B.A. in Early Childhood Ed.

The undergraduate early childhood education program leads toward New York state initial teacher certification in early childhood (Birth-grade 2). The early childhood program is designed to blend on-campus preparation with field experiences in a variety of school settings, culminating in full-time student teaching. Literacy, multicultural education, and information technology are integrated throughout all aspects of this program. The program conforms to the standards and guidelines of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the New York State Learning Standards for Early Childhood Education.

Program Requirements

Students select a B.A. degree program from Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (excluding fine arts, dance, drama, music and speech-language-hearing sciences) or a B.A. degree program in Speech Communication and Rhetorical Studies from the School of Communication. After completing 45 semester hours of college course work, students choose early childhood education as a co-major. This education program is designed to blend on-campus preparation with field experiences in a variety of school settings, culminating in full-time student teaching. Literacy, multicultural education, and information technology are integrated throughout all aspects of the programs. Hofstra’s undergraduate program in early childhood is a New York state-registered program. Students who successfully complete the program and who obtain passing scores on the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) will qualify for New York State initial teaching certification.

For more information on program requirements and for the most up-to-date information, please visit the Hofstra Bulletin.

Admission Criteria for the Early Childhood Education Program

After completing 45 semester hours of college course work, students may apply for admission to the School of Education, Health and Human Services through the Department of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership. Admission is based on a comprehensive review of multiple criteria, including the following:

A passing score on the Hofstra Writing Proficiency Exam.
An overall GPA of 2.75 or higher in overall course work and liberal arts and sciences course work.
Two letters of reference addressing the applicant’s potential to succeed in the teaching profession.
A written personal statement of professional intent and rationale.
An interview with the program director.

The department understands that any single criterion may not reliably predict a student’s potential for success in the program. Students may consider applying even if they fail to meet one of the criteria but feel that other aspects of their experience might compensate.

For more information about the program, please contact:
Professor Myrna Fischbach
Adjunct Instructor of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership
Phone: 516-463-4799
Email