Overview

Students gain at the Purdue University hands-on experience through practicum courses in the Ben and Maxine Miller Child Development Laboratory School within the department and with educational programs in the community. The culminating capstone experience in this major is full-time semester student teaching experience. This major leads to a degree and teaching licensure in the state of Indiana for infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms; early elementary classrooms (K-3); and classrooms for children with exceptional needs (up to grade three).

The home of the Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs major is the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, located in Hanley Hall and Fowler House. In HDFS, all undergraduate students experience great academics, personal attention, and real-world experience.

Careers in Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs

Students are prepared to teach in preschool, primary, and special education classrooms for children aged birth through 3rd grade. Students are also prepared for certification as developmental therapists in state early intervention systems for children birth to 3 years old. Graduates pursue careers including:

public or private school regular or special education teacher (preschool – 3rd grade)
community child-care teacher or administrator
Head Start teacher or administrator
public or private preschool teacher
family support specialist
developmental therapist
family life specialist
special needs coordinator

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Orientation To Current Issues In Human Development And Family Studies
Human Development
Diversity In Individual And Family Life
Child Development
Research Design And Program Evaluation
Educational Technology And Computing
Literacy In The Primary Classroom
Assessment Literacy
Assistive Technology
Medical And Physical Management Of Individuals With Multiple Disabilities

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-01-13 00:00:00

Apply anytime.
Starting 2027-08-19 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-15 00:00:00

More details

If you're applying to begin in the spring or summer term, submit application as early as possible prior to the start of the term.

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

110

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

West Lafayette, United States

Disciplines

Early Childhood Education View 608 other Bachelors in Early Childhood Education in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

2.8

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

110

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Apply Online: $60 Application Fee
Secondary School Grades
Official SAT or ACT Score: SAT or ACT scores with writing is strongly encouraged for international citizens.
Proof of English Proficiency
Letter of Recommendation: Though not required, a letter of recommendation is strongly encouraged, especially for students eligible to be considered for scholarships, for the Honors College or for those who are applying to highly competitive programs.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

32104 USD / year

≈ 32104 USD / year
Out-of-State

28794 USD / year

≈ 28794 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

9718 USD / year

≈ 9718 USD / year

Living costs

West Lafayette

United States

1096 - 1774 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Careers in Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

West Lafayette

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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