Education Early Childhood Studies: Adult Degree Completion Bachelor of Science (BS), non-licensure adult degree completion program Overview & Curriculum Program Features Careers Faculty Program Costs Apply Now Apply Now Gain the confidence and skills to be a great educator. If you want to start a career as an early childhood educator or you’re already teaching and want to enhance your knowledge and experience, our bachelor’s degree completion program is the perfect opportunity for you. You can transfer up to 90 credits towards your bachelor’s degree at Lesley, making it easier and faster for you to fulfill the 120-credit degree requirement. With our on-campus courses, you’ll choose to specialize in one of four areas: infants and toddlers, children with special needs, preschool children, or integrated teaching through the arts. In addition to your specific area of study, you’ll also gain a better understanding of the principles of developmental learning. And, learn important tools that will help you succeed as an educator, like assessment strategies, adaptations for special needs, and classroom management. You’ll also participate in required field experiences that will help develop your practical skills in a real-world setting. Under the direction of the field supervisor, you’ll work directly with children in a childcare or educational environment. And, you’ll have the opportunity to choose a placement that relates to your specialized program of study. Earning your bachelor’s degree is invaluable for a career as an early childhood educator, as more and more employers are requiring their teachers to have one. Read more + Program Structure Flexible On-Campus Program for Working Adults 120 Credits Generous Transfer Credit Start your program by working with an advisor to review your transcripts for possible transfer credits. We accept up to 90 credits from previous college coursework toward our campus-based 120-credit degree programs. This means that you may need only 30 additional credits — equivalent to 10 courses — to earn a bachelor’s degree. Credit for Prior Learning You may earn a portion of your transfer credits from prior learning outside the college classroom, such as work experience, volunteering, military service, or professional development. Certain standardized tests and sponsored learning programs may also be applicable. General Education Earn credits through a combination of transfer, prior learning assessment, and Lesley coursework to fulfill general education requirements in the arts and humanities, math and science, writing, social sciences, and the liberal arts. Required Coursework Take a variety of courses in Early Childhood Studies that relate directly to your career goals, including Development Learning; Sheltered English Instruction; Literacy, Literature, and the Arts in the Early Childhood Classroom, and more. Specialization Select from one of three areas of focus: Infants and Toddlers, Preschool Children, or Children with Special Needs. Field Experience Apply the knowledge you’ve gained in the classroom through a field experience in an early childhood learning environment. View Program of Study Thinking about transferring here? Log in to Transferology, add the courses you've taken, and see how they'll transfer to Lesley University. Gain Skills and Expertise Here’s a taste of what you’ll do in our Early Childhood Education program: Become familiar with the developmental stages of young children and the importance of play in their discovery and learning process. Design fun, inventive, and developmentally appropriate activities to help children on the path toward becoming eager learners in school. Learn how to work with families in multicultural communities. Develop approaches to integrating young children with special needs into early childhood settings. Accelerated Master's Degrees in Education Earn your bachelor's degree in education or art & design and a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in one program, saving you time and tuition money. Learn more about accelerated M.Ed. degrees. Remote Learning at Lesley University The Double Lynx Scholarship pays big. Every student who earns an undergraduate degree from Lesley is eligible to receive 12 graduate credits toward any master's degree we offer, 100% free. That's potentially over $16,200. Read all about it. Earn Credit for Prior Learning and Life Experience Transfer up to 90 credits through previous coursework and experience towards your bachelor’s degree. Learn more about credit for prior learning. Undergraduate Programs 92% of our 2020 graduating class is employed or furthering their education. Alumni Satisfaction Ranked #20 by alumni According to a survey published in Forbes, Lesley ranks #20 nationwide for providing a high-quality education that is worth the cost. View the survey results. Ruiming Huang ’17 A degree in Early Childhood Studies through Lesley's partnership with Bunker Hill Community College helped Ruiming expand a school for Chinese language and culture. Read more about Ruiming Huang Financial Aid Opportunities Explore resources for funding your education. Apply for scholarships and grants to help cover the cost of your bachelor’s degree. Learn more about financial aid and scholarships. Internships & Careers Unparalleled School Partnerships Our partnerships with school districts throughout the Greater Boston area give you unprecedented access to some of the most coveted internships and career opportunities in the U.S. You’ll work with children inside the classroom as early as your first year and go on to rewarding careers in these communities and beyond: Arlington Belmont Boston Bridgewater Brookline Cambridge Haverhill Lexington Lynn Malden Medford Needham Revere Somerville Waltham Watertown Faculty Joanne Szamreta Professor Emerita Joanne Szamreta Professor Emerita Joanne Szamreta retired from Lesley in May 2018 after 37 years of service. She arrived at Lesley University having worked as a preschool and kindergarten teacher, an education supervisor, and a program director of two different early intervention programs for very young children with special needs and their families. With these experiences as an experiential foundation and more recent experience conducting research, consulting with schools, publishing and presenting at conferences, Dr. Szamreta integrates this knowledge and experience into her education and psychology courses. With a focus on hands-on activities, field visits and discussions as the center pieces of her teaching, Dr. Szamreta facilitates students' creating their own knowledge and integrating important theories with practice. In addition, Dr. Szamreta works with a variety of different state agencies on public policy issues and initiatives affecting young children and their families as well as higher education programs. She has a B.A. from Smith College, M.Ed. from Erikson Institute, and Ph.D. from Boston College. Read Full Bio Presentations Approximate cost for 30 credits in this degree completion program. Early Childhood Studies: Adult Degree Completion On-Campus Tuition $585/credit x 30 $17,550 Fees Comprehensive Fee $1,335 Total Estimated Cost 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. Are you a US or International student? US student International student View apply guide View Full Program Cost Approximate cost for 30 credits in this degree completion program. Tuition and fees are for the 2023-2024 academic year. Financial Aid 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. Apply Now