THIS IS A DELAWARE APPROVED LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION PROGRAM WITH CONTENT KNOWLEDGE AND PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS. Candidates taking courses to satisfy certification requirements are personally responsible for verifying with the Delaware Department of Education (or the appropriate licensure/certification authority in another state) that such course work is applicable and acceptable. Students are also responsible for meeting all state-mandated testing requirements and for applying for credentials. Wilmington University has not made determinations for licensure in states outside of Delaware. For state-by-state contact information for inquiring about individual state licensure requirements, please visit NC-SARA's Professional Licensure Directory.
Admission
In addition to general admissions requirements, admission to this degree program requires applicants to have a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or have a GPA in the top 50th percentile for coursework completed during the most recent two years of the applicant’s general education, whether secondary or post-secondary.
Admission to the Bachelor of Science Early Childhood Education – Birth to Grade 2 program requires the following:
- Complete and submit the Application for Admission, accompanied by a non-refundable application fee.
- Submit an official high school transcript. With official transcripts, submit a copy of your Immunization Records.
- Schedule an appointment with an Academic Advisor to discuss program requirements and expectations.
After completing all of the above, register for EDU 102 (E-Folio) and EDU 203 (Instructional Technology for Educators). EDU 102 is a prerequisite for all other courses in the program.
Content and Performance Assessment Requirements
Praxis Testing Requirements
Prior to placement for student teaching/internship in special education, candidates must meet the qualifying score on an ETS PRAXIS II content knowledge exam for licensure/certification on the exam for Education of Young Children (Birth - Grade 2).
Please note that state-mandated licensure/certification exams and minimum score requirements are subject to change by the Delaware Department of Education. Any changes mandated by the Department of Education will be implemented as required by state regulation.
Test takers should designate Wilmington University and the Delaware Department of Education as score recipients. This enables scores to be sent directly, confidentially, and electronically to the University and to the DE Department of Education.
NOTE: Wilmington University is obligated to modify educator preparation program requirements to comply with any regulatory mandates/changes of the Delaware Department of Education.
Performance Assessment
The College of Education and Liberal Arts at Wilmington University requires students pursuing teacher preparation degrees to take the Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers (PPAT) in order to qualify for program completion and degree conferral. The performance assessment is not scored by any employees of the University. It is scored by Nationally Certified ETS Reviewers not associated with Wilmington University. Completing this assessment is a student teaching requirement. Candidates must check with their supervisors, program advisors or program chairs to obtain current and accurate information related score expectations.
Program Requirements
Teacher Candidates must register for EDU 102 E-folio when enrolling as a student. EDU 102 will give candidates access to Watermark, which is a resource for students to create portfolios of professional work that will be used to collect data on student performance for accrediting agencies.
Teacher candidates must complete all requirements associated with the Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood, including all course work and clinical experiences. The College of Education and Liberal Arts sets a required minimum grade of “C-” for all Education core courses (ECE, EDU, RDG, and EPY) and an overall cumulative GPA (grade point average) of 3.0 or higher.
Teacher candidates must meet the qualifying score on the Praxis II, test #5024 (Education of Young Children), prior to receiving a student teaching/internship placement. The Praxis II Content Knowledge test must be taken by ECE 391, Practicum II and passed prior to ECE 451, Student Teaching/Teaching Internship as a condition of entry into ECE 450.
Teacher candidates must designate Wilmington University and the Delaware Department of Education as score recipients at the time the tests are taken, and also provide a paper copy of the ETS score report that includes all scores and sub-scores. COMPLETE score reports must be received by the College of Education and Liberal Arts main office, located in the Peoples Building at the New Castle site.
Fieldwork Requirements
Practicum Courses (Practicum I, II, III)
Each of these three courses require 60 hours of field experience in an approved school setting plus 30 hours of required seminars. Although Practicum courses only require candidates to register and pay for one (1) credit for each course, the courses are actually structured as three (3) credit courses. The reason for this approach is to keep the total credit hours required for the degree as low as possible and still meet state certification requirements. Otherwise, candidates would have to register and pay for an additional 6 credits. This benefit represents a tuition cost savings of more than $2,000.
All practicum placements are arranged by the Office of Clinical Studies in accordance with school district partnership agreements and placement protocols. Final placement decisions are made by school district officials. Candidates are not permitted to seek or make arrangements for their own placements. The 60 hours of field experience required for each practicum will usually take place in the county where the candidate attends the seminars, although this may vary depending on availability of practicum placement classrooms.
To be considered for placement in a Birth to Grade 2 setting, teacher candidates must complete the Practicum Fieldwork application in Taskstream/Watermark by the deadlines of February 1 for placement in Fall (September) and August 1 for placement in Spring (January). At the time of application, a sealed Federal and Delaware CBC (Criminal Background Check) Report, a recent TB/PPD (less than a year old) and a completed CPR (Child Protection Registry Form) are required.
Capstone Clinical Experience (Student Teaching/Internship)
The capstone clinical experience is a full-time, full-day, Monday through Friday placement of 80 school days in an approved setting and in a content area/grade level that corresponds to a candidate's program concentration. A full immersion, Yearlong Residency option may also be available. Check with a Program Advisor, Chair or Assistant Chair for more information.
Teacher candidates must apply to the Office of Clinical Studies for a Student Teaching/Internship placement for the Fall semester (September) by February 1 or for the Spring semester (January) by August 1. Student Teaching/Teaching Internship applications are to be submitted electronically in Taskstream/Watermark. Applications do NOT take the place of registering for Student Teaching/Internship. Registration and payment of all fees, including laboratory fees for Student Teaching/Internship, are still required. At the time of application, a new and sealed Federal and Delaware CBC (Criminal Background Check) Report, a new TB/PPD, a completed health form, and a completed CPR (Child Protection Registry Form) are required.
Placement and registration requirements include the following: Meeting the qualifying score on the relevant PRAXIS II exam, a 3.0 grade point average, completion of all teacher preparation and content coursework, and a completed application in Taskstream/Watermark and all required clearance items. All placements are arranged by placement specialists in the WilmU Office of Clinical Studies in accordance with school district partnership agreements and protocols. However, final placement decisions are made by school district officials and are based on school and district needs and the availability of school-based mentors who are rated as highly-qualified and effective. Candidates are not permitted to seek or make arrangements for their own placements.
Curriculum
General Education Requirements (34 credits)
Fine Arts Requirements (6 credits)
Select 2 courses from:
Behavioral Science Core (18 credits)
| PSY 330 | Infant and Toddler Development | 3 |
| PSY 333 | Psychology of the Exceptional Child | 3 |
| PSY 336 | Child Development | 3 |
| PSY 420 | Introduction to Trauma-Informed Approaches | 3 |
| PSY 421 | Trauma and Self-Care | 3 |
| PSY 422 | Practical Implications of Trauma-Informed Approaches | 3 |
Education Core (51 credits)
| EDU 102 | E-Folio | 0 |
| EDU 204 | Leadership and Collaboration | 3 |
| ECE 105 | Developmentally Appropriate Practice | 3 |
| ECE 201 | Health, Safety, and Nutrition | 3 |
| ECE 202 | Professional Issues in Early Childhood | 3 |
| ECE 207 | Differentiated Methods of Teaching Infants and Toddlers | 3 |
| ECE 208 | Differentiated Methods of Teaching Pre-Schoolers | 3 |
| ECE 209 | Differentiated Methods of Teaching Kindergartners – Grade 2 | 3 |
| ECE 217 | Family, Community, and School Partnerships | 3 |
| ECE 301 | Integrating the Arts into Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| ECE 302 | Numeracy and the Acquisition of Number Fluency in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| EPY 201 | Development and Implementation of IEPs | 3 |
| ECE 315 | Differentiation of Instruction for Young Children | 3 |
| EPY 316 | Educating Preschoolers with Special Needs | 3 |
| EPY 317 | Assessment of Young Children | 3 |
| EPY 402 | Learning Differences and Assessment of Exceptional Children | 3 |
| RDG 203 | Learner Development and Early Literacy | 3 |
| RDG 302 | Literature for Children | 3 |
Clinical Components (15 credits)
EDU 452 must be taken in conjunction with ECE 450 Student Teaching
Transfer Credits: Accreditation requires our program to collect data on student performance in a variety of courses. For that reason, students will not be able to transfer in courses to cover the following coursework.
EDU 203, EDU 204, ECE 207, ECE 208, ECE 209, ECE 315, EPY 316, EPY 317, EPY 201, EPY 402, ECE 390, ECE 391, ECE 392, ECE 450, EDU 452
Certification
This is a state-approved degree program which contributes to eligibility for a State of Delaware Initial Teaching License and Certification as an Early Childhood Education – Birth-Grade 2. The program also includes all the coursework necessary for Delaware certification as an Early Childhood Exceptional Children Special Education teacher (ECE 315, EPY 316, EPY 317, ECE 217, RDG 203).
It is highly recommended that candidates obtain certification in special education, as this is required by many schools and school districts