Childhood/Early Childhood Education

B.A. in Childhood/Early Childhood Education

This B.A. in Childhood/Early Childhood Education is a combined major designed to allow students to earn an undergraduate degree leading to two initial NYS certifications; Birth to Grade 2 and Grades 1 to Grade 6. Students complete coursework and field experiences which provide opportunities for developing knowledge about the teaching profession and how to effectively teach young children.

Program Requirements Department Page Faculty

Outcomes

Students will be able to:

demonstrate the ability to develop an interdisciplinary learning segment that incorporates various learning modalities that support early childhood learning.
deliver a presentation which demonstrates proficiency in analyzing a world culture or a global issue impacting society that will promote P-6 students’ abilities to gain an understanding of the culturally diverse world in which they live.
demonstrate the ability to develop and teach a data driven learning segment based upon P-6 student work samples which represent various patterns of learning.
plan and use developmentally appropriate materials, activities, instructional strategies and technology in their daily lesson plans for P-12 learners.

Career Outlook

Employment of kindergarten and elementary school teachers is projected to grow by 4 percent over the next 10 years. Pay for elementary school teachers in New York is among the highest in the nation. Employment of preschool teachers is projected to grow by 15 percent. Pay for preschool teachers in New York is among the highest in the nation.

Inquire today:

"SUNY Potsdam gave me more than I expected and it turned me into the teacher I am today. The professors were a great help and I can't thank them enough."

Miryam Veliz Calderon ’20 & ’21

The Evolution of Literacy

It starts with a single word—but it’s part of a larger transformation in literacy education. Through the Reading Ready program, SUNY Potsdam students are working one-on-one with local children to build foundational reading skills and confidence.

Classroom Calling

Through immersive field experiences—from the Bears Literacy Program to full-time student teaching—Emily Jordan ’26 is gaining the skills, confidence and compassion to help young learners grow, one lesson at a time, as she prepares for a career in early childhood education.

Becoming an Educator

Building on teaching experiences in her father’s kindergarten classroom throughout her youth, Hannah McArthur ’25 is now pursuing a degree in early childhood/childhood education, and gaining valuable real-world experience through numerous elementary school classroom placements around New York state.

Becoming a Literacy Leader

After graduating with a degree in early childhood / childhood education, Karina Antonio ’20 & ’22 spent a year working as a pre-school teacher before returning to SUNY Potsdam to pursue a master’s degree in literacy. A first-generation college student, and the first person in her family to receive a master’s degree, Antonio’s passion for education is fueled by her desire to see her students succeed.

Teaching in Australia

With a tank of air on her back and fins on her feet, Natalia Anapolis ’20 stepped into the Coral Sea off the coast of Australia. The scuba diving adventure was a completely new experience for her—foreshadowing her work in Australia over the next few weeks as she stepped into a classroom for her first time as a student teacher. Last fall, Anapolis spent 13 weeks Down Under as part of an education program in Australia where she completed her first student teaching placement as part of her degree in childhood/early childhood education.