Early Childhood Education with Grades PK-4 (Online)

Getting Started

Program Modality

Education courses are delivered fully online with synchronous check-ins with the instructor via Zoom. In-person fieldwork,
pre-student teaching (7 weeks), and student teaching (14 weeks) must be completed in the state of PA. Student teaching will take place during the final year of the program.

Pennsylvania Instructional Certification

During their senior year, students should take their certification exams, Pennsylvania Educator Certification Test (PECT) Modules 1, 2, and 3 for Grades PK-4 and appropriate Praxis exams for certification if applicable. To become a licensed PA educator, students need to complete their program, earn a passing score on certification exam(s), and submit an application for their Instructional I Certificate in the Pennsylvania Teacher Information Management System (TIMS).

National Accolades

Alvernia’s Early Childhood Education Program is among three teacher preparation programs in Pennsylvania and 23% nationwide that were ranked as “Grade A” for preparing students to teach reading by the National Council on Teacher Quality.

Program Requirements

Academic Performance

• Maintain a cumulative GPA 3.0 or better
• Earn Grade C or better in the required general education and professional education courses|
   

Field Experience

Maintain regulatory compliance for the educators' field experiences including: 

• PA Criminal Record Check (Act 34) PA Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151)
• FBI Clearance (Act 114)
• University Health Requirements
• TB Screening
• Certificate of completion the training Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse: Mandated and Permissive Reporting in Pennsylvania (Act 31)
• Liability waiver
   

Read about the requirements for education field experiences. 
 

Teacher Candidacy

Teacher candidacy signifies a formal admission to the teacher preparation program. Achieving a teacher candidacy status is required for taking the upper division education courses, pre-student teaching, and student teaching. Students must apply by the end of their sophomore year. Mid-degree transfer students must apply by the second semester of their studies at Alvernia University. The achieve a teacher candidacy status, a student must satisfy the following requirements:

• Earn minimum of 48 credits including 6 credits of math, 3 - English composition, and 3 - American/British literature with earned Grade C or better 
• Maintain a cumulative GPA 3.0 or better
• Maintain regulatory compliance for the educators' field experiences
• Apply for teacher candidacy and receive an approval from their education faculty advisor and the Education Department Chair
   

Student Teaching

Student teaching occurs during the last semester in the program and includes two 14-week placements in PK-4 classrooms. To be admitted to student teaching, a student must satisfy the following requirements:

• Complete the required general core and professional education courses except ED 470 & ED 472 with Grade C or better
• Maintain a cumulative GPA 3.0 or better
• Maintain regulatory compliance for the educators' field experiences
   

Read about:

• Teaching certifications in Pennsylvania
• National teacher preparation data (Title II reports)

Application Instructions

Through a rolling admission process, prospective students may apply to Alvernia at any time. Multiple start dates throughout the year allow accepted students to begin a program of study at an accommodating time. We continually review applications and accept students for each of the six term starts (August, October, February, March, May, and July).

Keeping on track is important throughout the process. We encourage you to work with an admission team member to submit all materials and meet all deadlines. Our dedicated team will work directly with you to identify the best options that work for you and your unique situation.

Once your application is complete, you will not have to wait long for a decision. We continually review applications and notify students as soon as a decision has been made. To get started, visit our Adult Education Application page for a list of instructions and documents needed.

Financing Your Education

There are options to assist in financing your education and making the tuition affordable. Visit our financial aid page for a detailed overview of the process, including a link to complete the FAFSA application, as well as more information about the tuition payment plan and the tuition deferment program we offer. Alvernia’s Title IV code for the FAFSA is 003233. The Office of Student Financial Services is available to help with any questions you may have. Call 610-796-8201 or email sfs@alvernia.edu.

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Program Overview

Program Mission

The PK-4 Program is built on a solid foundation of the principles of child development.  It focuses on the whole child as it prepares highly-qualified, highly-effective candidates to meet the many and diverse needs of young children in a global society.

Curriculum

81 credits (Number of credits may vary depending on transfer credits)

Major Requirements (60 credits)

• SPE 110: Overview of Exceptionalities
• ED 110: The Teaching Profession
• ED 204: Human Learning
• ED 209: Instructional Planning (pre-reqs.: ED 110, ED 204)
• ED 302: Literacy Instruction (pre-req.: ED 315)
• ED 313: Classroom Management (pre-req.: ED 209)
• ED 315: Literacy Development
• ED 320: Assessment & Evaluation
• ED 370: Introduction to Inclusive Instruction for English Language Learners (pre-req.: ED 209)
• ED 403: Reading Methods for Elementary Inclusive Classrooms
• ED 404: Teaching Math in the Elementary School
• ED 414: Teaching Social Studies in the Elementary School
• ED 425: Curriculum Instruction PreK-12
• ED 436: Field Experience III (150-hour pre-student teaching)
• ED 440: Teaching Science in the Elementary School
• ED 445: Principles of Universal Design for Learning (pre-reqs.: ED 209, SPE 110)
• ED 470: Student Teaching (Co-Req ED 472) (14 weeks, 2 placements)
• ED 472: Student Teaching Seminar
   

(C grade or better required for all ED & SPE courses)
 

Related Requirements (21 credits)

Science with Lab
HIS XXX or POS XXX
MAT 105 Math for Teachers: Principles of Math
MAT 106 Math for Teachers: Geometry
MAT 208 Introductory Statistics
Social Science Course
PSY 312 Psychology of Play
(C grade or better required for all courses above)

Liberal Arts Core (54/55 credits)*: All Alvernia University students are required to complete between 31-55 credits toward the Liberal Arts
Core. Transfer work or an associate degree may be applicable for this area and meet requirements. As part of the application process, students receive specific information regarding remaining credits.

General Elective Requirements (as needed): A total of 123 credits, including three credits in a human diversity course, are required to earn a bachelor’s degree. To adhere to Franciscan values, community service hours are also required.

Plan to take electives and courses in minor prior to fieldwork and student teaching. During senior year, students take their certification exam, the Pennsylvania Educator Certification Test (PECT) for Grades PK-4. To become a licensed PA educator, students need to complete their program, earn a passing score on certification exam(s), and submit an application for their Instructional I Certificate in the Pennsylvania Teacher Information Management System. 

Experiential Learning Opportunities

• Field experiences, an integral part of the teacher preparation programs, include course-embedded fieldwork, pre-student teaching and student teaching.

Accreditation Statements

• The Grades PK-4 teacher preparation program is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
• Alvernia is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Career Outlook

Teach in preschool through Grade 4 in public and private educational Education Accreditation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education is projected to show little or no change from 2022 to 2032. The median annual wage for elementary school teachers was $61,690 in 2022.

Learn More

Read about: 

• Teaching Certifications in Pennsylvania
• National teacher preparation data (Title II reports)
• Education Student Organizations, Awards & Scholarships

Questions?

Contact:

Admissions 
610-796-5187
gradandadult@alvernia.edu

Get To Know Your Faculty

For more information about Alvernia’s Adult Education Early Childhood Education with Grades PK-4 program, contact the Graduate Admissions Office at 610-796-5187 or gradandadult@alvernia.edu. Or reach out directly to department chair Lucinda Schaeffer at 610-790-1931 or lucinda.schaeffer@alvernia.edu.