The Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education prepares professionals to work with children from infancy through sixth grade. A strong emphasis in child development provides the foundation for understanding the child as an individual within the context of the family, the peer group, and school settings.The program meets current Texas requirements for teacher certification and is accredited by the State Board for Educator Certification and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). State teacher certification is granted for EC-6 (early childhood through the sixth grade). See an academic advisor for updated certification requirements that may occur from recent legislative mandates. Students seeking teacher certification must meet all requirements outlined in the College of Education section of this catalog. To be recommended for certification, graduates must achieve satisfactory performance on the TExES, an examination prescribed by the State Board of Education. The university teacher education program includes a full year of student teaching (two semesters of the senior year). Students wishing to obtain teacher certification should consult with the department's undergraduate advisor.