This flexible bachelor's degree offers you an opportunity to design a plan of studies, in consultation with an advisor, to meet your individual educational needs. You may choose this degree if you plan to enter an occupation that requires a broad general education, if you are seeking career advancement or personal intellectual enrichment, or if you are considering a preprofessional plan.
Do you want to work with preschool and primary school-aged children? Do you plan to enter an occupation that requires a broad general education? Are you seeking career advancement or personal intellectual enrichment? Are you considering a pre-professional plan? Our degree will enhance your teaching skills and will prepare you to succeed. We have a flexible program that will help you accomplish those goals.
The College of Education is technologically advanced, culturally responsive, and student-focused. Small class sizes guarantee that you will receive lots of individual attention. You'll also do plenty of classroom teaching.
To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 120 |
| Major GPA | C |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MAT 114 |
| Foreign Language | Optional |
| University Honors Program | Optional |
| Progression Plan Link | View Progression Plan |
Purpose Statement
The Interdisciplinary Studies, Early Childhood Education degree program provides students with a framework for entering an occupation that requires a broad general education, for seeking career advancement or personal intellectual enrichment, or for considering a pre-professional plan. This program’s major requirements include an early childhood specialization, the option of a concentration, minor, or certificate, and interdisciplinary coursework in the areas of communication, language or science, and computer literacy.
This flexible bachelor’s degree offers students the opportunity to design a plan of studies, in consultation with an advisor, to meet individual educational needs, and the purpose of this degree, which does not lead to teacher certification, is to provide a general knowledge of child development, early literacy development, and preschool curriculum and assessment. Students who complete this program will have an early childhood education background that will enrich them both personally and professionally. This degree does not lead to teacher certification.
Student Learning Outcomes
This major requires 63 - 74 units distributed as follows:
Multi-use of coursework is not permitted within the Major Requirements. Major Requirements include Specialization, Communication, Computer Literacy, Language and Science.
Take the following 63 - 74 units with a Grade of "C" or better in each course:
Early Childhood Specialization (24 units)
If you wish to transfer credit from community colleges into this Specialization, you may only use courses designated in the Arizona Higher Education Course Equivalency Guide (AGEC) as either Direct Course Equivalencies or as Departmental Elective Credit. Courses transferred from institutions outside Arizona or from Arizona colleges or universities that don't have formal articulation agreements with Northern Arizona University require the approval of the department chair.
Communication Requirements (6 units)
Select 3 units from each the following two categories (6 units)
Please note that you cannot use CLEP or locally prepared exams to satisfy this requirement. Transfer credit used to satisfy this requirement must be approved by the program director.
Foreign Language Requirement Option (19 units)
Science Requirement Option (18 units)
Concentration (15 units)
Take at least 15 units that include a minimum of 3 units in each of the follow ing blocks: Ethical Reasoning; Creative Inquiry; Scientific Reasoning; Changing Worlds; and Cultural Perspectives. Courses used to satisfy this requirement may not have been used to satisfy any other requirement for this degree. At least 9 units must be taken at Northern Arizona University and at least 6 units of the 9 units must be upper-division (300 or 400-level).
Changing Worlds, select from the following (3 units)
Cultural Perspectives, select from the following (3 units)
Certificate (15 units)
You may also fulfill this requirement by completing a certificate outside your specialization field, instead of either a concentration or a minor.
The certificate, which will require at least 15 units, must be completed according to the requirements listed in your catalog of graduation. Refer to specific academic areas within this catalog for information about the coursework requirements for specific certificate(s) you may be interested in.
Not all certificates are available statewide or online.
Minor (18 units)
You may also fulfill this requirement by completing a minor outside your specialization field, instead of either a concentration or certificate.
The minor, which will require at least 18 units, must be completed according to the requirements listed in your catalog of graduation. Refer to specific academic areas within this catalog for information about the coursework requirements for specific minors you may be interested in.
Not all minors are available statewide or online.
Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.
We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.