Kelly Way
Interim Assistant Director
16G Home Economics Building
479-575-4985
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 Requirements | ||
| UNIV 1001 | University Perspectives | 1 |
| Communications | 9 | |
| Composition I (ACTS Equivalency = ENGL 1013) | ||
| Composition II (ACTS Equivalency = ENGL 1023) | ||
| Public Speaking (ACTS Equivalency = SPCH 1003) 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) | ||
| General Sociology (ACTS Equivalency = SOCI 1013) | ||
or HDFS 2603 | Rural Families and Communities | |
| Family Relations | ||
| Birth through Kindergarten Requirements | 73 | |
| Fundamentals of Nutrition | ||
| Observation and Foundations for Teaching Young Children | ||
| Infant and Toddler Development and Infant and Toddler Development Laboratory | ||
| Child Development | ||
| Administration and Leadership in the Helping Professions | ||
| Child Guidance and Child Guidance Laboratory | ||
| Language and Literacy Pedagogy for Birth through Kindergarten Educators | ||
| Parenting and Family Dynamics | ||
| Building Family and Community Relationships | ||
| Curriculum and Assessment: Birth to Three Years and Curriculum and Assessment: Birth to Three Years Laboratory | ||
| Curriculum and Assessment: Three Years through Kindergarten and Curriculum and Assessment: Three Years through Kindergarten | ||
| Field Experience in Birth through Kindergarten Programs | ||
| Field Experience in Birth through Kindergarten Program II | ||
| Research in HDFS: Methodological Approaches | ||
| Research in HDFS: Statistical Approaches | ||
| Survey of Exceptionalities | ||
| Children and Adolescent Literature | ||
| Emergent Literacy | ||
| Arkansas and the Southwest | ||
| Child Welfare: 21st Century Perspectives | ||
| ABA and Classroom Management for Teachers | ||
| Introduction to Students with High Incidence Disabilities | ||
| Special Topics in Curriculum and Instruction Education (Students must complete a CIED 499V (3 hours) in which the topic is in the area of Special Education. This course must be taken during the summer session.) | ||
| General Electives | 8 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Other Requirements for the B.S.H.E.S. Degree in Birth through Kindergarten major:3
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) or qualifying ACT, SAT or GRE scores, Praxis Content: Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education 5023 & Education of Young Children 5024 and Principles of Learning and Teaching: Early Childhood 5621.
| 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 | 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 | Summer | |
| UNIV 1001 University Perspectives | 1 | ||
| ENGL 1013 Composition I (ACTS Equivalency = ENGL 1013) | 3 | ||
| HDFS 1423 Observation and Foundations for Teaching Young Children | 3 | ||
| MATH Core Elective | 3 | ||
| Fine Arts Core Elective | 3 | ||
| General Electives | 2 | ||
| HDFS 2413 Family Relations | 3 | ||
| PSYC 2003 General Psychology (ACTS Equivalency = PSYC 1103) | 3 | ||
| ENGL 1023 Composition II (ACTS Equivalency = ENGL 1023) | 3 | ||
| Science Core Elective | 4 | ||
| COMM 1313 Public Speaking (ACTS Equivalency = SPCH 1003) | 3 | ||
| Year Total: | 15 | 16 | |
| Second Year | Units | ||
| Fall | Spring | Summer | |
| HDFS 2403 Infant and Toddler Development & HDFS 2401L Infant and Toddler Development Laboratory | 4 | ||
| HDFS 2463 Administration and Leadership in the Helping Professions | 3 | ||
| History Core Elective | 3 | ||
| Humanities Core Elective | 3 | ||
| NUTR 1213 Fundamentals of Nutrition | 3 | ||
| HDFS 2433 Child Development | 3 | ||
| HDFS 3453 Parenting and Family Dynamics | 3 | ||
| Science Core Elective | 4 | ||
| CIED 3023 Survey of Exceptionalities | 3 | ||
| SOCI 2013 General Sociology (ACTS Equivalency = SOCI 1013) or HDFS 2603 Rural Families and Communities | 3 | ||
| Year Total: | 16 | 16 | |
| Third Year | Units | ||
| Fall | Spring | Summer | |
| HDFS 2473 Child Guidance & HDFS 2471L Child Guidance Laboratory | 4 | ||
| HDFS 4763 Research in HDFS: Methodological Approaches | 3 | ||
| CIED 3103 Children and Adolescent Literature | 3 | ||
| HDFS 3333 Language and Literacy Pedagogy for Birth through Kindergarten Educators | 3 | ||
| HDFS 4332 Curriculum and Assessment: Birth to Three Years & HDFS 4332L Curriculum and Assessment: Birth to Three Years Laboratory | 4 | ||
| HDFS 4773 Research in HDFS: Statistical Approaches | 3 | ||
| General Elective | 4 | ||
| CIED 3113 Emergent Literacy | 3 | ||
| CIED 499V Special Topics in Curriculum and Instruction Education | 3 | ||
| Year Total: | 13 | 14 | 3 |
| Fourth Year | Units | ||
| Fall | Spring | Summer | |
| HDFS 4342 Curriculum and Assessment: Three Years through Kindergarten & HDFS 4342L Curriculum and Assessment: Three Years through Kindergarten | 4 | ||
| SCWK 3633 Child Welfare: 21st Century Perspectives | 3 | ||
| HIST 3383 Arkansas and the Southwest | 3 | ||
| General Elective | 2 | ||
| SPED 4493 Introduction to Students with High Incidence Disabilities | 3 | ||
| HDFS 4313 Building Family and Community Relationships | 3 | ||
| HDFS 4373 Field Experience in Birth through Kindergarten Programs | 3 | ||
| HDFS 4383 Field Experience in Birth through Kindergarten Program II | 3 | ||
| SPED 4413 ABA and Classroom Management for Teachers | 3 | ||
| Year Total: | 15 | 12 | |
| Total Units in Sequence: | 120 | ||
