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Early Childhood-6th Grade Education

Early childhood educators play a valuable role in society: setting the stage for lifelong learning.

Male teacher discusses a chart with four young students

TCU is the only university in the nation with two special education laboratory schools on campus: Starpoint School, for children with learning differences, and KinderFrogs School for children with Down syndrome and other developmental delays.

At TCU, you’ll learn developmentally appropriate pedagogy for children in elementary school settings
(pre-K through sixth grade) and graduate with teacher certificates and specialized knowledge in ESL and special education or bilingual education. Combine a bachelor’s degree with a Master of Education in just five years with the Accelerated Master’s option—giving you an advantage in the classroom.

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Sample Courses


  • Child Development
  • Play and Creativity
  • Literacy and Children’s Literature
  • Educational Psychology
View Courses & Degree Requirements

Special Admission Requirements


Students who plan to earn a teaching certificate must declare education as their major and formally apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program in the College of Education. Students apply to the Teacher Education Program when they have 54 hours toward their degree.

Our Faculty


The College of Education is home to two Piper Professors, a National Science Foundation Research Fellow and three endowed chairs and professors. Our faculty is nationally known for their research and maintains a tradition of excellence in teaching and mentoring.

What Sets Us Apart


You’ll teach and observe in diverse classroom settings from the first semester. Gain real-world experience and a broadened perspective by teaching in the Fort Worth community, with the option to teach for four weeks in international settings like Denmark, Panama, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland or the Netherlands.

Career Prospects


Our education students have a 100 percent hire rate and a 98 percent pass rate on state certification exams. More than 80 percent of our graduates teach in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, mainly in public and private schools.