If you love working with young children, Madonna University offers a major in Early Childhood Education. This program prepares you to earn the Early Childhood and Special Education Endorsement (ZS). The Early Childhood major, taken together with the Early Elementary major, will prepare you to teach children from birth through fifth grade. This is the major for you if you are seeking a career as a classroom teacher (primarily for preschool through third grade). Some of our graduates choose to pursue careers as directors of childcare programs, preschools, or other positions in the field of early education.
 
Note: For those who wish to work with children from birth through age five, a Child Development major may be the program for you.

You are about to make an important decision about your future. When making the decision which university to attend in order to earn your early childhood degree, there are multiple reasons why Madonna should be at the top of your list:

• You’ll be attending a program accredited by the state of Michigan.
• You can develop personal relationships with faculty who care deeply about your success.
• Because of the depth of our program and our reputation, Madonna’s graduates are highly thought of by area schools.
• You’ll have the opportunity to participate in one or more clubs specific to the field of education: 1) the Madonna Early Childhood Club, an affiliate of NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). MECC is an interactive and friendly group that participates in educational activities and community service. 2) Society for Future Teachers (SFT), where you’ll meet others who have a strong interest in teaching; and 3) Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), an honor society for educators
• Our small class sizes ensure that you receive personal attention.
• Some courses are offered in the late afternoon and evenings to accommodate a variety of schedules.

What you learn
In the Early Childhood program, you will learn about the growth and development of children from the prenatal stage through early elementary. You’ll learn about different theories of child development, learning theories, and how to create learning environments and activities that are respectful, supportive and challenging for all children. You’ll also learn to plan and individualize learning experiences, assess environments, and develop materials and activities to facilitate emotional, social, cognitive, and physical growth and development for both typically and atypically developing children.

You can learn more about the classes you’ll take from the Plan of Study.

Visit the Elementary Education page to learn more about the program.

What you can earn
This program of study will prepare you to teach children from birth through age eight. It is designed to prepare you for the ZS (Early Childhood and Special Education) Endorsement exam. Upon completion of the program and successfully passing the state test, you’ll earn the Early Childhood Endorsement, which will be added to your Elementary teaching certificate.

For more information, contact
Dr. Mary Tomczyk
Director, Early Childhood and Child Development
marytomczyk@madonna.edu
734-432-5536

For information on teacher certification, please contact Nora Baker in the College of Education at nbaker@madonna.edu or at 734-432-5647.