Timothy Killian
Assistant Director
104 Home Management House
479-575-7214
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 or SAT scores is 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) 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 Requirements | ||
| UNIV 1001 | University Perspectives (Sp, Su, Fa) | 1 |
| Communications | 9 | |
| Composition I (ACTS Equivalency = ENGL 1013) (Sp, Su, Fa) | ||
| Composition II (ACTS Equivalency = ENGL 1023) (Sp, Su, Fa) | ||
| Public Speaking (ACTS Equivalency = SPCH 1003) (Sp, Su, Fa) 1 | ||
| U.S. History or Government 2 | 3 | |
| Mathematics 2 | 3 | |
| Sciences 2 | 8 | |
| Fine Arts and Humanities 2 | 6 | |
| Social Sciences | 9 | |
| General Psychology (ACTS Equivalency = PSYC 1103) (Sp, Su, Fa) | ||
| General Sociology (ACTS Equivalency = SOCI 1013) (Sp, Su, Fa) | ||
or HESC 2603 | Rural Families and Communities (Sp) | |
| Family Relations (Sp, Fa) | ||
| Birth through Kindergarten Requirements | 74 | |
| Fundamentals of Nutrition (Sp, Fa) | ||
| Observation and Foundations for Teaching Young Children (Fa) | ||
| Issues and Trends in Human Environmental Sciences (Sp, Fa) | ||
| Infant and Toddler Development (Sp, Fa) | ||
| Child Development (Sp, Fa) | ||
| Child Guidance (Sp, Fa) and Child Guidance Laboratory (Sp, Fa) | ||
| Language and Literacy Pedagogy for Birth through Kindergarten Educators (Fa) | ||
| Parenting and Family Dynamics (Sp, Fa) | ||
| Building Family and Community Relationships (Sp) | ||
| Curriculum and Assessment: Birth to Three Years (Sp) | ||
| Curriculum and Assessment: Three Years through Kindergarten (Fa) and Curriculum and Assessment: Three Years through Kindergarten (Fa) | ||
| Field Experience in Birth through Kindergarten Programs (Sp) | ||
| Field Experience in Birth through Kindergarten Program II (Sp) | ||
| Administration and Leadership in the Helping Professions (Fa) 3 | ||
| Analytical Approaches to Research in Human Development and Family Sciences I (Fa) | ||
| Analytical Approaches to Research in Human Development & Family Sciences II (Sp) | ||
| Survey of Exceptionalities (Sp, Su, Fa) | ||
| Children and Adolescent Literature (Sp, Fa) | ||
| Emergent and Developmental Literacy (Sp, Fa) | ||
| Arkansas and the Southwest (Sp, Fa) | ||
| Child Welfare: 21st Century Perspectives (Irregular) | ||
| ABA and Classroom Management for Teachers (Fa) | ||
| Introduction to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Sp) | ||
| Special Topics in Curriculum and Instruction Education (Sp, Su, Fa) (Students must complete a CIED 499V (3 hours) in which the topic is in the area of Special Education.) | ||
| General Electives | 7 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Other Requirements for the B.S.H.E.S. Degree in Birth through Kindergarten major:4
Both candidacy and retention eligibility for the Arkansas Birth through Kindergarten Integrated Licensure Program require that students meet a set of criteria listed in the catalog. These include the submission of a transcript showing a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0, with grades of C or better in all BRKD courses. Students should consult their academic adviser as they near completion of the above requirements to discuss the application process for the Integrated Birth through Kindergarten/Special Education teacher license in Arkansas. Additional requirements for application to teacher licensure with the State of Arkansas Department of Education include: Praxis Core: (Reading, Writing, and Mathematics) Praxis Content: (Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education 5023 & Education of Young Children 5024).
| 1 | Please visit the Bumpers College Majors and Minors page for a list of communication/intensive courses. |
| 2 | Go to the University Core Requirements. |
| 3 | HDFS 2473/HDFS 2471L Child Guidance/Lab must be taken prior to enrolling in HDFS 4463. |
| 4 | Child Maltreatment Certification must be completed. |
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 | |
| UNIV 1001 University Perspectives (Sp, Su, Fa) | 1 | |
| ENGL 1013 Composition I (ACTS Equivalency = ENGL 1013) (Sp, Su, Fa) | 3 | |
| HESC 1501 Issues and Trends in Human Environmental Sciences (Sp, Fa) | 1 | |
| HDFS 1423 Observation and Foundations for Teaching Young Children (Fa) | 3 | |
| MATH Core Elective | 3 | |
| Fine Arts Core Elective | 3 | |
| General Electives | 1 | |
| HESC 2413 Family Relations (Sp, Fa) | 3 | |
| PSYC 2003 General Psychology (ACTS Equivalency = PSYC 1103) (Sp, Su, Fa) | 3 | |
| ENGL 1023 Composition II (ACTS Equivalency = ENGL 1023) (Sp, Su, Fa) | 3 | |
| Science Core Elective | 4 | |
| COMM 1313 Public Speaking (ACTS Equivalency = SPCH 1003) (Sp, Su, Fa) | 3 | |
| Year Total: | 15 | 16 |
| Second Year | Units | |
| Fall | Spring | |
| HDFS 2403 Infant and Toddler Development (Sp, Fa) & HDFS 2401L Infant and Toddler Development Laboratory (Sp, Fa) | 4 | |
| History Core Elective | 3 | |
| Humanities Core Elective | 3 | |
| NUTR 1213 Fundamentals of Nutrition (Sp, Fa) | 3 | |
| SCWK 3633 Child Welfare: 21st Century Perspectives (Irregular) | 3 | |
| HDFS 2433 Child Development (Sp, Fa) | 3 | |
| HDFS 3453 Parenting and Family Dynamics (Sp, Fa) | 3 | |
| Science Core Elective | 4 | |
| CIED 3023 Survey of Exceptionalities (Sp, Su, Fa) | 3 | |
| SOCI 2013 General Sociology (ACTS Equivalency = SOCI 1013) (Sp, Su, Fa) or HESC 2603 Rural Families and Communities (Sp) | 3 | |
| Year Total: | 16 | 16 |
| Third Year | Units | |
| Fall | Spring | |
| HDFS 2473 Child Guidance (Sp, Fa) & HDFS 2471L Child Guidance Laboratory (Sp, Fa) | 4 | |
| HDFS 4763 Analytical Approaches to Research in Human Development and Family Sciences I (Fa) | 3 | |
| CIED 3103 Children and Adolescent Literature (Sp, Fa) | 3 | |
| CIED 3113 Emergent and Developmental Literacy (Sp, Fa) | 3 | |
| HDFS 3333 Language and Literacy Pedagogy for Birth through Kindergarten Educators (Fa) | 3 | |
| HDFS 4332 Curriculum and Assessment: Birth to Three Years (Sp) & HDFS 4332L Curriculum and Assessment: Birth to Three Years Laboratory (Sp) | 4 | |
| HDFS 4773 Analytical Approaches to Research in Human Development & Family Sciences II (Sp) | 3 | |
| CIED 499V Special Topics in Curriculum and Instruction Education (Sp, Su, Fa)Students must complete a CIED 499V (3 hours) in which the topic is in the area of Special Education. | 3 | |
| General Elective | 4 | |
| Year Total: | 16 | 14 |
| Fourth Year | Units | |
| Fall | Spring | |
| HDFS 4342 Curriculum and Assessment: Three Years through Kindergarten (Fa) & HDFS 4342L Curriculum and Assessment: Three Years through Kindergarten (Fa) | 4 | |
| HDFS 4463 Administration and Leadership in the Helping Professions (Fa) | 3 | |
| HIST 3383 Arkansas and the Southwest (Sp, Fa) | 3 | |
| General Elective | 2 | |
| SPED 4493 Introduction to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Sp) | 3 | |
| HDFS 4313 Building Family and Community Relationships (Sp) | 3 | |
| HDFS 4373 Field Experience in Birth through Kindergarten Programs (Sp) | 3 | |
| HDFS 4383 Field Experience in Birth through Kindergarten Program II (Sp) | 3 | |
| SPED 4413 ABA and Classroom Management for Teachers (Fa) | 3 | |
| Year Total: | 15 | 12 |
| Total Units in Sequence: | 120 | |
