Share your passion for learning and teaching with young children in diverse, urban settings. Prepare for a career as a licensed, Birth-Grade 3 early childhood educator who is committed to working with children and their families in urban settings. Make a difference in the lives of young children by setting a strong education foundation that will last a lifetime. Empower yourself with the content knowledge, teaching skills, urban field experiences, and professional poise you need to give urban students a high-quality education. You will accomplish these goals with a degree in Urban Early Childhood Education.
Program Overview
The Urban Early Childhood Education major in the School of Urban Education (UED) is designed to meet the needs of urban early learning settings for teachers who can promote young children's development from birth to age 8 and improve their educational achievement up to grade 3 with positive impact lasting a lifetime. Our approach to teacher education focuses on preparing diverse, reflective, and resilient teachers who are outstanding in their commitment to teaching urban youth and creating equitable educational opportunities. More than any other program in Minnesota, we attract more teacher candidates who are of color, multilingual, low-income or "first generation" into teaching careers who can relate to the experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse urban youth and their communities.
Career Opportunities
The Urban Early Childhood Education BS is designed for students seeking career enhancements in the field of early childhood education within urban settings. The Urban Early Childhood Education degree designed for MN Birth-Grade 3 teaching licensure gives students the flexibility to demonstrate their commitment to young children’s development through work in a variety of early childhood settings as teachers in child care centers, Head Starts, school district pre-K programs, and Kindergarten to Grade 3 classrooms.
Program Highlights
- Designed to provide flexibility for working adult students
- Create a flexible schedule to take classes at your pace given your other life and work responsibilities
- Courses meet once per week, often in the evening
- Courses are offered in-person, online with synchronous meetings and in hybrid formats
- Participate in direct field experience in urban classrooms and courses focusing on urban education
- The curriculum has a strong focus on cultural relevance and education equity throughout the program
- Instructors integrate and build upon the rich, diverse cultural knowledge and professional experience of students in program courses
- Learn with the most diverse student and faculty population of any teacher preparation unit in Minnesota; a majority of our students, faculty and staff in the School of Urban Education are from BIPOC communities
- Learn in small, friendly classes that allow you to know instructors and fellow students well
- Get a high-quality education at the most affordable cost of any university in Minnesota
Transfer Students
This major is an excellent option for students transferring from a Minnesota State 2-year institution with an associate degree or some coursework in child development or early childhood education who seek a baccalaureate degree. The School of Urban Education develops agreements with local community and technical colleges to identify which courses offered for Associate degrees should be taken to meet requirements for the BS in Urban Early Childhood Education so that students don’t take courses unneeded for the major. Completion of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) 10 Goal Areas is always advised but not necessary to transfer to Metro State.
Because the Minnesota State Transfer Pathway for Early Childhood Education includes coursework not required for the BS in Urban Early Childhood Education, students interested in transferring to Metro State should either not complete all the courses in that Pathway or know that completing the bachelor’s degree will take more than 120 credits. Consult with an Urban Education advisor to know which transfer courses meet major requirements, or visit www.transferology.com.
Program accreditation
This program is accredited by the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB).
Student outcomes
Students completing this program will meet the following 10 learning outcomes aligned with the Minnesota Standards of Effective Practice for Beginning Teachers:
- Subject matter: Urban teacher candidates will “understand the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the disciplines taught and be able to create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.”
- Student learning: Urban teacher candidates will “understand how students learn and develop and must provide learning opportunities that support a student's intellectual, social, and personal development.”
- Diverse learners: Urban teacher candidates will “understand how students differ in their approaches to learning and create instructional opportunities that are adapted to students with diverse backgrounds and exceptionalities.”
- Instructional strategies: Urban teacher candidates will “understand and use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.”
- Learning environment: Urban teacher candidates will “be able to use an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create learning environments that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.”
- Communication: Urban teacher candidates will “be able to use knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.”
- Planning instruction: Urban teacher candidates will “be able to plan and manage instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals.”
- Assessment: Urban teacher candidates will “understand and be able to use formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the student.”
- Reflection and professional development: Urban teacher candidates “will be a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of choices and actions on others, including students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community, and who actively seeks out opportunities for professional growth.”
- Collaboration, ethics and relationships: Urban teacher candidates will “be able to communicate and interact with parents or guardians, families, school colleagues, and the community to support student learning and well-being.”
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