The Child and Family Services program is designed for students who prefer to work with children and their families in a variety of settings, including non-public school or social service settings. This degree provides the flexibility for students to gain the skills for their desired career.The SIU Early Childhood major with a specialization in Preschool/Primary leads to the State of Illinois Professional Educator's License (PEL) with an endorsement in Early Childhood, which qualifies you to teach children 0-8 years of age in state-approved public school settings. The curriculum prepares students to work with preschoolers with a variety of disabilities. These courses are also approved to meet a number of requirements toward the Illinois Early Intervention credential. Coursework includes several field experiences with different ages from infants and toddlers to early elementary ages. Student teaching consists of 16 weeks in a public school. This specialization requires admittance into the SIU Teacher Education Program.<br><br> In selecting courses, students can follow any of four suggested career tracks:<br><br>Director<br>Child Development Specialist<br>Parent Educator<br>Social Service