The Integrated Early Childhood Education Program (ECSP) at the Martha Dickerson Eriksson College of Education, Austin Peay State University, is a comprehensive program designed to prepare educators to teach children from preschool to third grade. This program includes a foundation in general education and an interdisciplinary studies major, culminating in a pathway-focused on developing child-centered, inclusive teaching practices. The program is divided into Pre-Professional and Professional phases, beginning with a liberal arts core in the first two years and followed by specialized coursework in early childhood education. Field experiences are embedded throughout, with students progressing from observation-based assignments in local preschools and elementary schools to more hands-on teaching placements. In the junior year, students participate in guided fieldwork, while the senior year’s Practicum introduces a three-week teaching placement, allowing students to deliver lessons under mentor supervision. The program’s capstone, Student Teaching, is a 15-week student teaching experience split between inclusive Early Childhood and Special Education settings. Throughout, ECSP emphasizes evidence-based practices that foster inclusive learning, high-quality instructional materials, and technology integration, with a solid commitment to valuing diversity and engaging with diverse families and communities. Graduates are prepared to meet all young children’s developmental and educational needs and have the professional dispositions necessary to succeed in today’s diverse early childhood education environments.
Additional information may be found in the Integrated Early Childhood Education handbook.
Return to: