Post Baccalaureate Early Childhood Education Licensing (CAGS)

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Adult students who have already earned a regionally accredited bachelor’s degree may qualify for admission to the Early Childhood Education Licensing program. Within the context of a Christian worldview, the Post Baccalaureate Early Childhood Education Licensing program provides a challenging, theory-based and application-oriented approach to education. Students acquire knowledge, develop skills and demonstrate competencies necessary to teach effectively in public and private schools. Courses and field experiences develop educators who are dedicated to addressing diverse learner needs with excellence through servant-leadership in their field and in society.

The master teacher emphasis enhances the student’s teaching abilities throughout the study of curriculum development, program assessment, psychological foundations of teaching methods, group dynamics, and critical thinking skills. These principles are then put into practical application with the student gaining hands-on experience in the classroom. This combination of conceptual knowledge applied in real-world classroom experiences contributes to the student’s development as a master teacher.

Students who satisfactorily complete all requirements of the Post Baccalaureate Early Childhood Education Licensing program are qualified to teach in preschool through third grade in Colorado. Upon successful program completion, graduates apply to the Colorado Department of Education for a teaching license.

Students in the Early Childhood Education Licensing program may apply to the Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction (MACI) . Upon acceptance, two graduate level courses included in the professional core can be applied to the MACI degree.

The Post Baccalaureate Early Childhood Education Licensing program requires completion of a minimum of 71 semester hours as follows:
General Education and Liberal Arts Core (12 credits)
Colorado Christian University (CAGS) Core (9 credits)
Prerequisite Professional Core (6 credits)
Professional Core (44 credits)

General Education and Liberal Arts Core Requirements (12 credit hours)

ENG 102A - English Composition (3)
MAT 110A - Math Concepts (3)
Or other college level math may be used. MAT 212A (Statistics) cannot be used to fulfill general education requirement.
HIS 204A - America since 1877 (3)
Or other Social Science may be used.
BIO 102A - Biological Diversity (3)
Or other Science may be used.

Colorado Christian University (CAGS) Core (9 credit hours)

PHL 215A - Understanding Worldviews (6)
HUM 114A - Early Christian Literature (3)
Or other equivalent Biblical Studies courses may be used.

Requirements for Entrance into the Professional Core:

Completed background check by submitting fingerprints to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for acceptance by the Colorado Department of Education. (Required for program admission in order to be placed in a field experience in a public school.
Cumulative GPA of 3.0. Nine credit hours must be completed at CCU prior to enrolling in education courses.
Interview with Dean of Curriculum and Instruction Education, Program Director or other education staff designee.
All applicants must take and pass the PLACE test in Early Childhood Education and submit test results to CCU prior to enrolling in any education courses. Applicants that do not pass the test may be admitted by the Program Director under conditional admission, retake the test and submit a passing score by the end of the first semester.
Applicants must provide an official transcript of having completed a bachelor’s degree at a regionally accredited university. The transcript must include at least one course in each of these four areas: English composition, college math, science and a social science.
In addition, applicants to an early childhood education program must submit official transcripts of completion of two prerequisite courses at a Colorado community college or other accredited institution of higher education (prerequisites listed below).

Prerequisite Professional Core Requirements (6 credit hours)

Students must demonstrate a foundational background in early childhood education prior to beginning this degree by transferring 6 credits of early childhood education coursework from an accredited university. All students must transfer ECE 205 - Health, Safety, and Nutrition for ECE (3) and the additional 3 credits may be from any 100 level or higher ECE course, except field work or practicum experiences.

ECE 205A - Health, Safety and Nutrition for ECE (3) AND
100 level or higher ECE course (3)

Professional Core Requirements (44 credit hours)

Program Completion Requirements

Passing score on PLACE exam.
Completion of a total of 71 credit hours including: general education, liberal arts, prerequisites, and professional core requirements.
A cumulative CCU grade point average of 3.0 or higher on the University’s 4.0 scale.
Teacher candidates must earn a C- or better in all education cohort core courses, and must consistently demonstrate professional disposition qualities, knowledge and skills in all core courses and field studies. In Student Teaching the teacher candidates must earn a grade of C or better, be assessed as proficient in all Teacher Performance Standards, which includes the Teacher Work Sample and Teaching Evidence Log. Teacher candidates who do not maintain these standards may be dismissed from the program and/ or not be recommended for teacher licensure.
Completion of a License Completion Application.
Compliance with CAGS residency requirements .
Recommendation by the CAGS Division of Curriculum and Instruction Education Dean for Early Childhood Education Licensing by the Colorado Department of Education.
No outstanding financial obligations to the University.