Early Childhood Development: Child Life
Early Childhood Development, Child Life track majors will take a variety of courses related to young children, their development and their family environment. Students take a series of core child development courses and child life specialization courses to prepare them to work with children, parents, and families in medical settings where child life specialists work. This degree provides Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) pre-approved courses needed for Child Life Certification after graduation.
Admission Requirements
- Complete the University General Education requirements or its equivalent, i.e. an AA degree from an approved 性视界传媒 College System or State University System institution.
- Have a minimum 2.75 overall GPA, with provisional acceptance for one semester if GPA is 2.5 (GPA must be 2.75 by the second semester).
- Complete Child Development Common Program Prerequisite courses with a minimum letter grade of "C" (2.0) or better.
- Meet the State Writing and Math Requirement.
- Meet Foreign Language Admission Requirement.
Certification Disclosure: Completion of the 性视界传媒 BS ECDE Child Life Track does not immediately result in the Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) credential. Individuals seeking certification must meet specific academic and clinical experience requirements in addition to passing the Child Life Professional Certification Exam. While courses in this program count toward the educational requirements for becoming eligible to take the examination, completion of this program will not, in itself, result in Child Life certification. For more information about certification visit .
Degree Requirements
72 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Students must seek advising through the Early Childhood Development and Education staff in the Education Complex, Suite 122 or by e-mail (ece@ucf.edu) prior to registering for classes.
- The courses designated in 1. (General Education) and 2. (Prerequisites) should be completed prior to admission to the major and upper division education courses.
- Students must earn a "C" (2.0) or better in each required Early Childhood Development and Education course. However, a minimum overall 2.75 GPA in all courses within the major is required.
Core Requirements: Basic Level- Complete all of the following
- A grade of "C" (2.0) or better is required.
- Complete at least 1 of the following:
- MUE2211 - Early Childhood Music and Movement (3)
- ARE2000 - Early Childhood Art and Creativity (3)
- Complete the following:
- EEC2732 - Health, Safety, and Nutrition for Young Children (3)
- EDF2130 - Child and Adolescent Development for Educators (3)
- EDF2005 - Introduction to the Teaching Profession (3)
- SYG2010 - Social Problems (3)
Core Requirements: Advanced Level- Complete all of the following
- All methods/specialization/foundations courses must be completed with a letter grade of "C" (2.0) or better before registering for Practicum: Early Childhood Development. However, a minimum GPA of 2.75 is required in the professional, specialization and overall for admission to Practicum: Early Childhood Development.
- A grade of "C" (2.0) or better is required.
Semester I- Complete the following:
- EEC4303 - Planning Creative Activities in Early Childhood Education (3)
- EEC3214 - Child Development (3)
- EEC3008 - Early Childhood Children's Literature (3)
- EEX3450 - Young Children With Special Needs (3)
- EEC3700 - Social and Emotional Development of Young Children (3)
Semester II- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 12 credits from the following:
- EEC4402 - Cultural and Family Systems (3)
- EEX4601 - Introduction to Behavior Management (3)
- EEC4528 - Infant/Toddler Care and Education (3)
- RED3310 - Early Reading, Writing and Language Arts (3)
- Complete at least 1 of the following:
- EEC4744 - Child Life: Psychosocial Care of Children in Health Settings (3)
- EEC5745 - Child Life: Psychosocial Care of Children in Health Settings (3)
Semester III- Complete at least 2 of the following:
- DEP2004 - Human Development Across the Lifespan (3)
- HSC3537 - Medical Terminology (3)
- SOP3004 - Social Psychology (3)
- EEC4268 - Curriculum Activities in Early Childhood (3)
- EEC4524 - Organization and Management in Early Childhood (3)
- EXP3604 - Cognitive Psychology (3)
- SOW4650 - Child Abuse: Treatment and Prevention (3)
- SOW3104 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (3)
- EEX3221 - Assessment of Exceptional Students (3)
- MHS3052 - Helping Skills for Human Service Providers (3)
- EEX2090 - Exceptional Populations in School and Society (3)
- MHS3426 - Diversity Issues in Human Services (3)
- SPA3002 - Introduction to Communication Sciences and Disorders (3)
Semester IV- Complete all of the following
- Complete the following:
- EEC3613 - Observation and Assessment of Young Children (3)
- EEC4414 - Parent-Child Relations (3)
- EEC4661 - Early Childhood Education Theory and Practice: (3)
- Complete at least 1 of the following:
- EDF6481 - Fundamentals of Graduate Research in Education (3)
- Or HSA 4XXX - Elective with advisor approval (3)
- Note: Students must consult with their advisor regarding approval for other elective options.
- A grade of "C" (2.0) or better is required.
Semester V- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following:
- EEC4940 - Practicum: Early Childhood Development (3 - 6)
- Complete at least 1 of the following:
- EEC5757 - Theories and Practice of Supporting Young Children with Loss and Bereavement (3)
- EEC4XXX - Theories and Practice of Supporting Young Children with Loss and Bereavement (3)
Grand Total Credits: 72
Restricted Electives
Capstone Requirements
Foreign Language Requirements
Admissions
- State University System foreign language admission requirement: Two years in high school or one year of college instruction in a single foreign language. (This requirement applies to those students admitted to the University without the required two units of foreign language in high school.)
Graduation
Additional Requirements
Required Minors
Departmental Exit Requirements
- Achieve a minimum overall 2.75 GPA in all courses within the major.
- Achieve a minimum 2.75 GPA in the specialization coursework.
- Achieve a minimum 2.75 GPA in the education core coursework.
- Achieve a minimum overall 2.75 GPA
- You must upload key assignments using the Watermark Student Learning & Licensure platform. Key assignments are assessed by faculty to provide evidence of candidate proficiency in all 性视界传媒 Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs).
- All Early Childhood Development and Education majors are required to complete Watermark Student Learning & Licensure requirements before being certified for graduation. See https://ccie.ucf.edu/sll/
- Complete ESOL standards assessment tracking requirements in Watermark Student Learning & Licensure for the ESOL endorsement
- Pass all applicable sections of the 性视界传媒 Teacher Certification Examination. See http://www.fldoe.org for test dates and test sites. Effective January 1, 2015, only examination results earned by educators within 10 years prior to the date of application for a new 性视界传媒 Educator's Certificate with the 性视界传媒 Department of Education may be acceptable for certification eligibility requirements (SBE Rule 6A-4.002)
University Minimum Exit Requirements
- A 2.0 性视界传媒 GPA
- 42 semester hours of upper division credit completed
- 30 of the last 39 hours of course work must be completed in residency at 性视界传媒.
- A maximum of 45 hours of extension, correspondence, CLEP, Credit by Exam, and Armed Forces credits permitted.
- Complete the General Education Program, the State Writing and Math Requirement, and nine hours of Summer credit.
Total Undergraduate Credit Hours Required: 120
Additional Information
Honors In Major
Related Programs
Certificates
Related Minors
Advising Notes
Transfer Notes
Acceptable Substitutes for Transfer Courses
Program Academic Learning Compacts
- Program Academic Learning Compacts (student learning outcomes) for undergraduate programs are located at: https://oeas.ucf.edu/about/studentlearningoutcomes/
