Early Childhood Studies (non-certification)

Phone: (845) 257-2860
Location: OM 115
Web address: www.newpaltz.edu/elementaryed

The Early Childhood Studies non-certification program blends theoretical and pedagogical content with practical experience, providing students with multiple opportunities to apply foundational knowledge within a variety of educational contexts where young children (infant through age 8) play and learn outside the public school classroom.

Classes explore early childhood pedagogy and practice, curriculum development and design, research and policy to prepare students to work in such alternative learning environments as daycare settings, after-school and tutoring programs, and programs for young children, parents and caregivers in museums, hospitals and community organizations. Multiple fieldwork experiences and an 80-hour internship provide opportunities for students to apply course content in settings that align with students' interests and career goals.

As with all School of Education programs, Early Childhood Studies offers:

• high-quality instruction from dedicated, passionate faculty;
• courses that reflect current research in such areas as play, early childhood development, social and emotional learning, curriculum development, and language and literacy development;
• clinically rich preparation that emphasizes a balanced and interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning;
• a commitment to preparing caring, critical, and reflective professionals.

Successful completion of the Early Childhood Studies program leads to a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree without recommendation for the issuance of a New York State teacher certificate.

Notice to Persons Who Have Prior Felony Convictions

State University of New York (SUNY) policy prohibits SUNY New Paltz admission applications from inquiring into an applicant’s prior criminal history. Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or to meet the licensure requirements for certain professions, including the program in Early Childhood Studies.

Individuals with prior criminal histories are advised to seek advice and guidance from the chair of the academic department regarding the impact of a criminal record on meeting the requirements of the major/professional licensure or certification prior to declaring the major.

Admission Requirements

• Students may declare a major in Early Childhood Studies during their first year. Those who enter the program at a later point may need more than eight semesters to graduate.
• Students must choose an academic concentration, some of which have their own entrance criteria.
• Students must meet the following requirements to continue in the program:
  • 3.0 GPA overall; 2.5 GPA in academic concentration
  • 4-7 credits in Writing and Rhetoric (1-2 composition courses) with a grade of “B” or better; minimum “B-” or “S” for required EED and SPE courses; minimum “C” for required foundation courses (EDS340 Sociological and Philosophical Foundations of Education, EDS371 Child Psychology and Development , MAT140 Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers I, MAT240 Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers II, GEO202 Physical Geography, foreign language)
  • 30 hours of independent fieldwork (classroom observations; paid or volunteer work with children in schools, camps, daycare centers; coaching, tutoring, etc.)
  • Passing score on writing sample (to be evaluated by Early Childhood Studies faculty for organization and appropriate English grammar and usage).

Education Course Requirements

Plan of Study Grid

Code	Title	Credits
The sequence described below is for a full-time student; however, the program may be completed on a part-time basis.
Years One and Two (57-60 Credits)
EDS340	Sociological and Philosophical Foundations of Education	3
EDS371	Child Psychology and Development	3
EDS376	Expressive Arts in Education	3
EDS494	Fieldwork in Educational Studes	3
EED301	Fieldwork I (Pre-K-2)	1
EED322	Play: The Roots of Learning for Young Children	3
EED345	Seminar in Early Childhood Studies	3
EED370	Education of Diverse Populations in Early Childhood & Elementary School	3
EED375	Teaching Reading in the Elementary School I	3
EED391	Field Experience Infants and Toddlers	1
EED411	Infant and Toddler Curriculum	3
EED412	Preschool and Kindergarten Curriculum	3
EED413	Curriculum III: First and Second Grades	3
EED414	Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Children Birth-Second Grade	3
EED415	The Development of Symbolic Representation, Language, and Literacy	3
EED485	Field Experience Preschool and Kindergarten	1
EED492	Research in Early Childhood Studies	3
SPE350	Creating Inclusive Elementary School Classrooms	3
MAT140	Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers I	3
MAT240	Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers II	3
LANxxx	World Language Requirement	3-6
Total Credits		57-60

Majors for Early Childhood Studies Students

The concentrations (majors) available to Early Childhood Studies students are the same as those in the Early Childhood & Childhood Education (B-6) program.

Art History

30 credits

Plan of Study Grid

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses (24 Credits)
ARH201	Art of the Western World I	3
ARH202	Art of the Western World II	3
ARH358	Modern Art, 1900-1970	3
ARH382	American Art	3
or ARH420	Art of the Hudson Valley
ARS105	Intro to Studio Art	3
Select one of the following:		3
ARS110	Introduction to Ceramics
ARS120	Introduction to Metal
ARS170	Introduction to Sculpture
Select two courses in Asian Art from the following:		6
ARH340	The Arts of Early China
ARH341	The Arts of Later China
ARH342	The Arts of Japan
ARH343	Japanese Arts of the Edo Period
ARH344	History of Buddhist Art
ARH345	Art in Modern China
ARH378	Sacred Spaces, Divine Images
ARH452	Chinese Painting: Figure in Landscape
Art History Electives (6 Credits)
Select 6 credits		6
Total Credits		30

Biology

29-31 credits

Plan of Study Grid

Code	Title	Credits
BIO201 & BIO211	General Biology I and Gen Bio 1 Lab	4
BIO202 & BIO212	General Biology II and Gen Bio 2 Lab	4
BIO320 & BIO321	Genetics and Genetics Lab	4
BIO340	Ecology	4
Select one of the following:		4
BIO305	Plant Morphology
BIO307	Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
Select one of the following:		3
BIO301	Field Biology Fall
BIO412	Evolutionary Theory
BIO418	Animal Behavior
Biology Electives (6-8 Credits)
Select two upper-division Biology electives		6-8
Total Credits		29-31

Black Studies

30 credits

Plan of Study Grid

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses (12 Credits)
BLK100	Intro To Black Studies	3
BLK357	Psychology of the Black Child	3
BLK370	Education in the Black Community	3
BLK396	Black English: Language and Culture	3
Core Requirement (18 Credits)
Each major must complete six (6) courses from either the Historical Core or the Language Arts Core.		18
Historical Core
BLK200	Introduction To Africa
BLK201	Black History I
BLK202	Black History II
BLK231	Development of Afro-Latin Amer. Civilization (1492-1825)
BLK232	Contemporary Afro-Latin American Civilization Since 1825
BLK301	Survey of Pre-Colonial Africa to 1800
BLK302	Survey of Contemporary Africa: Nineteenth Cent to Present
BLK309	Introduction to Afro-Brazilian History
BLK311	Blacks in the Caribbean, 1492-Present
BLK325	History of Slavery in the Americas
BLK331	The American Civil Rights Movement
BLK347	History of South Africa
BLK369	History of Terrorism Against Blacks and Native Americans
BLK401	Blacks in New York History
BLK450	The Portuguese in Africa
BLK460	West African Kingdoms in the Nineteenth Century
BLK522	African/African-American History & Experiences
Language Arts Core
BLK268	Survey of Black American Literature
BLK269	Black Poetry and Drama
BLK272	Rap and Spoken Word
BLK310	Blacks and the Media
BLK315	Black and Latino Child Lit
BLK320	Contemporary Black American Literature
BLK323	Black Poetry
BLK328	Black Drama in America
BLK333	Black Rhetoric
BLK412	Critical Analysis of Black American Literature
BLK415	Recurrent Themes in Black Literature
BLK510	Contemporary Black Women's Literature
Total Credits		30

Earth Science (Geology)

34-35 credits

Plan of Study Grid

Code	Title	Credits
Geology Courses (27-28 Credits)
GLG120	Weather and Environment	4
GLG201 & GLG211	Physical Geology and Physical Geology Laboratory	4
GLG202	Historical Geology	4
GLG305	Paleontology	4
GLG311	Mineralogy and Crystallography	4
GLG331	Stratigraphy-Sedimentation	4
One 300-level geology course, by advisement		3-4
Cognate Courses (7 Credits)
PHY205	Exploring the Solar System	3
or PHY206	Exploring the Universe
CHE201 & CHE211	General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Lab	4
Total Credits		34-35

English

31-33 credits

• At least one-half of your courses for the English major must be completed at New Paltz.
• Credits for Composition courses (ENG160 Composition I, ENG170 Writing and Rhetoric, ENG180 Composition II, ENG206 Advanced Writing and Rhetoric, ENG207 Intermediate Composition ) are not included in the major requirement.
• Courses taken S*/U* or graded below C- cannot be counted toward the major.
• Students who transfer 3-credit English courses considered equivalent to 4-credit English courses at New Paltz may need to take additional English electives to make up missing credits. Early Childhood Studies students with a concentration in English must complete at least 31 credits.

Plan of Study Grid

Code	Title	Credits
Literature Requirement (12 Credits)
ENG303	Introduction to British Literature	4
ENG333	Introduction to American Literature	4
ENG353	Multiethnic and Diasporic Literature	4
or ENG453	The Craft of Poetry
Writing Requirement (12-13 Credits)
Select any four (4) of the following courses:		12-13
ENG224	Expository Writing
ENG226	Practical Grammar
ENG300	Seminar in Critical Practices
ENG345	Creative Writing Workshop I
ENG385	Theories of Writing
LIN201	Intro To Linguistics
Elective Courses (7-8 Credits)
Select one of the following upper-division courses in literature before 1800: 1		3-4
ENG355	The Bible
ENG356	Greek and Roman Literature
ENG404	Medieval Literature
ENG405	Elizabethan Literature
ENG406	Shakespeare I: Selected Works
ENG407	Shakespeare II: Selected Works
ENG408	Seventeenth-Century Literature
ENG413	Eighteenth-Century English Literature
ENG414	The Rise of the Novel
ENG435	Early American Literature
ENG470	Major Authors
ENG493	English Selected Topics (by advisement)
One 400-level course in English 2		4
Total Credits		31-33

¹

Note that ENG303 Introduction to British Literature is a prerequisite for most of the elective courses listed. 

²

Excludes ENG420 Literary Criticism , ENG423 Contemporary Literary Theory, ENG445 Creative Writing Workshop II , ENG448 Writing the Novel, ENG451 Senior Seminar , ENG452 The Craft of Fiction , ENG453 The Craft of Poetry , ENG454 The Craft of Creative Non Fiction , and ENG455 The Craft of Dramatic Writing .

French

30-39 credits

Plan of Study Grid

Code	Title	Credits
Basic Language Courses (9 Credits) 1
FRN101	Elementary French I	3
FRN102	Elementary French II	3
FRN201	Intermediate French I	3
Required Courses (30 Credits)
FRN202	Intermediate French II	3
FRN301	French Comp and Conver 1	4
FRN302	French Comp and Convers 2	4
FRN319	French Civilization	4
FRN320	Francophone Cultures	4
FRN375	French Literature before 1800	4
FRN376	Frnch/Franc Lit Aft 1800	4
FRN3xx/4xx	Upper-division French elective	3
Total Credits		39

¹

Students with prior training or experience in French may obtain waivers for one or more of the basic language courses listed above, after consultation with the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures.

Geography

31-33 credits

Plan of Study Grid

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses (10 Credits)
GEO201	Human Geography	3
GEO213	Economic Geography	3
GEO342	Cartography	4
Electives (21-23 Credits)
Each major candidate is required to complete, by advisement, seven (7) courses in geography, selected from systematic and/or regional courses, at least five (5) of which shall be at the 300 level or above.		21-23
Total Credits		31-33

History

30-34 credits

• You must have eighteen (18) upper-division credits from this plan of study.
• All majors are required to write a 2-3 page "exit essay" as a requirement of graduation.
• Grades below C- do not count toward the major.
• All majors must take, with the approval of the adviser, at least one course 'pre-1500' and at least one course 'post-1500.'
• It is expected that at least one course will focus on race, gender, and ethnicity.

Plan of Study Grid

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses (30-34 Credits)
I. United States History:
Select two (2) courses		6-8
II. World History:
Select four (4) courses 1		12-14
III. New York State History:
Select one of the following:		3
HIS303	The Empire State
HIS308	Indians of New York State
HIS461	Hudson Valley Culture
or alternative course by advisement
IV. Upper-Division History Electives:
Select three (3) courses		9
Total Credits		30-34

¹

Students must select courses in at least two (2) geographic areas of the world outside of the United States - that is, Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and the Caribbean.

Mathematics

32-34 credits

Plan of Study Grid

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses (29-30 Credits)
MAT140	Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers I	3
MAT240	Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers II	3
MAT241	Introduction to Statistics	3
MAT251	Calculus I	4
MAT252	Calculus II	4
MAT260	Introduction to Proof	3
MAT304	Foundations of Algebra	3
MAT331	Axiomatic Geometry	3
Select one of the following:		3-4
CPS104	Visual Programming
CPS210	Computer Science I: Foundations
Upper-Division Mathematics Elective (3-4 Credits)
Select one (1) 300- or 400-level mathematics course		3-4
Total Credits		32-34

Political Science

36 credits

Plan of Study Grid

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses (12 Credits)
POL216	American Govt and Politics	4
POL227	Intro International Politics	4
POL229	Intro to Comparative Politics	4
Upper-Division Electives (24 Credits)
Select 24 credits, to include no more than six (6) credits of POL480 Government Internship.		24
Total Credits		36

Spanish

31-40 credits

Plan of Study Grid

Code	Title	Credits
Basic Language Courses (9 Credits) 1
SPA101	Elementary Spanish 1	3
SPA102	Elementary Spanish 2	3
SPA201	Intermediate Spanish 1	3
Required Courses (31 Credits)
SPA202	Intermediate Spanish 2	4
SPA301	Communication and Culture in Spanish 2	4
SPA361	Communication and Writing in Spanish 2	4
SPA365	The Culture and Civilization of Spain	4
SPA372	Culture of Latin America	4
SPA375	Survey of Spanish Literature	4
SPA376	Survey of Latin American Literature	4
Select one of the following:		3
SPA363	Spanish Phonetics and Oral Practice
SPA461	Advanced Spanish Composition
SPA4xx	Spanish elective
Total Credits		40

¹

Students with prior training or experience in Spanish may obtain waivers for one or more of the basic language courses listed above, after consultation with the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures.

²

Students whose home language is Spanish may substitute SPA315 Spanish for Native Speakers for either SPA301 Communication and Culture in Spanish or SPA361 Communication and Writing in Spanish.

General Education Requirement

Early Childhood Studies students take selected course work by advisement to meet General Education requirements while also satisfying Early Childhood Studies or concentration (major) requirements. See the Education Advisor (OM 115) to ensure that all curricular requirements are met.