2018-2019 Academic Catalog

Offered in: Chicago

The College of Education has five undergraduate programs: Early Childhood Education, Education and Youth Studies, Elementary Education, Middle School Education, Secondary Education and Special Education. The college also works jointly with the Chicago College of Performing Arts to deliver a program in Music Education. All of these programs, with the exception of Educational Studies, focus on teacher preparation.

The College of Education has a history of serving nontraditional as well as traditional undergraduate students, and schedules are designed to meet the needs of full-time as well as part-time students. All teacher preparation programs are offered at the Chicago campus and are a part of the New Deal Teacher Academy.

Undergraduate programs within the College of Education prepare students to transform schools and communities in the pursuit of knowledge and social justice. Through the continuous evaluation and refinement of academic programs and courses, offerings are kept current and relevant to real-world contexts and professional standards of quality. Experienced, dedicated and culturally diverse faculty work collaboratively with students to foster knowledge and skills with respect to diverse learners, instruction, assessment and research. Talent and resources from a variety of disciplines are integrated and used, as are cutting edge technologies. All programs require a variety of field and clinical experiences that augment and integrate academic studies.

The program in Early Childhood Education is interdisciplinary in scope and practical in orientation. Its purpose is to prepare students to become highly qualified, capable, and dedicated educators in Head Start, childcare, and preschool programs, as well as kindergarten and primary grades. Students complete diverse field placements and clinical experiences in public schools and private agencies serving children from infancy through second grade.  Students can choose from two concentrations. The first leads to a State of Illinois teaching license, with the early childhood endorsement and early childhood special education approval, and the Gateways to Opportunity Level 5 ECE Credential. The second concentration leads to the Gateways to Opportunity Level 5 ECE and Infant/Toddler Credentials. The bilingual/ESL minor is required to teacher licensure candidates, and is recommended to students completing the Level 5 ECE and Infant/Toddler Credentials. With careful planning, teacher licensure candidates can add on an additional endorsement in elementary education.

Prerequisites

Two introductory courses (6 credit hours) are required of all undergraduate majors in the College of Education. These courses provide students with the opportunity to explore a variety of educational roles, careers and concepts. All courses must be passed with grades of C or higher to advance into the major. 

Requirements

Students may begin major CORE courses in the Early Childhood Education program so long as they have a minimum 2.7 GPA in all undergraduate courses.

concentrations

The Early Childhood Education major offers two concentrations: Early Childhood Teacher Licensure and Early Care and Education. 

CONCENTRATION IN early childhood teacher licensure (BIRTH-grade 2)

Students may enroll in the Early Childhood Education courses below when they earn a passing score on the Illinois Test of Academic Proficiency or substitute an ACT Plus Writing or SAT score that meets the state's criterion. Please contact the College of Education for more information regarding the ACT Plus Writing/SAT score criteria.

Students who complete the Early Childhood Teacher Licensure concentration earn a State of Illinois Professional Education License, with an early childhood endorsement and early childhood special education approval. Students in this concentration also must earn the bilingual/ESL minor and with teacher licensure will earn the Bilingual and/or ESL endorsement. With careful planning, students can add on an additional endorsement in elementary education. 

CONCENTRATION in early care and education (birth-age 8)

Successful completion of the Early Care and Education concentration entitles students to the Level 5 ECE and Infant/Toddler Credentials, state recognized employment credentials that signal substantial training, education, and experience with children birth through age 8. No exams are required for this credential, but an application must be submitted to Gateways to Opportunity, a support system for Illinois early care and education professionals. The Level 5 Credentials are not a teaching license but may be used to obtain employment in childcare settings. The bilingual/ESL minor is recommended to students completing this concentration.

Field and Clinical Experiences

Pedagogical and real-world training is at the center of undergraduate degree coursework. Consequently, all Early Childhood Education majors are required to enroll in one credit hour "individualized Coaching and Field Experiences" courses in each of three semesters prior to their practicum or student teaching. 

In their Individualized Coaching courses, students will complete the field experiences needed to develop professional knowledge, skills and dispositions in alignment with Roosevelt's social justice mission. As students progress from one individualized Coaching course to another, they will take on tasks and responsibilities that are increasingly complex and challenging. These experiences will prepare students for success in the practicum and student teaching experiences that culminate in the Early Childhood major and facilitate the awarding of an employment credential or license. 

Placement in student teaching sites is planned with consideration of professional standards and partnership schools and agencies. Primary and pre-primary student teaching placements are open only to students who have successfully completed the appropriate general education and professional education courses, the required Illinois Test of Basic Skills and early childhood content tests, and other College of Education and admission to student teaching requirements. Placements in sites with diverse student populations are required. Students must make formal application two semesters prior to the semester in which they plan to do their student teaching. Applicants are expected to be in good physical health and academic standing and must provide evidence of competency with regard to professional dispositions, including the passage of a criminal background check. Students should consult regularly with their advisor about the specific requirements for licensure and student teaching in Illinois.

Licensure requirements

In order to qualify for Roosevelt University’s recommendation for the Illinois teaching license and early childhood endorsement, students must meet all general education requirements that are in effect at the time of their application.

Students must consult with their education advisor to determine which general education courses are acceptable toward fulfillment of licensure requirements. Because requirements for licensure, graduation, and continuing enrollment are subject to change, undergraduates must consult frequently with their education advisors. The advising plan developed at program admission provides the most up-to-date and authoritative information with respect to all program and licensure requirements.

Before issuing a license, the Illinois State Board of Education also requires satisfactory scores on the Early Childhood Education Content Test and the edTPA.

Your degree map is a general guide suggesting courses to complete each term on the academic pathway to your degree. It is based on the most current scheduling information from your academic program. Your program’s degree map is reviewed annually and updated as schedules change (although you retain the same course requirements as long as you are continuously enrolled in your degree program).

Always work closely with your academic advisor to understand curriculum requirements and scheduling, as each student’s academic plan can look slightly different.