Donna L. Graham
Director
118 Home Economics Building
479-575-4305
Kelly Way
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 | 1 | |
| University Perspectives | ||
| 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 | |
Select 3 hours from U.S. History or Government State Minimum Core | ||
| Mathematics 2 | 3 | |
| College Algebra (ACTS Equivalency = MATH 1103) (or higher level MATH) | ||
| Sciences 2 | 8 | |
Select 8 hours (two lecture/lab combinations) Sciences State Minimum Core | ||
| Fine Arts and Humanities 2 | 6 | |
Select 3 hours from Fine Arts State Minimum Core | ||
Select 3 hours Humanities State Minimum Core | ||
| 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 | 72 | |
| Fundamentals of Nutrition | ||
| Observation and Foundations for Teaching Young Children | ||
| Infant and Toddler Development and Infant and Toddler Development Laboratory | ||
| Child Development | ||
| Introduction to Leadership and Administration in the Helping Professions | ||
| Child Guidance and Child Guidance Laboratory | ||
| Introduction to Cultural Competence | ||
| Language and Literacy Pedagogy for Birth through Kindergarten Educators | ||
| Parenting and Family Dynamics | ||
| Math and Science for Young Children and Math and Science for Young Children Lab | ||
| Creative and Social Experience for Young Children and Creative and Social Experiences for Young Children Lab | ||
| Developmental Assessment in Early Childhood | ||
| Building Family and Community Relationships | ||
| Internship: Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Programs | ||
| Internship: Kindergarten Programs | ||
| Survey of Exceptionalities | ||
| 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 | 9 | |
| 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 demonstrating basic skills in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics (see Birth-Kindergarten Program Handbook), Praxis Content: Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education 5023 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 State Minimum 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) (Satisfies General Education Outcome 1.1) | 3 | ||
| HDFS 1423 Observation and Foundations for Teaching Young Children | 3 | ||
| Fine Arts State Minimum Core Elective (Satisfies General Education Outcome 3.1)1 | 3 | ||
| MATH 1203 College Algebra (ACTS Equivalency = MATH 1103) (or higher level MATH (Satisfies General Education Outcome 2.1) | 3 | ||
| General Elective | 3 | ||
| HDFS 2413 Family Relations (Satisfies General Education Outcomes 3.3, 4.1, and 4.2) | 3 | ||
| PSYC 2003 General Psychology (ACTS Equivalency = PSYC 1103) (Satisfies General Education Outcome 3.3) | 3 | ||
| ENGL 1023 Composition II (ACTS Equivalency = ENGL 1023) (Satisfies General Education Outcome 1.1) | 3 | ||
| Science State Minimum Core Elective (Satisfies General Education Outcome 3.4) | 4 | ||
| COMM 1313 Public Speaking (ACTS Equivalency = SPCH 1003) (Satisfies General Education Outcomes 1.2 and 5.1) | 3 | ||
| Year Total: | 16 | 16 | |
| Second Year | Units | ||
| Fall | Spring | Summer | |
| HDFS 2403 Infant and Toddler Development & HDFS 2401L Infant and Toddler Development Laboratory | 4 | ||
| HDFS 2463 Introduction to Leadership and Administration in the Helping Professions | 3 | ||
| U.S. History or Government State Minimum Core Elective | 3 | ||
| Humanities State Minimum Core Elective (Satisfies General Education Outcome 3.2)2 | 3 | ||
| NUTR 1213 Fundamentals of Nutrition | 3 | ||
| HDFS 2433 Child Development | 3 | ||
| HDFS 3453 Parenting and Family Dynamics | 3 | ||
| Science State Minimum Core Elective (Satisfies General Education Outcome 3.4) | 4 | ||
| CIED 3023 Survey of Exceptionalities | 3 | ||
| Satisfies General Education Outcome 3.3: | |||
| 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 2493 Introduction to Cultural Competence | 3 | ||
| HDFS 3333 Language and Literacy Pedagogy for Birth through Kindergarten Educators | 3 | ||
| HDFS 4233 Developmental Assessment in Early Childhood | 3 | ||
| CIED 3113 Emergent Literacy | 3 | ||
| HIST 3383 Arkansas and the Southwest | 3 | ||
| General Elective | 3 | ||
| HDFS 4223 Creative and Social Experience for Young Children & HDFS 4222L Creative and Social Experiences for Young Children Lab | 5 | ||
| CIED 499V Special Topics in Curriculum and Instruction Education | 3 | ||
| Year Total: | 13 | 14 | 3 |
| Fourth Year | Units | ||
| Fall | Spring | Summer | |
| SCWK 3633 Child Welfare: 21st Century Perspectives | 3 | ||
| HDFS 4213 Math and Science for Young Children & HDFS 4212L Math and Science for Young Children Lab | 5 | ||
| SPED 4493 Introduction to Students with High Incidence Disabilities | 3 | ||
| General Elective | 3 | ||
| HDFS 4313 Building Family and Community Relationships | 3 | ||
| HDFS 4373 Internship: Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Programs (Satisfies General Education Outcome 6.1) | 3 | ||
| HDFS 4383 Internship: Kindergarten Programs | 3 | ||
| SPED 4413 ABA and Classroom Management for Teachers | 3 | ||
| Year Total: | 14 | 12 | |
| Total Units in Sequence: | 120 | ||
- 1
The Fine Arts Elective courses which satisfy General Education Outcome 3.1 include: ARCH 1003, ARHS 1003, COMM 1003, DANC 1003, LARC 1003, MLIT 1003, MLIT 1003H, MLIT 1013, MLIT 1013H, MLIT 1333, THTR 1003, THTR 1013 or THTR 1013H.
- 2
The Humanities Elective courses which satisfy General Education Outcome 3.2 include: AAST 2023, ANTH 1033, ARCH 1013, CLST 1003, CLST 1003H, CLST 1013, COMM 1233, DANC 1003, ENGL 1213, GNST 2003, HIST 1113, HIST 1113H, HIST 1123, HIST 1123H, HIST 2003,HIST 2013 HUMN 1124H, HUMN 2213, LALS 2013, MRST 2013, MUSY 2003, MUSY 2003H, PHIL 2003, PHIL 2003C, PHIL 2003H, PHIL 2103, PHIL 2103C, PHIL 2303, THTR 1003, THTR 1013, THTR 1013H, WLIT 1113, WLIT 1123, or Intermediate-level world language (usually 2003-level).
Minor in Child Services
This minor is open to all University of Arkansas students and requires 15 hours.
| Required Courses | ||
| HDFS 1403 | Life Span Development | 3 |
| HDFS 2433 | Child Development | 3 |
| HDFS 3463 | The Hospitalized Child: Child Life Programming | 3 |
| HDFS 4313 | Building Family and Community Relationships | 3 |
| HDFS 4353 | Play as Development in Childhood | 3 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
