Early Childhood Education
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Program TypeMajor
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Degrees OfferedB.A., B.S.
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SchoolLiffrig Family School of Education and Behavioral Sciences
Guide future generations of children through their most formative years. Instill a love of life-long learning and values of empathy and respect.
What You’ll Learn
You’ll learn how to develop educational programs and classrooms that emphasize developmentally appropriate practices, purposeful environment and lesson planning, and the importance of parent partnerships. Our graduates have the knowledge and hands-on experience necessary to be successful teachers of young children.
- Become Eligible for State Licensure
Graduates of the early childhood education program are eligible for the North Dakota Educator's Professional License to teach or provide programming to children from birth to third grade.
- Apply Theory and Practice
You’ll participate in supervised teaching situations in local schools, from sophomore year through graduation.
- Build Your Network
Build professional and personal relationships with local early care and education professionals through servant leadership projects and coursework opportunities.
- Increase Your Professional Visibility
You are encouraged to participate in educational leadership conferences held at select universities around the state.
- Double Major
Combine your study of early childhood education with a major in elementary education or special education.
Program Information
Please visit our catalog for admission requirements and a full list of our courses.
Accreditations
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![North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board]()
North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board
All the University of Mary education programs are fully accredited by the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board and all CAEP national standards are fully met.
University of Mary Receives National Endorsement for Business, Education, Nursing, Catholic, and Military Support Programs
Read Moreabout University of Mary Receives National Endorsement for Business, Education, Nursing, Catholic, and Military Support ProgramsFeatured Faculty
Tina Ding, MEd
Assistant Professor of Education, Director of Early Childhood Education, Director of Child Development Studies
For most of my life, I was drawn to teaching and serving others. This was evident through the jobs I took, starting with babysitting to working as a preschool paraprofessional, teacher, assistant director, and director of childcare centers in both North Dakota and Minnesota. I knew education was my passion and life-long career. My first public school teaching experience was in a departmentalized fifth-grade teaching setting. Later, I pursued my graduate degree in early childhood special education, allowing me to teach preschool special education; and, most recently, teaching kindergarten for Mandan Public Schools.
