Early Childhood Education (BA)
Welcome to the Early Childhood Education (BA) program home page. Use this page as a guide to the program from acceptance to graduation.
This program is designed to prepare prospective teachers to serve as high-quality educators for students in urban schools and other childcare settings. Teacher candidates will take a specified sequence of education courses in addition to fulfilling the CUNY Common Core Requirement and the requirements of their liberal arts or sciences major. These programs include fieldwork in New York City Public schools.
Academic Plan
Total Credits
This is a 42-credit program in which students complete the course sequence over four or six semesters.
Advisors
- Carmen Brown, Faculty Advisor
- Nora McCormick, Administrative Advisor
- Elizabeth Harrison, Clinical Placement Specialist
New Education Majors
Getting Started
Welcome to the School of Education! Visit the New Education Majors page for next steps.
New Education Majors Support
If at any point you need support, please reach out to our New Student Liaison at newsoest@hunter.cuny.edu or make an appointment.
Fingerprint Clearance Requirements
All students in teacher preparation programs as well as programs in school counseling need to be fingerprinted so that they are cleared to work with children in various settings including New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) public schools, charter networks, and other organizations. Visit the Fingerprinting page for requirements and procedures.
Program Sequence
The program sequence provides a suggested order of courses for the program based on start date. For technical registration support and troubleshooting, please visit the Register for Classes page.
Hunter College Catalog
To review descriptions of specific courses and academic progress standards for the program along with exit requirements please use the course catalog for the year you were admitted to the program.
Course Catalog Summer 2022 onward
Course Catalog prior to Summer 2022
Clinical Experiences
Students in the Early Childhood Education (BA) program participate in developmental field experiences (fieldwork), and supervised teaching (student teaching) to meet three age group requirements, birth to four years; kindergarten; and first or second grade.
Fieldwork
Fieldwork is a classroom experience in a New York City Public School in conjunction with a course. Select courses have fieldwork requirements.
Placement
For fieldwork courses requiring 10 days or 50 hours or more, students must apply to the Office of Clinical Experience. Students will be placed at a Hunter College partner school in New York City including community based preschools, and New York City public Pre-Ks and grade one or two classrooms.
Application
Students must apply for the following courses with fieldwork components through the Office of Clinical Experiences before registering:
Registration and Placement Process
- The Office of Clinical Experiences reviews applications for eligibility.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences grants registration permission and notifies students via their myhunter.cuny.edu email address one week before registration opens.
- Student registers for course once permission granted.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences places students at a Hunter College School of Education partner site and notifies them via myhunter.cuny.edu email address.
Supervised Teaching: Student Teaching
Students participate in supervised teaching (student teaching) as the culmination of their course of study. Student teaching requires five full days per week for one semester. Students are observed by Hunter College Clinical Supervisors throughout the semester.
Required Exams
Students must pass the following New York State exams before registration permission is granted for student teaching:
- Educating All Students (EAS)
- Content Specialty Test (CST) – Multi-Subjects : Teacher of Early Childhood Birth-Grade 2 (Parts 1-3)
Placement
Students apply for student teaching for placement by the Office of Clinical Experience with a cooperating teacher/mentor at a Hunter College Partner School in New York City. Students teach alongside the cooperating teacher/mentor throughout the semester.
Application
All students must apply for student teaching through the Office of Clinical Experiences.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester: April 1st
- Spring Semester: November 1st
- Summer Semester: N/A
Registration and Placement Process
- The Office of Clinical Experiences reviews student teaching/practicum applications for eligibility.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences grants registration permission.
- One week before each semester registration opens, the Office of Clinical Experiences informs students of next steps through their myhunter.cuny.edu email.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences will place students at a Hunter College School of Education partner site in New York City and notify their myhunter.cuny.edu email.
Internship Certificate
Current students who are eligible for practicum and secure a teaching position that requires NYS certification may apply for an internship certificate. Students must apply for practicum first and will only receive instructions thereafter.
Visit the Internship Certificate page for eligibility requirements and application processes and procedures.
Supervised Teaching Time Record Form
Certification and Licensure
The Early Childhood, Birth through Grade 2 undergraduate teacher education program prepares students to become New York State certified teachers of Early Childhood Education. Visit the Certification and Licensure page for information and support.
Graduation
Graduation is the official completion of your program and conferral of an academic degree. In order to graduate, students must apply for graduation using CUNYFirst the semester before the semester of their planned graduation and complete any outstanding requirements by the stated deadlines. Visit the Graduation and Commencement page for complete information.