Early Childhood & Childhood Education
Nurturing children in their development from infancy through the toddler years and into primary school is exciting and extremely rewarding. Not only do children remind us to see the magic in every moment, but their curiosity and imagination are inspiring. Imagine a career in which you can guide children to grow and flourish and set them on the road toward success from their earliest and most formative years.
Discover your passion for teaching in the early childhood and childhood education program at St. Thomas Aquinas College. This dual-certification program will prepare you to succeed in diverse preschool and elementary school settings. Guided by expert faculty, you will discover how young children learn, and will build a portfolio of effective strategies to teach beginning reading skills, writing, math, science, and social studies.
At a glance
- Undergraduate major
- BS Ed.
- 4 years
- Main campus
Only at St. Thomas Aquinas College
Ignite Your Career With Experiential Learning
Our program offers many opportunities to gain hours of valuable experience working with students in the classroom setting. The School of Education partners closely with local districts, opening a gateway for field experiences, internships, supervised student teaching, and employment opportunities upon graduation.
Career Preparation & Mentoring
St. Thomas Aquinas College was founded as a teacher’s college. We have a long legacy of preparing knowledgeable, caring educators who are passionate about learning, teaching, and making a difference in the world, one student at a time.
Our faculty of experts are set on your success. We will guide you through your college years so you can achieve your full potential and enjoy a rewarding, meaningful career in early childhood and childhood education.
Keep Exploring
Featured Courses
How does childhood development impact learning? Learn to incorporate theory and practice to become a successful, culturally responsive educator. In addition to building individual lessons and larger units, you will discover the latest techniques in early childhood education, including routines, transitions, and integrating movement, art, and literacy in the classroom.
Children begin developing language and literacy skills from the time they are born. This course equips future teachers to set the foundations for young children to become literate, fluent, and avid readers. Topics include phonics and decoding text, sight word acquisition, vocabulary development, comprehension, and more.
Rediscover the joy of children’s literature and effective methods to engage students in reading and critiquing the classics and contemporary works. Study illustrations and artists and explore multicultural contributions to the genre.
What Success Looks Like
Career Options
A degree in early childhood and childhood education will prepare you for graduate programs and teaching careers at both the Pre-K and elementary school levels. At the early childhood level, students can work in these settings and more:
- Day Care Centers
- Head Start Centers
- Universal Pre-K
At the elementary level, students intern and find full-time employment at many school districts and education systems throughout New York and New Jersey, including:
- Clarkstown
- Cornwall
- East Ramapo
- Goshen
- Nyack
- Pearl River
- South Orangetown
- Suffern
Program options
The BSEd. in Early Childhood and Childhood Education will prepare you to excel on New York State certification examinations and to succeed in your career as an educator in the 21st century. Guided by experts in all facets of the field, you will gain the skills, knowledge, and experience to teach effectively and to inspire your students to achieve their full potential.
Accelerate your education by choosing a dual-degree program in which you can earn both your BSEd. in Early Childhood and Childhood Education and your MSED in Literacy or Special Education in only five years.
Many students who earn a bachelor’s degree in early childhood and childhood education at St. Thomas Aquinas College advance into one of our specialized master’s programs. Realize your goals in the program that best matches your career interests: MSED in Literacy Education; MSED in Special Education; or MSED in Special Education with an Autism Specialization.