About
Are you interested in teaching children from birth to age 8 (through third grade)? The Early Childhood Education (ECE) program will prepare you to work in a variety of early care and education settings, such as public and private schools, local Head Start agencies, child care centers, and preschools.
Why Early Childhood Education?
- Courses focused on preparation for work with culturally and linguistically diverse children and families.
- Opportunities to learn teaching methods for all children, including those who have a home language other than English; bilingual certification available for those who are proficient in Spanish, Hmong, or Lao.
- Classroom-based field experiences in a variety of settings in Milwaukee and the surrounding metropolitan area.
- Flexible scheduling includes full- and part-time study options and coursework in summer and January break.
- Innovative teacher education curriculum taught by highly-qualified faculty.
Who Should Consider the Program?
- Undergraduates or transfer students.
- Career changers who already hold a bachelor’s degree.
- Those who hold an associate’s degree in ECE and would like to complete a degree and a Wisconsin teacher license.
- Those who would like to attain Master’s level credits with certification, or a Master’s degree.
How to Apply
Undergraduate Program
Refer to the Curriculum tab for more information regarding the program, admission criteria and to fill out the Admission Review Form.
Post-Baccalaureate Program
Follow the steps listed in the Early Childhood Education Post-Baccalaureate Program Application (PDF). Applications must be received by April 30th for Summer admission, July 15th for Fall admission and December 15th for Spring admission. Refer to the Curriculum tab for more information regarding the program and admission criteria.
Graduate Program
Please contact Dr. Leanne M. Evans, Program Chair for more information at levans@uwm.edu. This is a focus area in the Curriculum and Instruction MS Degree program. See C&I Master’s degree program.
Contact Us
Questions about the program and/or admissions?
Maggie Kaczmarek
kaczmarm@uwm.edu
Contact an Early Childhood Education Program Academic Advisor
Office of Student Services Advising
(414) 229-4721
soeinfo@uwm.edu
(Last names A – L) – Andrea Azarian
(Last names M – Z) – Nikki Claas
Early Childhood Education Program Chair
Leanne Evans, PhD
levans@uwm.edu
Early Childhood Education Program Director & Student Teaching Coordinator
Curriculum
Contact an Early Childhood Education Program Academic Advisor to discuss program requirements more in-depth.
Office of Student Services Advising
(414) 229-4721
soeinfo@uwm.edu
(Last names A – L) – Andrea Azarian
(Last names M – Z) – Nikki Claas
Undergraduate Program
Program Sheet
Undergraduate Program Sheet (PDF)
Admission Criteria – With or Without Certification
Teacher candidates are admitted to the ECE major upon declaring the major or transferring from another institution. Candidates can be admitted to the certification track(s) of the major upon:
- Successful completion of 30 credits.
- Completion of UWM competency requirements in English and Mathematics.
- Completion of Currins 501 and Currins 240 with a grade of “C” or better.
- Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better.
Admission Review Form
Post-Baccalaureate Program
Program Sheet
Post-Baccalaureate Program Sheet (PDF)
Admission Criteria
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on all coursework completed for undergraduate credit.
- Submit application materials by April 30th for summer admission, by July 15th for fall admission and by December 15th for spring admission.
Post-Baccalaureate Program Application (PDF)
Explore the Program Further!
Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree can earn their teaching certification by successfully completing our post-baccalaureate teaching certification program. It’s possible that coursework completed as part of your bachelor’s degree could be applied towards our program. Please complete the web form below to find out if any of your previous course work can be used to fulfill certification requirements.
Request for Transcript Evaluation Form
Graduate Program
Please contact Dr. Leanne M. Evans, Program Chair for more information at levans@uwm.edu. This is a focus area in the Curriculum and Instruction MS Degree program. See C&I Master’s degree program.
Faculty
Teaching and Learning(414) 229-7324levans@uwm.eduEnderis Hall 377
Teaching and Learningcstarr@uwm.eduEnderis Hall 379
Teaching and Learningosvatic@uwm.eduEnderis Hall 385Teaching and Learningrollinse@uwm.eduEnderis Hall 395
Teaching and Learningsedivy@uwm.eduEnderis Hall 389Research
Faculty guided undergraduate and graduate research opportunities are available. For more information about faculty research please visit the profile pages of Nancy File and Leanne Evans.
Career
Our graduates are employed in a number of professional settings—for example, Milwaukee Public Schools, Racine Unified School District, Kenosha Unified School District, Oak Creek-Franklin School District, West Allis-West Milwaukee School District, Waukesha School District, UW-Milwaukee Children’s Learning Center, local Head Start Agencies, Next Door, community-based child care centers, and more.