The Early Childhood Education (ECE) undergraduate degree program at the University of Nevada, Reno is administered by the Department of Human Development, Family Science, and Counseling and leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. Graduates are eligible to apply for a Nevada Department of Education Early Childhood Teaching License (birth2nd grade).
The ECE program is committed to preparing teachers to provide a developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate education for young children, birth to age 8. ECE students will gain an appreciation for and rich understanding of child development and the importance of working reciprocally with families in programs for young children. ECE program faculty are firmly dedicated to the belief in every child's potential, and in preparing teachers to recognize and promote this potential.
The program is designed to develop in students the professional standards and competencies described in the National Association for the Education of Young Children (2019) position statement, Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators. The themes of the standards are:Child development and learning in context, Family-teacher partnerships and community connections, Child observation, documentation, and assessment, Developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate teaching practices
Knowledge, application, and integration of academic content in the early childhood curriculum
Professionalism as an early childhood educator
Through intentional, hands-on learning experiences in program coursework, students will build their capacity as effective early childhood educators.
ECE students are strongly encouraged to choose elective courses that bolster their knowledge of diversity, equity, and justice or to declare one of the Gender, Race, and Identity (GRI) minors.
