Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education - Elementary Education and Special Education

Return to: Academic Programs Offered at Pacific Oaks College

131 Credits

(This BA degree option integrates the preparation for the Dual Credential (Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and the Preliminary Education Specialist Instruction Credential-Mild/Moderate))

Locations

Pasadena, Online, San Jose

Program Overview

The BA ECE-Elementary Education and Special Education degree program integrates the preparation for the Dual Credential (Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and the Preliminary Education Specialist Instruction Credential-Mild/Moderate). This option provides students with a fundamental knowledge base for educating and developing learning environments for young children from TK through eighth grade for the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and from kindergarten through age 22 for the Education Specialist Instruction Credential. In addition to the degree and credential, students select an area of concentration in ECE, Trauma or STEAM.  The curriculum is based on a constructivist framework that is responsive to multiple sources of diversity in early childhood education. As actively engaged participants, candidates in this program learn about essential principles and theories of pedagogy and child development and engage in supervised learning experiences to integrate and apply their knowledge. Learning experiences throughout the curriculum are characterized by inquiry, self-reflection, collaboration with others, and problem-solving.

Acknowledging multiple influences on child development and learning, the program emphasizes the importance of developing respectful and reciprocal relationships to create supportive and challenging learning environments. Coursework focuses on strategies of inclusion, issues of equity, social justice, and cultural competence. In addition, principles of development theory and the standards of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing are incorporated into the program:

1. Teachers are committed to students and their learning.
2. Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach these subjects.
3. Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.
4. Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.
5. Teachers are members of learning communities.

As a result, candidates are prepared for a California Teacher Credential.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Define early childhood national trends and recall theories and research-based educational and administrative practices in education and educational leadership.
2. Conduct observations for typically and atypically developing children in an early childhood setting. Utilize various assessments tools and inquiry strategies to assess potential cultural bias and stereotypes.
3. Generate, implement and evaluate educational curriculums for the cognitive, social, and emotional needs of students in an early childhood environment.
4. Design and implement outcome-based learning experiences using action research for the teaching and learning of students in an early childhood classroom.
5. Apply critical thinking and creative processes through an ethical and professional decision-making working with children, families, communities and educational leadership in the early childhood field.
6. Examine and demonstrate research-based practices through the use of technology, instructional strategies, and standard-aligned curriculum to construct comprehensible subject-matter content for the teaching and learning of our diverse student populations.
7. Identify, formulate, and apply formative and summative assessments to monitor and assess the learning of students through direct and indirect evidence.
8. Examine and integrate a culturally responsive pedagogy through best practices for the connecting, engaging and supporting of student-based practices through the use of technology, instructional strategies, and standard-aligned curriculum to construct comprehensible subject-matter content for the teaching and learning of our diverse student populations.
9. Identify, formulate, and apply formative and summative assessments to monitor and assess the learning of students through direct and indirect evidence.
10. Examine and integrate a culturally responsive pedagogy through best practices for the connecting, engaging and supporting of students’ cognitive, emotional, social, and physical aspect for the sustainment of educational equity with our diverse student populations.
11. Design curricula and plan instruction through the immersion of a culture-centered learning framework utilizing the students’ background knowledge to teach, adapt, and support the teaching and learning of all student learners.
12. Demonstrate the use of effective strategies to create and maintaining effective environments to connect meaningful subject-matter and promote students’ life experiences for teaching and learning of diverse student populations. 
13. Reflect and articulate through effective communication, collaboration, and engagement with parents/care-givers, teachers, administrators, and community members for the continued development as a professional educator.
14. Articulate and recognize state and federal mandates, legal requirements for assessment, Individualized Family Service Program (IFSP), Individualized Education Program (IEP) development and monitoring, services, and instruction of students with disabilities.
15. Examine cross-cultural educational issues in order to determine instructional and assessment strategies that enhance learning of students with mild/moderate disability.
16. Integrate research based best practices into instruction of students with mild/moderate disability.
17. Communicate, collaborate and consult effectively with individuals with disabilities and their parents, general/special education teachers, related service personnel, and administrators.
18. Demonstrate knowledge and the ability to implement systems that assess, plan, and provide academic and social skill instruction to support positive behavior in students with mild/moderate disabilities.
19. Use effective methods for teaching of reading, speaking, listening, written language, and mathematics to insure access to general education curriculum across settings.

Program-Specific Admission Requirements

Application Requirements and Standards:

Factors and materials to be considered for admission will include:  

• Completed application and $55 application fee  
• Applicants must provide proof of the qualifying conferral of high school graduation (or the equivalent) or proof of successful completion of a minimum of 24 semester credits at a regionally accredited post-secondary institution. Proof of qualifying academic history must be provided in one of the following ways:  
  • Official high school transcript recognized by the U.S. Department of Education showing an earned high school diploma, 2.0 GPA or higher, and date of graduation. A copy of a high school diploma, if transcripts are not immediately available, can be submitted with a contingency that original transcripts will be on file prior to day 5 of the term/semester of entry. Financial aid will not be disbursed until the compliant documentation is received.  
  • Official college transcript with 24 credits of transferable credits with a grade of C or better.
  • Official Associate degree transcript from a regionally-accredited institution showing degree earned and date conferred  
  • Official college transcript from a regionally-accredited institution that contains the high school name and date of graduation  
  • Official NACES, ACREVS or AICE evaluation of an international diploma that contains the high school name and date of graduation  
  • High school equivalency completed through home schooling as defined by state law  
  • Official General Educational Development (GED) document. A copy of the student’s GED Certificate, or unofficial GED score issued by the state, can be submitted with a contingency that the Official GED document will be on file prior to day 5 of the term/semester of entry. Financial aid will not be disbursed until the compliant documentation is received.  
  • Official Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) document  
  • Official High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) document  
  • Official documentation showing a passing score on a state-authorized exam that the state recognizes as equivalent to high school graduation  

• Applicants must submit a resume showing three or more years of significant professional or life experience or an official transcript confirming 24 transferrable credits from a regionally accredited university.
• Personal statement

Applicants with a cumulative high-school or undergraduate GPA below 2.0, or with less than 24 transferrable college credits, without three years of significant professional or life experience, are required to submit additional documentation:  

• One letter of support from someone (a non-relative) familiar with your ability to be successful in this program

• An additional essay three pages, double spaced typed (approximately 500-750 words). In your essay, please answer the following question:  
  • What life and professional experience do you possess that would enable you to be successful in the Pacific Oaks classroom focused on application of experience to course content.  
  • Why it is important to you to study this discipline at a school that emphasizes social justice, cultural humility and respect for every individual (refer to the Mission and Vision statement of Pacific Oaks College).  

• Interview with a member of the Admissions Committee
• Successfully meet the Basic Skills Requirement (e.g., California Basic Education Skills Test or CBEST)*
• Proof of registration or payment for the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET: Multiple Subjects; i.e., Subtests I, II, and III) with test dates in the first six months of initial enrollment*

*   For students transferring 40 or more credits at point of admissions

Please note: Prior coursework will be evaluated as part of the Admissions process.

Number of Admit Terms per Year:

Ground (3)

• Fall I
• Spring I
• Summer I

Online (3)

• Fall Session I
• Spring Session I
• Summer Session I

Credential Program Admissions Process

In addition to the Admission requirements listed in the Admissions sections of this catalog, applicants to all of Pacific Oaks’ Credential programs must comply with the following Admissions procedures by the end of the first semester of enrollment in order to be fully admitted to the program and able to register for subsequent classes:

• Candidates must obtain and submit verification of a Certificate of Clearance, or hold a valid CTC-issued permit or Credential. The Certificate of Clearance is a document that verifies the candidate has completed the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing fingerprint, character, and identification process. Candidates are required to obtain a Certificate of Clearance or other CTC-issued permit prior to scheduling any coursework with a field experience component and/or prior to clinical practice.
• Candidates are also required to submit a negative TB test (skin tests are valid for four years) prior to scheduling any coursework with a practicum observation component and/or prior to clinical practice/student teaching.
• Candidates who have coursework from other colleges/universities that may meet coursework requirements at Pacific Oaks should contact their faculty advisor for transcript review and approval by the Dean of the School of Education.
• Candidates with international degrees who do not hold a U.S.-approved bachelor’s degree or higher except in professional education must receive an evaluation from a CTC-approved international evaluation agency before being admitted to the College and starting the first course.

Program Requirements

A minimum of 131 semester credits is required to earn the Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education-Elementary Education and Special Education with a Dual Credential (Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and Preliminary Education Specialist Instruction Credential-Mild/Moderate). In addition to the degree and credential, students select an area of concentration in ECE, Trauma or STEAM.  A minimum of 73 of those credits must be completed through Pacific Oaks course work to fulfill the requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education - Elementary Education and Special Education with the Dual Credential option. Applicants should have at least 60 transferable semester credits to complete this B.A. degree. Candidates in this program will complete an ePortfolio in Task Stream. The portfolio is comprised of signature assignments and other assignments completed and or collected by the candidate throughout their credential program coursework. Degree will be conferred upon successful completion of academic coursework.  Recommendation for credential will be submitted to CTC upon completion of all credential requirements.

Prior to registering for classes, it is recommended that students meet with their Faculty Advisor to identify the appropriate classes to take and to review their progress towards degree completion.

All ground courses are considered Blended as each has an online component (Canvas and Taskstream).

Program Advising

Every student has an assigned faculty advisor who is available to provide program specific advisement related to a specific program field. These advisors are a resource for specific questions candidates may have about classes and curriculum.

Every student has access to the Credential Analyst to help navigate the specifics of the state credentialing requirements. These requirements can vary and are in constant flux due to changing legislation and the dynamic nature of public Education. It is very important for candidates to work closely with the Credential Analyst to understand and educate themselves on the specifics of their particular credentialing requirements.

Portfolio

Candidates in Credential programs will complete an electronic portfolio on Taskstream. The portfolio is comprised of signature assignments and other assignments completed by the candidate throughout their program coursework. Satisfactory evaluation of the portfolio is required in order for degree conferral. A bachelor’s degree is a requirement for the Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and Preliminary Education Specialist Instruction Credential.

The Student Agreement

To ensure that graduates of Pacific Oaks’ teaching Credential programs are able to meet the legal requirements of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), all applicants for Admission to Credential programs must enter into a student agreement.

The student agreement gives Pacific Oaks the right to suspend or terminate the candidate’s participation in the Credential program upon showing that the candidate has:

• Committed acts or engaged in conduct that could constitute Grounds for denial of a Credential;
• Failed to demonstrate the requisite skills and qualifications to satisfy the requirements for a Credential;

or

• Demonstrated other qualities or behaviors enumerated in the student agreement inconsistent with Pacific Oaks’ recommendation of the candidate for an Education Credential. The student agreement also authorizes Pacific Oaks to release to the Commission all pertinent information pertaining to the candidate’s qualification or fitness for a Credential.

Student Assistance, Notice of Need to Improve, And Dismissal from School of Education Programs

Pacific Oaks is committed to maintaining quality Standards throughout its Credential programs and to graduating competent professional educators. As required by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), Pacific Oaks identifies and assists candidates who need special assistance and retains in its programs only those candidates who are suited for entry to or advancement in the Education profession. The CTC is charged by the state with evaluating the moral character and fitness of all persons who wish to teach or perform certified services in California public schools. Every person who is an applicant for, or who now holds any Credential, certificate, permit, or license authorizing service in California public schools is answerable to the CTC and the Committee on Credentials for his or her fitness-related conduct. California’s Laws and Rules Pertaining to the Discipline of Professional Certificated Personnel (2002), available on the CTC website at www.ctc.ca.gov, address legal, ethical, and behavioral Standards to which all such persons must adhere.

If a candidate is identified as being deficient or needing assistance to meet program standards at any point during his or her program, the candidate’s instructor of record during coursework or fieldwork supervisor during a fieldwork assignment will issue the candidate a Need for Improvement Plan. The plan will indicate one of three possible actions that the instructor/supervisor intends to recommend to the lead faculty in the program:

1. The candidate is identified as needing improvement in designated areas. A plan of improvement, with an expected date of completion, is attached to the form. The candidate will be permitted to continue taking classes or continue in his/her fieldwork assignment while completing the plan.
2. The candidate is identified as needing improvement in designated areas. A plan of improvement, with an expected date of completion, is attached to the form.
3. The candidate receives a failing grade in the class or an unsatisfactory grade in the fieldwork assignment. The candidate will not be permitted to continue taking classes or continue in his/her fieldwork assignment until the plan is completed and the class or fieldwork assignment is re-taken, at the candidate’s expense.
4. The candidate is identified as being unsuited for the Education profession and is recommended for dismissal from the program.
5. Upon receiving a Candidate Assistance Plan, the candidate will meet with his/her instructor of record, fieldwork supervisor, and/or other faculty or administration. This Candidate Assistance Team will discuss any recommended plan of improvement with the candidate and will later meet with the candidate to evaluate the candidate’s performance of the expectations listed on the plan.

If the candidate is allowed to continue in the program and receives a second unsatisfactory grade in a practicum or student teaching assignment, the candidate will be recommended for dismissal from the program. The process for a hearing and appeal, upon recommendation for dismissal from a program, is outlined in the Policies and Procedures section of this catalog.

Fieldwork and Clinical Practice

Fieldwork consists of practicum observation and supervised clinical practice/student teaching. A negative TB test and Certificate of Clearance or other CTC-issued permit are requirements for both experiences. Credential candidates must complete 75 hours of practicum prior to student teaching. These hours are distributed in five to fifteen hour increments across seven core credential courses.

Student teaching is the culminating clinical practice experience and is undertaken during a candidate’s final semester. Student teaching is full-time, typically unpaid, and performed under the guidance of a seasoned mentor teacher. The Credentials Office coordinates all student teaching placements and mentor teacher assignments in conjunction with districts and/or school sites. The following prerequisites must be met by March 1 for fall semester placement or October 1 for spring semester placement:

• receive faculty advisor approval to student teach;
• satisfy the Basic Skills Requirement (e.g., CBEST);
• obtain a valid Certificate of Clearance or any other California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)-issued permit;
• obtain a valid negative TB Test;
• demonstrate subject matter competence with passing CSET: Multiple Subjects scores (Subtest I, II, III);
• maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or above in credential coursework;
• submit a Student Teaching Application by the appropriate deadline; and
• complete a Student Teaching Interview.

The above requirements will be verified by the Credentials Office prior to approving a candidate’s Student Teaching application for fall or spring. Once a candidate’s placement is confirmed, the candidate and mentor teacher will be required to attend a mandatory Student Teaching Orientation.

Graduation Requirements

Students are required to submit the Petition for Degree Completion and fee to the Office of the Registrar the semester before they anticipate completing their degree requirements. Students must submit the application, settle all outstanding fees with the Student Finance Office, satisfy any deficiencies, and be in good standing in their program for the bachelor’s degree to be awarded. Degree will be conferred upon successful completion of academic coursework.  Recommendation for credential will be submitted to CTC upon completion of all credential requirements. 

Note: A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above in credential coursework is required for the credential.