2025-2026

Early Childhood Education - Non-Certification 90-30, Bachelor of Science

Department of Teaching and Learning

College of Education

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 pre-professional plan.

  • 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 general studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.

    • All of Northern Arizona University's general studies, junior-level writing, and capstone requirements.
    • All requirements for your specific academic plan(s).
    • At least 30 units of upper-division courses, which may include transfer work.
    • At least 30 units of coursework taken through Northern Arizona University, of which at least 18 must be upper-division courses (300-level or above). This requirement is not met by credit-by-exam, retro-credits, transfer coursework, etc.
    • A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on all work attempted at Northern Arizona University.

    The full policy can be viewed here.

In addition to University Requirements:

  • Students may transfer up to 90 units of community college and/or university credit from regionally accredited institutions of higher education.

  • 30 units of Early Childhood Education Requirements.

  • Up to 9 units of major prefix courses may be used to satisfy General Studies Requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy major requirements.

  • Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units.

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
Fieldwork Experience/Internship Optional
University Honors Program Optional
Some online/blended coursework Required
Progression Plan Link Not Available

Purpose Statement

This 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

  • Know and understand young children's characteristics and needs, from birth through age 8.
  • Know and understand the multiple influences on early development and learning. 
  • Use developmental knowledge to create healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging learning environments for young children. 
  • Know about and understand diverse family and community characteristics. 
  • Support and engage families and communities through respectful, reciprocal relationships. 
  • Involve families and communities in young children's development and learning. 
  • Understand the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment including its use in development of appropriate goals, curriculum, and teaching strategies for young children. 
  • Know about and use observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment tools and approaches, including the use of technology in documentation, assessment and data collection. 
  • Know about and practice responsible assessment to promote positive outcomes for each child, including the use of assistive technology for children with disabilities.

Transfer Block
    • Students may transfer up to 90 units of community college and/or university credit from regionally accredited institutions of higher education.
General Studies Requirement
    • Up to 9 units of major prefix courses may be used to satisfy General Studies Requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy major requirements.
    • Students who have completed the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) from an Arizona public or tribal community college, the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC), or California State University General Education (CSUGE) from a California public community college are considered to have satisfied NAU's General Studies and Foundation requirements as well as the US Ethnic and Global Diversity requirements.
Major Requirements

  • All major requirements must be completed at Northern Arizona University.

  • Take the following 30 units: 
    The following coursework must be completed with a Grade of "C" or better.

General Electives

  • 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 General Studies Requirements.

    We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.

Additional Information

  • Some courses may have prerequisites. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.