2025-2026
Early Childhood Education and Teaching, Bachelor of Science in Education (NEXT STEP Pathway)
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Science in Education, Elementary Education Major (Reynolds Community College)
Associate degree
Associate of Science in Education, Elementary Education Major
Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.
Program description
The purpose of the B.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Education and Teaching degree is to prepare undergraduate students for roles as teachers and daycare providers of infants, toddlers and young children in schools and community daycare/preschool settings. The program will focus on providing students with a solid foundation in child development, educational psychology and the role of the family and society in education. Students will be prepared to teach in diverse classroom settings through purposefully integrated fieldwork and internship experiences. The program will emphasize working with young learners in inclusive settings and the value of play in early childhood instructional environments. Students will develop skills to advocate for equitable learning opportunities for all children. Successful completion of the program will result in licensure for early elementary education (PK-3).
Career opportunities
Graduates typically work in public or private school systems, child care centers, and youth service organizations. Teaching in public schools requires licensure. Be sure to explore the certification requirements in the state you want to teach in as they can differ across states. Graduates can also find work with programs such as Richmond Teacher Residency, Americorps, America Reads or The Literacy Lab. Learn more and explore potential career pathways at https://www.teach.org/.
Bachelor-level job titles
- Childcare Worker
- Elementary School Teacher
- Kindergarten Teacher
- Preschool or Child Care Center Director
- Preschool Teacher
- Recreation Worker
- Special Education Teacher
- Teacher Assistant
Contact information
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Guaranteed transfer admission requirements
Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:
- Completion of the associate degree
- Minimum GPA of 2.5
- All courses completed with a "C" grade or better
- Following admission to VCU, students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.8 for subsequent admission to the VCU teacher preparation program and a 3.0 GPA for admission to clinical internship.
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
- MATH 303 and MATH 361 and MATH 362
- STAT 206 or STAT 208 or STAT 210
Science required
- Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
- No
Additional tuition/fees
- Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
- Advancement to Teacher Preparation requires 2.8 cumulative GPA and acceptance to Clinical Internship (Student Teaching) requires 3.0 cumulative GPA.
Transfer major map
2025-2026
Early Childhood Education and Teaching, Bachelor of Science in Education (NEXT STEP Pathway)
Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Education, Elementary Education Major)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Register for SDV 100 or SDV 101.
- Schedule an advising appointment with your Reynolds advisor and review your Reynolds advising workbook.
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Cultivate relationships with your professors.
- Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Explore the School of Education website.
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Find out if you are eligible for the NEXT STEP VCU program.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
- Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
- Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
- Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Familiarize yourself with Handshake and explore Career Pathways on the VCU Career Services’ Website.
- Browse careers and occupations related to early childhood education.
- Explore iGrad to look into building a career and financial future.
- Build a LinkedIn profile.
- Take a career assessment to explore job options.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
- Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
- Create a weekly and monthly budget.
- Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Schedule an advising appointment with your Reynolds advisor.
- Meet with your NEXT STEP advisor or submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
- Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Be prepared for academic challenges. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Research housing options for next year.
- Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU School of Education, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
- Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
- Use Handshake to explore jobs and internships that match your interests and skills.
- If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
2025-2026
Early Childhood Education and Teaching, Bachelor of Science in Education (NEXT STEP Pathway)
Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Education, Elementary Education Major)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ||||
| SDV 101 (or SDV 100) | Orientation to Teacher Preparation | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I | UNIV 111 | 3 | General education |
| MTH | Select one: MTH 154 (recommended), MTH 161, or MTH 167 | MATH equivalent | 3 to 5 | General education |
| HIS 121 | United States History to 1877 | HIST 103 | 3 | Major |
| BIO 106 | Life Science (or BIO 101) | BIOL/Z 101 | 4 | Major |
| CST 100 or CST 110 | Principles of Public Speaking or Introduction to Human Communication | SPCH | 3 | General education |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| MTH | Select one: MTH 155 (recommended) or MTH 245 | STAT 208 or STAT 210 | 3 | Major |
| CHM 101 | Introductory Chemistry | CHEM/Z 110 | 4 | Major |
| EDU 200 | Foundations of Education | TEDU 101 | 3 | Major |
| EDU 280 | Introduction to Instructional Technologies | TEDU 510 | 3 | Major |
| Year 2 | ||||
| Select one: ART 100, ART 101, ART 102, MUS 121, MUS 122, CST 151 | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education | |
| HIS 281 | History of Virginia | HIST 205 | 3 | Major |
| ENG 250 | Childrens Literature | TEDU 386 | 3 | Elective |
| PSY 230 | Developmental Psychology (substitutes for VCU requirement EDUS 301) | PSYC 304 | 3 | Major |
| EDU 250 | Foundations of Exceptional Education | SEDP 330 | 3 | Major |
| ECO 150 | Economic Essentials (substitutes for VCU ECON 203 requirement) | ECON 1XX | 3 | Major |
| EDU 204 | Teaching in a Diverse Society | EDUS 202 | 3 | Major |
| PLS 135 | U.S. Government and Politics | POLI 103 | 3 | Major |
| GOL 105 | Physical Geology | ENVS/Z 105 | 4 | Major |
| Reynolds credits transferred to VCU | 61 to 63 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 3 | |||
| Students must achieve a 2.8 GPA to be admitted to the teacher preparation program. | |||
| MATH 361 | Numbers and Operations | 3 | Major |
| ECSE 301 | Developmental Assessment for Young Children | 3 | Major |
| TEDU 413 | Curriculum Methods and Instructional Models | 3 | Major |
| TEDU 425 | Emergent and Early Literacy | 3 | Major |
| TEDU 430 | Early Childhood Ed Practicum I | 1 | Major |
| TEDU 390 | Movement Education | 3 | Major |
| MATH 362 | Algebra and Functions | 3 | Major |
| ECSE 410 | Play-based Instruction for Inclusive Settings | 3 | Major |
| EDUS 304 | Educational Psychology for Teacher Preparation | 3 | Major |
| SEDP/EDUS 401 | Assessment in Diverse Settings | 3 | Major |
| TEDU 466 | Literacy Assessment and Intervention in the Early/Elementary Classroom | 3 | Major |
| TEDU 431 | Early Childhood Ed Practicum II | 1 | Major |
| Year 4 | |||
| Students must achieve a 3.0 GPA to be admitted to clinical internship. | |||
| Science | Select one: PHYS 101 Foundations of Physics, or INSC 201 Energy!, or INSC 300 Experiencing Science | 3 | Major |
| MATH 303 | Investigations in Geometry | 3 | Major |
| TEDU/SEDP 410 | Building a Community of Learners: Classroom Management | 3 | Major |
| TEDU 385 | Teaching Writing Through Children’s Literature | 3 | Major |
| TEDU 411 | Integrating the Arts in Curriculum for Young Children | 2 | Major |
| TEDU 432 | Early Childhood Ed Practicum III | 1 | Major |
| TEDU 416 | Math/Science Methods for ECE | 4 | Major |
| TEDU 490 | Social Studies Methods for Early Learners | 2 | Major |
| TEDU 452 | Teaching Multilingual Learners | 2 | Major |
| TEDU 471 | Internship I (PK-K) | 4 | Major |
| TEDU 475 | Internship II (Grades 1-3) | 4 | Major |
| TEDU 481 | Teaching as a Profession | 2 | Major |
| Credits completed at VCU | 65 | ||
| Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree | 120 | ||