 231 Human Growth & Development* (3 Credit Hours)
- TEEL 260 Children’s Literature (3 Credit Hours) Required for Teacher Education Admission starting in the Fall 2025
- TESP 370 Technology Applications in Special Ed (2 Credit Hours)
- TESP 302 Educating Exceptional Students (3 Credit Hours)
- TESP 320 Programs, Procedures, & Issues in Special Education (3 Credit Hours)
- TECS 301 Intro to Instructional Technology* (3 Credit Hours)
- TEEL 340 Classroom Management (3 Credit Hours)
- TEEC 321 The Young Child (3 Credit Hours)
MAJOR COURSES (Restricted)
- TEEC 362 ECU Mathematics Methods (2 Credit Hours)
- TEEC 368 Child Care Management & Admin (3 Credit Hours)
- TESP 330 Behavior Strategies & Support (3 Credit Hours)
- TESP 350 Assessment in Special Education (3 Credit Hours)
- TEEL 350 Curriculum & Assessment (3 Credit Hours)
- TEEL 431 Educational Psychology (3 Credit Hours)
INTERNSHIPS & METHODS COURSES (Restricted)
- TESP 360 Principles of Instruction in Special Education & Clinical Immersion (4 Credit Hours)
- TEEL 365 Science of Reading I (4 Credit Hours) *Per KBOR Requirements
- TEEC 376 Internship III Kindergarten-Grade 3 (1 Credit Hour)
- TEEC 365 Curriculum in Early Childhood (3 Credit Hours)
- TEEC 341 Internship II: Preschool (1 Credit Hour)
- TEEC 340 Creative Expressions Methods (3 Credit Hours)
- TEEC 336 Internship I: Infant/Toddler (1 Credit Hour)
- TEEL 481 Science of Reading II (4 Credit Hours) *Per KBOR Requirements
STUDENT TEACHING (Restricted)
- TEEC 465 Student Teaching Birth-Age 5 (5 Credit Hours)
- TEEC 466 Student Teaching K-Grade 3 (6 Credit Hours)
- TEEL 675 Student Teaching Portfolio (1 Credit Hour)
- All program courses must be completed with a C or better.
- Candidates may complete up to two internships per semester.
- Here are the application forms in addition to the requirements for admission to Teacher Education and the requirements for admission to Student Teaching.