This program is offered in person.
Western Michigan University's B.S. in Early Childhood General and Special Education: Birth through Kindergarten program integrates courses focused on child development, diverse family and community relationships, early childhood education, special education, and content area knowledge and pedagogy. It prepares educators to teach and work with young learners and their families, to meet the socio-emotional needs of the whole child, and to implement developmentally appropriate practices and intensive interventions in response to both typical and atypical development.
Professional learning and experience: An interdisciplinary program structure that anchors professional learning and experience within the disciplines and best practices of early childhood education, family science and special education
Dedicated faculty: Committed interdisciplinary team of faculty readily available to students
Scholarship opportunities: Scholarships available through the College of Education and Human Development and the MIYAC T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship Program
Real-world experience: Multiple clinical experiences with young children, including a final semester internship in early childhood/early childhood special education classrooms
Engage with the field: Valuable networking and professional development opportunities through student and community organizations
Optional endorsements: Graduates are well prepared to add additional special education endorsements (i.e. Autism, Emotional Impairments, Learning Disabilities)
Our dynamic pathway model encourages students to select the preparatory pathway best aligned with their academic interests and career goals. Program offerings prepare students for work in a variety of care, teaching, and service settings with young children. Pathways include options that align with State of Michigan requirements for childcare center directors; the early childhood general and special education (birth through kindergarten) teaching endorsement; and the lower elementary (pre-kindergarten through third grade) teaching endorsement.
Students are encouraged to pursue additional educational opportunities through one of many study abroad options offered by the HPHE department or WMU in general.
All WMU students have the option to stand out with an integrative learning project in one of several pathways including health and wellness, entrepreneurship, leadership and more!
There's simply no substitute for seeing WMU for yourself and experiencing a little slice of what makes WMU so unique and beloved. In-person and virtual tours are available.
The professors put us in classrooms at different schools as soon as we can in the program.
Alexis Reist, current student
The TRIO Future Educator Success Program is a selective program designed to serve teaching majors throughout their time at WMU to help them meet their personal, professional, and educational goals while having fun, meeting new people, and learning skills to help them be successful in college and their future teaching careers.
The Office of Clinical Experiences at Western Michigan University is responsible for the coordination and oversight of all field experiences (internships and student teaching) associated with teacher education curricula.
Western Michigan University's Office of Teacher and Administrator is here to assist you with the application process and aid in preparing you for recommendation for certification.
