Ball State’s online bachelor’s degree in early childhood education requires you to fulfill at least 120 credits to graduate. And, because you will be transferring credits in from your previous institution, many of those credits will likely apply to the 120. View the full program requirements in the course catalog.

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Once you are accepted into the program, your advisor will help you develop a customized plan of study. To graduate, you will need:

Early Childhood Education Courses

  • ECYF 100 Introduction to Early Childhood, Youth, and Family Studies
  • ECYF 202 Child and Family Wellness
  • ECYF 210 Promoting Prosocial Behavior in Young Children: Guidance and Cultural Factors
  • ECYF 250 Family Relations
  • ECYF 252 Creative Experiences for Young Children
  • ECYF 260 Early Childhood Curriculum and Instruction
  • ECYF 275 Child Development
  • ECYF 301 Teaching in the Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten Program
  • ECYF 315 Infant Toddler Curriculum and Environment
  • ECYF 320 Leadership and Management in Child Development Programs
  • ECYF 345 Culture and Language in Teaching and Learning
  • ECYF 350 Families in Cross-Cultural Perspectives
  • ECYF 381 Early Childhood Language Arts
  • ECYF 442 Program Administration
  • ECYF 484 Family Stressors and Crisis
  • ECYF 491 Practicum in Early Childhood Education
  • EDEL 200 Planning for the Elementary and Early Childhood Classroom
  • EDPS 391 Learning and Assessment in Early Childhood
  • EDRD 318 Literature for Young Children
  • EDRD 390 Early Emergent Literacy
  • MUSE 265 Basic Music for Classroom Teachers
  • SPCE 201 Introduction to Students With Exceptional Needs

Core Curriculum and Transfer Courses

Minimum of 70 Credits

Because one of the requirements for admission is to have an associate degree in early childhood education from an accredited university, you will be coming to Ball State with credit hours that will count 1) toward the university's core curriculum requirements, and 2) toward your major.

Because every student comes to this program with a unique set of prior credits, your advisor will help you customize your academic plan to your individual needs. 

By the time you graduate you have received all the education-related courses you need for your major, as well as met all the requirements of Ball State's core curriculum, whose central purpose is to enable students to live rich, satisfying lives, and to undertake the broad responsibilities of citizenship in a free society.

General Electives (Minimum of 2 Credits)

Pass the Writing Proficiency Exam

Semester-Based Courses 

Spring and fall courses within your major will be 16 weeks each and start during the last half of August (fall term) or early January (spring term). A few 8-week courses are offered in core curriculum subjects. Summer courses are either 5-weeks or 10-weeks and start in early May or mid-June.

Licensure Information

Successful completion of our bachelor's in early childhood education program (birth through age 5) does not lead to certification or licensure in any state. (Note: Indiana does not offer a pre-K license.)

A good source to review individual requirements for early childhood teacher certification or licensure in the state(s) you wish to teach is the Education Resource Organizations Directory (EROD).

Testing and Advanced Credits 

Ball State provides you opportunities to gain college credit via exams such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Ball State departmental exams. If you are a veteran, you also may qualify for credits for military service.