To graduate, you will need to complete 55-quarter credit hours. Additional requirements include: 

• Complete 800 hours of practicum

• Successfully pass the PRAXIS II Early Childhood Special Education Exam 

What makes our program special is our hands-on approach. You will immediately put what you are learning into practice by working directly with children and their families. You will do this at Fisher Early Learning Center, DU’s highly regarded early learning center for children aged birth to five years, as well as at other community agencies that serve young children.

Graduates will understand the needs of children and their families within the ever-changing global society. Your practice will be based on a strong understanding of the interrelationships among the environmental, neurodevelopmental, and cultural influences on development.

From the beginning of the program, students are assigned a faculty advisor who is the first line of communication between the program and the student. During field experience, students will also have a an ECSE Practicum Supervisor for additional support at either Fisher Early Learning Center or the school in which they already teach.

DU ECSE Specialists who serve young children with disabilities and their families in schools, districts, & community organizations also:

• Value inclusive excellence

• Use data to make decisions

• Use family-centered & ecological approaches

• Understand & use the latest research & technology

• Understand critical thinking skills & collaborative learning

Values based on the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children and the Colorado Department of Education licensing standards.