2017-2018 Brenau University Catalog

Nov 25, 2024

2017-2018 Brenau University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Early Childhood Education (B.S.)

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Career Opportunities Teacher in elementary grades, kindergarten, nursery school, child development centers; trainer, teacher in day care programs; curriculum developer; consultant or resource person; materials developer for publishers.

A concentration in early childhood education leads to certification by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for pre school through grade five. In the field experiences and appropriate professional courses, due attention is given to the education of the growing child. Utilization of individualized instruction in developing competencies necessary to meet the needs of the child from pre school through grade five is emphasized.

In addition to all the course requirements, students must pass the Teaching Field Content Exams for academic content area (GACE) prior to placement with a school system to student teach. Education majors must earn a grade of “C” or better in all ED/SE courses and courses in his/her major areas of concentration.

Liberal Education Requirements

Brenau University and its faculty are dedicated to the goal of providing students with a thorough background in the liberal arts, as well as academic and professional skills which will help them become enlightened and productive members of society. To that end, the faculty developed a liberal education curriculum based on expectations and learning outcomes.

This liberal education curriculum is divided into four learning portals: World Understanding, Scientific and Analytic Curiosity, Artistic and Creative Imagination and Communication and Language Fluency.

World Understanding Learning
Scientific and Analytic Curiosity
Artistic and Creative Imagination
Communication and Language Fluency

Courses applied in one portal may not be applied in another portal. However, courses applied in the Liberal Education may be applied toward a student’s major or minor.

Students with an A.A., A.S. or a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution are exempt from Liberal Education requirements for Brenau’s bachelor degree programs. This exemption does not extend to any other associate’s degree (ex. A.A.S., A.A.T.). This exemption does not affect transfer credit. All college-level credit that conforms to Brenau’s transfer credit policy will be recorded on the student’s Brenau transcript. This exemption does not affect any major courses required or any major foundation courses required.

World Understanding Learning Portal

Historical Perspective - 3 hours

Demonstrate knowledge of major events and movements in history and use this knowledge to generate a more sophisticated understanding of current events.

Civic Engagement - 3 hours

Demonstate an appreciation of the importance of civic engagement in a global society.

Global Awareness - 3 hours

Demonstrate an understanding of global issues and their implications for local communities.

Scientific & Analytic Curiosity Portal

Mathematics - 3 hours

Demonstrate quantitative reasoning through numeric, symbolic or geometric means.

Course taken will depend upon math placement of the student.

Science - 7-8 hours

Demonstrate competency in a specific curriculum and appraise the impact of that science in one’s life.

Students must have at least one four-hour lab science plus a second science of three or four hours.

BY 105 - Human Biology w/Lab *
BY 111 - Biological Science I * (majors)
BY 112 - Biological Science II * (majors)
BY 151 - International Biological Field Studies *
May take BY 151L (1 hour) with BY 151 for lab science credit.
BY 151L - International Biological Field Studies Lab *
BY 206 - Microbiology *
BY 209 - Human Anatomy & Physiology I *
BY 210 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II *
CY 103 - Principles of Chemistry *
CY 110 - Forensic Science *
CY 121 - General Chemistry I *
CY 122 - General Chemistry II *
PS 100 - Physical Science *
PS 104 - Earth Science *
PS 110 - Physical Geography w/ Lab *
PS 111 - Meteorology/Climatology w/ Lab *
PS 112 - Astronomy w/ Lab *
PS 121 - General College Physics I *
PS 122 - General College Physics II *
PS 180 - Cities and the Environment *
PY 101 - Introduction to Psychology *
Can take PY 101 with or without lab. If used as a lab science, the lab must be taken concurrently with the course.

Reasoning 3-4 hours

Be able to think critically and solve problems effectively.

Artistic & Creative Imagination Portal

Fine Arts - 3 hours

Understand artistic concepts and traditions through the experience of artistic endeavors.

Literature - 3 hours

Read and understand literature in its historical context.

Lifetime Fitness - 3 hours

Appreciate ones health status and implement a plan for health and fitness.

Women’s College students must have one hour of Lifetime Fitness (LF) or Leisure Sports (LS) or Dance (DA); one hour of Women’s Health (WH); and one hour of any P.E. (LS/LF/DA/or WH).
Non-Women’s College students may transfer in the above or take HS 105 (3 hours) while at Brenau.
Nursing and Dance majors have specific Lifetime Fitness requirements. Please see those major sections for information.

Communication & Language Fluency Portal

Writing - 6 hours

Compose effective and logical written communication.

Speaking - 3 hours

Demonstrate effective oral communication.

Modern Language - 0-3 hours

Communicate in a modern language other than English.

Students must have modern language competency through the high beginner (102 or 115) level. It is possible for a student to place out of part or all of modern language via placement or CLEP. Please see the placement information section for specific guidelines. If the student takes 101, that course may be applied as the communication requirement, if needed, or as a general elective.
International Students will exempt the Modern Language requirement with a minimum TOEFL score of 527 (paper based) or its equivalent.

Communication - 3 hours

Apply communication skills in a given context.

Choose from any course in the Communication and Language Fluency portal not already applied in the Liberal Education, or choose from the courses below. If a student takes 101 and 102 of the same language to satisfy the modern language requirement, the 101 course may satisfy the communication elective.

Professional Development

Education Majors must earn a grade of “C” or better in all major classes, including concentration electives. See the program plan for courses that can be cross/dual used between the liberal education and the major. In addition to all the course requirements, students must pass the Teaching Field Content Exams for academic content area (GACE) prior to student teaching. Students must have a major and overall grade point average of 2.75.

ED 200 - Introduction to Teacher Education §
ED 206 - Developmental Psychology
ED 208 - School and Society *
ED 250 - Introduction to Multicultural Education *
SE 300 - Teaching Learners with Special Needs
ED 301 - Instructional Technology
ED 308 - Classroom Management
ED 311 - Effective Planning: Curr/Instr/Tech - ECE
ED 328 - Legal and Ethical Issues in Education
ED 339 - Foundations and Cultural Issues for Teaching ESOL
ED 350 - Educational Assessment
ED 415 - Applied Instruction
Note: The GACE content exam must be passed prior to student teaching placement.
ED 429 - Student Teaching ECE
§ Contains Field Experience.

Content and Methods

ED 345 - Literacy Concepts §
GY 201 - Introduction to Geography *
ED 213 - History and Politics of Georgia
MS 203 - Mathematics Concepts for Teachers
MS 207 - Problem Solving *
PS 105 - Science Concepts
Methods Courses
ED 318 - Integrating Fine Arts Across the Curriculum
ED 383 - Teaching Math - Early Childhood Education §
ED 384 - Teaching Science - Early Childhood Education §
ED 385 - Teaching Social Studies - Early Childhood Education §
ED 413 - Literacy Methodology §
ED 419 - Literacy Assessment and Diagnosis §
ED 420 - Teaching Language Arts-ECE §
Content and Methods Total: Credits / Units: 42
§ Contains Field Experience.

Additional Content Coursework

This coursework may apply toward LE requirements and is required of all Early Childhood Education students for GACE content preparation. These courses are not included in the major GPA and are not subject to the “C or better” grade policy for education major coursework.

EH 101 - Written Communication *
EH 102 - Reading and Research Writing *
MS 101 - College Algebra *
HY 201 - History of the United States I *
BY 105 - Human Biology w/Lab *
BY 105L - Human Biology Lab *
One of the following physical science courses:
PS 100 - Physical Science *
PS 104 - Earth Science *
One of the following fine arts courses:
AH 100 - Art Appreciation *
MC 101 - World Music Appreciation *
One of the following literature courses:
EH 201 - Western World Literature *
EH 220 - American Literature before 1865 *
EH 221 - American Literature after 1865 *
One of the following speaking courses:
EH 103 - Oral Communication *
SP 108 - Fundamentals of Speech *

Total Required Hours

A minimum of 120 hours is required to graduate with this major. It is possible that the student may graduate with more than 120 hours based on placement and transfer credit.

Note: Courses marked with an * are Liberal Education courses.