Possible Certifications
- Early Childhood Education (Birth–Grade 2)
- Childhood Education (Grades 1–6)
Possible Concentrations
- Art History
- Dance (audition required)
- English
- Environmental Studies
- French
- Geography
- History
- Human Development
- Latin American and Caribbean Studies
- Mathematics
- Music
- Natural Science
- Political Science
- Spanish
- Theatre
- Urban Studies
- Women’s and Gender Studies
Recent Internships / Field Experiences
- Action for Better Community Head Start
- Dansville Central School District
- The Harley School
- Hilton Central School District
- Rochester City School District
- Rochester Discovery Charter School
- Seton Catholic School Preschool
- The Strong National Museum of Play
Alumni Spotlight
Felicia Vanacore '13
Major: Early Childhood/Childhood Education
Career: Vanacore is an award-winning early childhood (K–2) classroom teacher in the Orange County Public School District in Orlando, FL. She holds a master’s degree in math and science K–8 Education from the University of Central Florida.
Early Childhood and Childhood Education
Why study early childhood and childhood education at Geneseo?
The early childhood and childhood (birth–grade 6) education program prepares students to teach in multiple contexts, emphasizing developmentally appropriate, inclusive, and culturally responsive methods.
Students receive more than 100 hours of direct field and practice teaching experiences from their sophomore year before their student teaching experience, helping them to make connections between their coursework and real-world classrooms.
Early childhood/childhood education majors learn from expert faculty with significant classroom experience and are encouraged to participate in directed studies, internships, study abroad, and undergraduate student research. They develop close relationships with their peers, faculty, placement sites, and other School of Education majors.
Geneseo teachers are well-prepared and sought out by school districts and centers locally, regionally, and nationally. Graduates are accepted into high-quality graduate programs to pursue additional degrees and teacher certification.
Program Options
- BSEd in Early Childhood/Childhood Education (Birth–Grade 6)
- BS with Second Major in a Liberal Arts Discipline
Additional Options
Program Highlights
- Nationally accredited through CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) and NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children)
- High-quality, field-based teaching experiences embedded throughout the program
- Rich resources from the Teacher Education Resource Center and Imaginarium
- Strong tradition of study abroad opportunities (e.g., Iceland)
- Special student teaching opportunities in Alaska, New York City, the Strong National Museum of Play, and international (e.g., Australia, Ghana, Thailand)
- Education-focused student clubs—Young Children’s Council, Elementary and Secondary Education Association, Council for Exceptional Children
- One-to-one faculty academic and professional advisement throughout the program
Example Careers
- Child/Family Advocate
- Childcare Center Director
- Childcare Lead Teacher
- Curriculum Specialist
- Head Start Teacher
- Home-based Service Provider
- Infant/Toddler Specialist
- Private School Teacher, Pre-K–Grade 6
- Public School Teacher, Pre-K–Grade 6
- Universal Pre-K Lead Teacher
Recent Employers
- Center Moriches School District
- Dansville Central School District
- Doodlebugs Learning Academy
- Gananda Central School District
- Geneseo Central School District
- Great Expectations Childcare
- Middle Country School District
- Rochester City School District
- Syracuse City School District
Recent Grad Schools
- Hunter College
- Nazareth College
- Saint Joseph’s University
- SUNY Albany
- SUNY Brockport
- SUNY Buffalo State
- SUNY Cortland
- University of Rochester
Contact Info
Jeanne Galbraith, Inclusive Early Childhood Education
galbraith@geneseo.edu
South Hall 222A
585-245-5253
