Online Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education

Gain the expertise you need to make a positive educational impact in the lives of children from the very beginning—from infancy to the Kindergarten classroom—with a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education online degree.

At University of the Cumberlands, we’re here to help you help even the littlest ones find learning success through our early childhood education bachelor’s degree online program. With the exception of field/clinical and student teaching hours, this online early childhood education degree program provides the convenience and flexibility needed to pursue a teaching degree in early childhood settings on your schedule and at your pace.

• What is Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education?
• What Careers Can You Do With a Bachelor's in Elementary Education?
• Is it Worth it to Get an Online Bachelor's in Elementary Education?
• Curriculum and Degree Requirements
• Tuition
• Admission Requirements
• Pathways for KCTCS Students
• Accreditation
• Faculty

What is Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education?

An online bachelor’s degree in early childhood education offers the training that educators need to help young children succeed in school. The coursework covers topics such as strategies for exceptional learners, working with parents and families of all cultures, assessment in childhood learning, child development, classroom management, curriculum planning and much more. 

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What Careers Can You Do With a Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education?

Wondering what you can do with an early childhood education degree? The answer is … a lot, actually. There are a number of job opportunities available for professional educators with relevant college training. Upon graduating with your early childhood education degree from University of the Cumberlands, you’ll have the knowledge and skills to pursue a career as a:

• Kindergarten Teacher
• Classroom Teacher
• Early Childhood Teacher
• Group Teacher
• Head Start Teacher
• Pre-K Teacher
• Preschool Teacher
• Teacher Assistant

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were more than 1,492,400 kindergarten and elementary teachers in 2021. The average salary for these early education professionals comes in at $61,350 annually and preschool teachers earned an average salary of $30,210. 

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Is an Online Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education Worth It?

For many educators, there is nothing more fulfilling than helping a child discover the joys of learning. Teachers enter the profession because they want to make a difference. And while “lightbulb moments” are priceless, what educators really want is the kind of wealth that multiplies and brings prosperity to generations of learners. 

At University of the Cumberlands, we get it. We share your passion. We share your mission. That’s why we provide high-quality instruction, an accessible support system, online course delivery, and the flexibility to advance at a pace that accommodates your life. We offer the chance to make an investment in yourself that pays off for young learners.

So, is an online bachelor’s degree in early childhood education worth it? That depends. Do you have a heart for helping young children succeed? Does instilling a lifelong love of learning sound more like a mission for your life than a job to do? Are you ready to make a real difference? Then, yes, an early childhood education degree from University of the Cumberlands is definitely “worth it.”

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Curriculum and Degree Requirements

This program is a blended online format. The early childhood education courses are offered primarily in a synchronous, online format. However, some general education core courses will be offered in a blended online format using Blackboard in the asynchronous environment, as well as face-to-face interactions through:

• Clinical/Practicum/Student-Teaching Observations
• Co-Teaching Professional Development
• Individual Advising Sessions
• On-Site seminars

As part of University of the Cumberlands’ Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education online degree requirements, each student must complete at least 120 semester hours, including those within the major and the coursework required to fulfill the degree requirements within:

• General Education
• Early Childhood Foundations & Related Studies
• Professional Education

Click here for Course Details

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Tuition

Costs for programs of study at University of the Cumberlands are competitive and affordable. Click here to view tuition rates and fees.

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Admission Requirements

In order to be considered for admission to this University of the Cumberlands online program students must complete the following:

• Apply online
• Submit official transcripts from all applicable colleges/universities attended; must be submitted directly to University of the Cumberlands from the issuing institution and must be sealed or unopened.
• If you have 0-11 hours of college credit, an official high school transcript must be submitted showing a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. GED students must provide official scores from the General Education Development Test (GED). Click here for the GED to GPA calculator.
• If you have 12+ hours of college credit, you must submit an official college transcript with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. High school transcripts are not required if you have obtained 12+ hours of college credit.
• Documentation of language fluency for non-native speakers of English, such as a score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the 8 International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or a report from Duolingo. This requirement is waived for students who have completed bachelor’s or master’s level coursework in the U.S. at an accredited institution. The minimum acceptable TOEFL or IELTS scores for admission are: 
  • Paper-based TOEFL (PBT) - 550 
  • Internet-based TOEFL (IBT) - 79 
  • IELTS - 6
  • Duolingo - 95

• Please Note: The requirements above are specific for admittance into the University only. Admittance into University of the Cumberlands Teacher Education Program will require additional items. For a detailed list of these requirements, please see here: University of the Cumberlands Teacher Education Requirements. 

All admissions materials should be submitted to:

University of the Cumberlands
Graduate & Online Admissions
649 S. 10th Street
Williamsburg, KY 40769

Phone 606.539.4372
Toll Free 800.343.1609
Email ucoadm@ucumberlands.edu

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Pathways for KCTCS Students

University of the Cumberlands and Somerset KCTCS have correlated efforts for Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education students. This effort provides for a seamless pathway for students completing the Associate of Applied Science degree in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education through KCTCS to move towards completion of the Bachelor of Science degree in Education through the School of Education at University of the Cumberlands.

Under this pathway, students who have completed an Associate’s degree in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education at KCTCS may transfer up to 80 hours of course credit to University of the Cumberlands.

The general requirement for graduation from University of the Cumberlands with the Bachelor of Science in Education is the completion of at least 120 semester hours including:

• General education – 50 hours
• Education major – 78 hours, including student teaching

(Some of these hours may be completed at the Community College level)

KCTCS students interested in additional information regarding transferring coursework to University of the Cumberlands should visit our Transfer Student page to learn more and request a review of their transcripts. 

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Accreditation

Click here to view University of the Cumberlands' accreditation information. 

In addition to the overall institutional accreditation statement above, the specialized accrediting bodies related to this degree are listed below. 

KDE/EPSB – State Accreditation
University of the Cumberlands' School of Education is further accredited through Kentucky's Educational Professional Standards Board (EPSB), 100 Airport Road, 3rd Floor, Frankfort, KY 40601. (502) 564-4606. Fax: (502) 564-7080.

CAEP – National Accreditation
The School of Education at University of the Cumberlands (UC) is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) at the initial-licensure level and advanced-level.  CAEP promotes excellence in educator preparation through quality assurance and continuous improvement.  UC’s School of Education has earned national accreditation by demonstrating excellence in the areas of content and pedagogy, clinical experiences, selectivity, program impact, and capacity for continuous improvement.
 
CAEP Address: 1140 19th St NW #400, Washington, DC 20036
CAEP Phone Number: (202) 223-0077

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Faculty

Click here to view a list of the education faculty. 

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