Prepare for career opportunities in early childhood settings by completing your bachelor's degree online. Through Northwestern’s Bachelors of Arts in Early Childhood program, you will gain knowledge in child development, assessment, behavior and current policy and be prepared to create meaningful learning experiences for every young child. Build on what you already know and become better equipped to address student needs and collaborate with co-teachers, parents, and peers. Take relevant courses and apply new strategies immediately in your teaching environment.
The B.A. Early Childhood program will qualify you for early childhood education roles (including paraprofessional and lead teacher positions) in a variety of settings, including:
- Head Start programs
- Child care centers
- Child development homes
- Infant/toddler and preschool programs
- Before- and after-school early childhood programs (birth through age 8)
- Regional and state and education agencies (AEAs, IAAEYC)
100% online. 8-week courses. New opportunities.
Earning your degree doesn't have to cost you time away from your other responsibilities. Northwestern College's online Bachelors in Early Childhood Education allows you to log into classes and complete your coursework whenever it's most convenient for you. Take one 8-week class at a time and balance your work, school and life schedule.
Educators with an early childhood degree are also highly employable. Research shows that teachers with more education offer higher quality programs with more positive child outcomes. Northwestern's affordable bachelor's degree program will provide opportunities for employment, job changes and promotion.
Financial aid opportunities
T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship
Educators pursuing a bachelor’s in early childhood may be eligible for a T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship. The scholarship program provides the early childhood workforce with educational opportunities. This comprehensive scholarship includes a significant portion of tuition and textbook costs, travel/Internet stipends, and paid time away from work. The majority of your bachelor’s degree could be funded through this program. For information or to apply, visit the T.E.A.C.H. website.
Child Care WAGE$ Program
Child Care WAGE$ ® IOWA (WAGE$) is a salary supplement program offered by the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children (IAEYC). As with T.E.A.C.H. IOWA, WAGE$ is a licensed program of the Child Care Services Association. WAGE$ offers salary supplements (also called stipends) to the early care and education workforce based on an individual's level of formal education and commitment to a program. With a bachelor's degree in early childhood, you may qualify for a higher WAGE$ level ($2900 annually compared to $1800 with an associate's degree). For more information visit the WAGE$ website. View the map of qualifying Iowa counties to determine your eligibility for this program.
FAFSA
Students in online programs may be eligible for federal and/or state financial aid. To determine your eligibility and award amount:
- Complete your FAFSA online using Northwestern's institutional code: 001883
- Upon acceptance into an online program, you will complete Northwestern's financial aid request form, and our financial aid specialist will help you with your financial plan.
Program requirements | seamless transfer
Incoming students must have an associate's degree or higher and may easily transfer earned credits toward the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood program.
Your previous hard work matters, that's why at Northwestern your associate's (AA or AS) degree fulfills the Northwestern's undergraduate education core. You will explore how your own faith interacts with your role as an early childhood educator by taking a religion course, Christian Story II, or you may transfer in an equivalent course.
Contact an enrollment counselor to see exactly how your previous courses will transfer.
Students in the B.A. Early Childhood program will take courses that help you grow. The early childhood core courses (33 credits) are listed below. Practicum experience and clinical practice are tailored to your schedule and may be partially completed in your own early childhood workplace.
Early Childhood courses (33 credits):
ECE 305 - Child Observation and Assessment
In this course, participants will learn how to implement a system of ongoing
child assessment that is systematic, comprehensive and feasible in order to
make sure that children make the progress necessary to be ready for
kindergarten. Participants will first understand the importance of and
strategies for planning and preparing for an effective system of ongoing
child assessment. Participants will learn about and practice using four
methods of effective ongoing assessment to inform their teaching and improve
children's learning. This course will also provide information and
implementation opportunities for individualizing ongoing assessment
strategies for children who are dual language learners and children with
special needs. Prerequisite: Admission into the Bachelor of Arts in Early
Childhood program. (3 credits)
ECE 310 - Resiliency and Wellness for Educators
The purpose of this course is to teach you how to be a resilient educator.
Resilience is the ability to survive and thrive. It is not only about your
ability to positively adapt in the face of adverse or challenging
circumstances (that is, survive), but it is also about learning the positive
skills, strategies, and routines that enable you to live a happy,
fulfilling, and successful life (in other words, thrive). This course will
help give you the permission to take care of yourself in order to optimize
your effectiveness as an early childhood educator.
Prerequisite: Admission into the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood
program. (3 credits)
ECE 320 - Positive Behavioral Support for Young Children I
This course utilizes evidence-based strategies for promoting social and
emotional development and preventing and addressing challenging behaviors in
preschool-aged children. Through course readings, discussions, activities,
and related experiences, participants will learn about a variety of these
research-based practices.
Prerequisite: Admission into the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood
program. (3 credits)
ECE 325 - Positive Behavioral Support for Young Children II
This course utilizes evidence-based strategies for promoting social and
emotional development and preventing and addressing challenging behaviors in
preschool-aged children. Through course readings, discussions, activities,
and related experiences, participants will learn about a variety of these
research-based practices. Prerequisite: ECE320. (3 credits)
ECE 330 - Supporting Language and Literacy Development in Preschool
This course is designed with two key learning objectives in mind. First,
this course will increase learners' knowledge about how children's language
and literacy skills develop between ages 3 to 5 and the ways in which these
skills lay a foundation for later reading success. Second, learners will be
introduced to key practices that promote explicit and systematic
instruction. Learners will also participate in field-based assignments where
they apply this learning in their own settings.
Prerequisite: Admission into the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood
program. (3 credits)
ECE 340 - Highly Individualized Teaching & Learning
This course covers evidence-based research and practices for fostering the
social emotional, cognitive, and motor development of young children with
varying needs and abilities in inclusive settings. Students learn to
individualize instructional strategies, design learning environments with
appropriate accommodations and adaptions, and understand IEPs and IFSPs.
Prerequisite: Admission into the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood
program. (3 credits)
ECE 400 - Supporting Dual Language Learners
This course focuses on the language, reading, writing, and communication
development of children who are dual language learners (DLLs), ages
birth-to-five years. Connections are made between assessment and instruction
that promote early language and literacy learning for children who are DLLs.
Emphasis throughout the course is placed on fostering language and literacy
learning by building on the family and community connections of young
children who are DLLs. Prerequisite: Admission into the Bachelor of Arts in
Early Childhood program. (3 credits)
ECE 420 - Engaging Interactions and Environments
This course will increase learners' skill in creating effective classroom
environments and interactions by providing rich opportunities to learn about
and see examples from other classrooms. Learners will also complete
field-based assignments where they apply this learning in their own settings
and receive feedback focused on ensuring they can enact the practices they
are learning about. Prerequisite: Admission into the Bachelor of Arts in
Early Childhood program. (3 credits)
ECE 425WI - Children’s Health and Well-Being
This course explores topics related to health and well-being and focuses on
teaching practices, classroom activities, partnerships with families, and
program policies to ensure that all children are healthy and ready to learn.
Prerequisite: Admission into the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood
program. (3 credits) (Writing intensive)
ECE 430 - Learning with Digital Media
Although infants and very young children do not learn from digital media
such as television and media, there is evidence that preschool-aged children
can. Young children can learn basic literacy skills, mathematics skills, and
develop interest in science from engaging with digital media. Instructional
practices can enhance learning from media. Specifically, young children's
learning is enhanced when adults co-view or co-engage with young children in
ways that foster sustained attention to aspects of media that are intended
to promote learning. Prerequisite: Admission into the Bachelor of Arts in
Early Childhood program. (3 credits)
ECE 450 - The Early Childhood Professional Portfolio
In this course, students will produce a professional portfolio, a
culmination of the knowledge from the required ECE courses in the BAEC
major. The portfolio will address professional standards, ethical
standards, and a faith reflection.Prerequisites: ECE305, ECE310, ECE320,
ECE325, ECE330, ECE340, ECE400, ECE420, ECE425 and ECE430. (3 credits)
Northwestern education core courses (4 credits)
Accepted as transfer credits or taken at Northwestern
BTS 250 - Christian Story II
This course presents an overview and orientation to Christian theology
focusing on its formation, content, role in the Christian faith throughout
Church history, and its interpretation of key biblical subjects such as God,
Christ, creation, sin, redemption, church, and new creation. This course
completes the Christian Story sequence and prepares students for a lifetime
of critical thinking and faithful living from a biblical-theological
perspective. Students should complete this course by the end of their fourth
semester. (4 credits) Prerequisite: REL150.
Note: Does not count toward a religion major or minor.
Elective courses
Accepted as transfer credits from an associate's degree.
Online courses are available for students who need to reach a total of 124 credits.
Total credits: 124
124 credits are required to graduate with a bachelor's degree, which includes the total associate and bachelor credits combined.
Minimum credits from Northwestern: 30
