Education

Early Childhood Education

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Empower young children to be curious.

Inspire a love of learning in young children. By working with children in the earliest stages of learning and development, you’ll help prepare them for a lifetime of success.

While studying in Cambridge—an epicenter of education—you’ll be guided by faculty who are at the forefront of innovation. With them you’ll learn how to integrate the arts and play into your teaching in ways that promote play and understanding. And, with our reimagined general education curriculum, you'll be prepared to teach in today's world.

You'll blaze a trail as a leader and teacher in the world of education as your grow into your career as an educator, principal, special educator, community center director, or publisher. And as a Lesley graduate, you'll join the largest network of educators in New England, with more than 4,500 Lesley education graduates in the last five years alone. Become one of our amazing education alumni, who include Teachers of the Year and MacArthur “Genius” Fellows.

As an early childhood major, you'll explore a wide range of topics, including the Reggio Emilia approach to education. It’s a globally recognized, child-centered approach that emphasizes experiential learning, including the use of documentation and encounters with the natural world. You’ll discover how to create authentic learning experiences for children in areas from literacy to science, and you’ll even have the opportunity to travel to the place where it all started—Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Work with children starting your freshman year and make connections that will launch you into your career. With four years of classroom time, you’ll have more opportunities than most to be mentored by current teachers, discover your strengths, and master skills that principals and superintendents value. With hands-on guidance and support from our expert faculty and mentoring practitioners in the schools, you’ll be immersed in diverse public and private schools in Cambridge, Boston, and surrounding towns including private schools such as the Lesley Ellis School in Arlington, and the public schools in Belmont, Watertown, and Medford.

You'll learn skills including classroom management, engaging families, and viewing diverse challenges and needs through an anti-bias lens. You can also choose from 11 different optional specializations, such as multicultural education or teaching English learners.

Gain an initial teaching license

The early childhood education major leads to initial licensure as a teacher of early childhood, grades PreK–2. When you complete the major, you’ll qualify for a variety of positions involving work with young children in nursery schools, kindergartens, and grades 1–2. Learn more about licensure.

Undergraduate Program Inquiry Form

Program Structure

Full-time or part-time on-campus program

120 Credits
Thinking about transferring here?

Log in to Transferology, add the courses you've taken, and see how they'll transfer to Lesley University.

City of Boston Scholarship

Lesley University is a proud collaborator with Bunker Hill Community College and the Urban College of Boston to offer eligible students funding through the City of Boston’s Growing the Early Childhood Workforce Fund. Through this project, Lesley will offer Associate’s degree graduates financial support to complete their bachelor’s degrees in Early Childhood Development or Early Childhood Education.

Program Eligibility

Employed in the City of Boston

Earned Associate’s degree in Early Childhood from Bunker Hill CC or Urban College of Boston

Committed to working in Boston for 3 years

Program Benefits

Full tuition and fees covered (without the use of student loans) through December 2025

If you are interested in learning more, please complete this form for more information. You can also email Jennine Tambio at jtambio@lesley.edu with any further questions.

Important Licensure Information

All Lesley University educator licensure programs comply with current Massachusetts educational requirements, as specified. In addition, Massachusetts participates in the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Interstate Agreement, which makes it possible for an educator to have their Massachusetts license/s recognized across the United States. Depending on your professional goals, where you reside or plan to teach, and the licensure structures that exist within that state, there are diverse pathways to licensure that may be relevant. In accordance with Lesley University’s institutional participation in SARA (State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement) and with federal regulations, Lesley University strongly encourages prospective applicants who intend to pursue licensure in a state other than Massachusetts review the Lesley University Licensure and Credentialing page for more information.

“Working in a classroom as a freshman and sophomore allowed me to make a decision if this career was the right path for me.”
Veronica Halen ’14, Education
teacher reading to students

Choose a second major in the liberal arts.

In addition to your education major, you’ll go in-depth in a content area in one these 12 majors:

colorful children's art projects

Choose an optional specialization.

Make your education program an even better fit by choosing one of our optional specializations. With specific knowledge in one of these areas, there’s no stopping you.

$59,420
This is the average salary for kindergarten and elementary school teachers in the U.S. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2019).
$82,450
In Massachusetts, the average salary for elementary school teachers is much higher than the national average, making it the third highest paying state in the country for elementary school teachers (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2019).
$35,920 - $43,360
Massachusetts is also one of the highest paying states in the country for preschool teachers, falling within this range (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2019).
Craft Creative Combinations
As an Early Childhood Education major, you'll need to choose a second major from the approved list of liberal arts majors. You can also pursue an optional specialization, or one of our 45+ minors, to become a more empathetic and informed teacher.

Forge your own path with a creative combination:
Gain Skills and Expertise
Here’s a taste of what you’ll do in our Early Childhood Education program:
Students and a teacher crowding around a computer and circuit boards, finalizing their coding project

Small College, Big University

Within the dynamic environment of a larger university, you'll receive the personalized education of a small liberal arts college of 1,300 students and hands-on attention from specialized faculty. You'll also benefit from Lesley's reputation for providing the best teacher preparation in Massachusetts, where school principals prefer to hire our graduates.

Internships & Careers
Get Classroom Experience
Through field placements that begin your first year, we help you connect with the places that fit. These connections will launch you into your teaching career. All internships are guided by expert faculty and mentoring practitioners in the schools. Theory will come alive as you develop your professional self in the classroom. You'll be immersed in diverse public and private schools in Cambridge, Boston, and surrounding towns:
doble campus during the fall

Cambridge is our campus. Boston is our neighbor.

As an education major at Lesley, you'll take classes on our three beautiful Cambridge campuses. You'll explore passions to then weave into your teaching. You'll discover the Cambridge and Boston area—a dynamic hub of internships, professional opportunities, service work, culture, and fun that few other cities can match.

Faculty

Approximate cost, before financial aid, for one year of study in this undergraduate program.
Early Childhood Education
Housing Options
Compare the cost of the program for students who live on campus in a residence hall with the cost for commuter students.
  • Tuition
    Fall Tuition
    $16,663
    Spring Tuition
    $16,663
  • Fees
    Fall Comprehensive Fee
    $465
    Spring Comprehensive Fee
    $465
    MAP ePortfolio Fee
    $200
  • Room & Board
    Fall Health and Wellness Fee
    $465
    Spring Health and Wellness Fee
    $465
    Fall Room (double, triple, or quad room)
    $5,999
    Spring Room (double, triple, or quad room)
    $5,999
    Housing Deposit (one-time fee)
    $300
    Fall Meal Plan
    $3,961
    Spring Meal Plan
    $3,961
  • Total cost before financial aid
Estimated Cost

Merit Scholarships & Financial Aid

It’s our goal at Lesley to break down financial barriers so that students who want to learn here, can learn here. That’s why we offer generous, customized aid packages for students based on their individual needs. In fact, more than 98% of our full-time undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid. Learn more about Financial Aid & Scholarships.

Tuition & Fees

Other fees may apply. Review all undergraduate tuition and fees, and what they cover.

Tuition and fees are subject to change each year, effective June 1.

Housing Options
Compare the cost of the program for students who live on campus in a residence hall with the cost for commuter students.
  • Tuition
    Fall Tuition
    $16,663
    Spring Tuition
    $16,663
  • Fees
    Fall Comprehensive Fee
    $465
    Spring Comprehensive Fee
    $465
    MAP ePortfolio Fee
    $200
  • Room & Board
    Fall Health and Wellness Fee
    $465
    Spring Health and Wellness Fee
    $465
    Fall Room (double, triple, or quad room)
    $5,999
    Spring Room (double, triple, or quad room)
    $5,999
    Fall Meal Plan
    $3,961
    Spring Meal Plan
    $3,961
    Housing Deposit (one-time fee)
    $300
  • Total cost before financial aid
Estimated Cost

Merit Scholarships & Financial Aid

It’s our goal at Lesley to break down financial barriers so that students who want to learn here, can learn here. That’s why we offer generous, customized aid packages for students based on their individual needs. In fact, more than 98% of our full-time undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid. Learn more about Financial Aid & Scholarships.

Tuition & Fees

Other fees may apply. Review all undergraduate tuition and fees, and what they cover.

Tuition and fees are subject to change each year, effective June 1.

Apply Now

Ready to get started? We're here to make the application process as smooth as possible. Just answer a few quick questions, and get your customized application guide.

Approximate cost, before financial aid, for one year of study in this undergraduate program. Tuition and fees are for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Use our step-by-step guide to apply for federal, state, and university funding. Scholarships, grants, Work-Study, and loans. It’s all right here.

Next steps to apply

Ready to get started? We're here to make the application process as smooth as possible. Just answer a few quick questions, and get your customized application guide.