Donna L. Graham
Director
118 Home Economics Building
479-575-4305
Laura Herold
Program Coordinator
16A Home Economics Building
479-575-5162
The major in Birth through Kindergarten prepares educators to teach infants, toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarteners including those children with disabilities. The program offers students a chance to work in settings that serve young children, including public schools, early-intervention programs, child care and education centers, and residential placement centers. Successful completion of this degree, as specified in the requirements for a major in Birth through Kindergarten, leads to Arkansas’ Integrated Birth through Kindergarten/Special Education teacher license.
Passing scores on the Praxis Core (Reading, Writing, and Math) or equivalent ACT, SAT or GRE scores are a requirement for formal admission into the Birth through Kindergarten major. Passing scores on the relevant Praxis Content exams (Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education 5023, Education of Young Children 5024 and Principles of Learning and Teaching: Early Childhood 5621) are requirements for teacher licensure. Other specific application procedures and degree requirements are available from Birth through Kindergarten faculty advisers.
Requirements for a major in Birth through Kindergarten (BRKD)
State minimum core and discipline specific general education requirements: (Course work that meets state minimum core requirements is in bold.)
| University Perspectives | |
| Composition I (ACTS Equivalency = ENGL 1013) | |
| Composition II (ACTS Equivalency = ENGL 1023) | |
| Public Speaking (ACTS Equivalency = SPCH 1003) 1 | |
| |
| College Algebra (ACTS Equivalency = MATH 1103) (or higher level MATH) | |
| |
| |
| |
| General Psychology (ACTS Equivalency = PSYC 1103) | |
| General Sociology (ACTS Equivalency = SOCI 1013) | |
| Rural Families and Communities |
| Family Relations | |
NUTR 12103 | Fundamentals of Nutrition | 3 |
CIED 10103 | Introduction to Education | 3 |
HDFS 24033 & HDFS 24031 | Infant and Toddler Development and Infant and Toddler Development Laboratory | 4 |
HDFS 24303 | Child Development | 3 |
HDFS 24703 & HDFS 24701 | Child Guidance and Child Guidance Laboratory | 4 |
HDFS 24903 | Introduction to Cultural Competence | 3 |
HDFS 33303 | Language and Literacy Pedagogy for Birth through Kindergarten Educators | 3 |
HDFS 42103 & HDFS 42102 | Math and Science for Young Children and Math and Science for Young Children Lab | 5 |
HDFS 42203 & HDFS 42202 | Creative and Social Experience for Young Children and Creative and Social Experiences for Young Children Lab | 5 |
HDFS 42303 | Developmental Assessment in Early Childhood | 3 |
HDFS 43103 | Building Family and Community Relationships | 3 |
HDFS 43706 | Internship: Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Programs | 6 |
CIED 30203 | Survey of Exceptionalities | 3 |
HDFS 43809 | Internship: Kindergarten Programs | 9 |
HIST 33803 | Arkansas and the Southwest | 3 |
SCWK 36303 | Child Welfare: 21st Century Perspectives | 3 |
or SCWK 30103 | Child Advocacy I: Perspectives on Child Maltreatment and Child Advocacy |
SPED 41403 | Teaching Communication Skills to Persons with Autism | 3 |
SPED 44103 | ABA and Classroom Management for Teachers | 3 |
SPED 47803 | Professional and Family Partnerships | 3 |
Total Hours | 120 |
Birth through Kindergarten B.S.H.E.S.
Eight-Semester Degree Program
Students wishing to follow the degree plan should go to the Eight-Semester Degree Policy for university requirements of the program.
First Year | Units |
| Fall | Spring | Summer |
UNIV 10051 University Perspectives | 1 | | |
CIED 10103 Introduction to Education | 3 | | |
ENGL 10103 Composition I (ACTS Equivalency = ENGL 1013) (Satisfies General Education Outcome 1.1) | 3 | | |
Fine Arts University Core Elective (Satisfies General Education Outcome 3.1)1 | 3 | | |
MATH 11003 College Algebra (ACTS Equivalency = MATH 1103) (or higher level MATH (Satisfies General Education Outcome 2.1) | 3 | | |
HDFS 24303 Child Development | | 3 | |
PSYC 20003 General Psychology (ACTS Equivalency = PSYC 1103) (Satisfies General Education Outcome 3.3) | | 3 | |
ENGL 10203 Composition II (ACTS Equivalency = ENGL 1023) (Satisfies General Education Outcome 1.1) | | 3 | |
Science University Core Elective (Satisfies General Education Outcome 3.4) | | 4 | |
SPCH 10003 Public Speaking (ACTS Equivalency = SPCH 1003) (Satisfies General Education Outcomes 1.2 and 5.1) | | 3 | |
Year Total: | 13 | 16 | |
|
Second Year | Units |
| Fall | Spring | Summer |
HDFS 24033 Infant and Toddler Development & HDFS 24031 Infant and Toddler Development Laboratory | 4 | | |
U.S. History or Government University Core Elective | 3 | | |
Humanities University Core Elective (Satisfies General Education Outcome 3.2)2 | 3 | | |
NUTR 12103 Fundamentals of Nutrition | 3 | | |
General Electives | 3 | | |
HDFS 24103 Family Relations (Satisfies General Education Outcomes 3.3, 4.1, and 4.2) | | 3 | |
HDFS 24703 Child Guidance & HDFS 24701 Child Guidance Laboratory | | 4 | |
HDFS 24903 Introduction to Cultural Competence | | 3 | |
Science University Core Elective (Satisfies General Education Outcome 3.4) | | 4 | |
General Elective | | 1 | |
Year Total: | 16 | 15 | |
|
Third Year | Units |
| Fall | Spring | Summer |
SOCI 10103 General Sociology (ACTS Equivalency = SOCI 1013) or HDFS 26003 Rural Families and Communities | 3 | | |
CIED 30203 Survey of Exceptionalities | 3 | | |
HDFS 42103 Math and Science for Young Children & HDFS 42102 Math and Science for Young Children Lab | 5 | | |
HDFS 42303 Developmental Assessment in Early Childhood | 3 | | |
General Elective | 1 | | |
HDFS 33303 Language and Literacy Pedagogy for Birth through Kindergarten Educators | | 3 | |
HDFS 42203 Creative and Social Experience for Young Children & HDFS 42202 Creative and Social Experiences for Young Children Lab | | 5 | |
SPED 44103 ABA and Classroom Management for Teachers | | 3 | |
SCWK 36303 Child Welfare: 21st Century Perspectives or SCWK 30103 Child Advocacy I: Perspectives on Child Maltreatment and Child Advocacy | | 3 | |
General Elective | | 1 | |
SPED 41403 Teaching Communication Skills to Persons with Autism | | | 3 |
Year Total: | 15 | 15 | 3 |
|
Fourth Year | Units |
| Fall | Spring | Summer |
HIST 33803 Arkansas and the Southwest | 3 | | |
HDFS 43706 Internship: Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Programs | 6 | | |
SPED 47803 Professional and Family Partnerships | 3 | | |
General Elective | 3 | | |
HDFS 43103 Building Family and Community Relationships | | 3 | |
HDFS 43809 Internship: Kindergarten Programs | | 9 | |
Year Total: | 15 | 12 | |
|
Total Units in Sequence: | | | 120 |
Minor in Child Services
This minor is open to all University of Arkansas students and requires 15 hours.