Curriculum

ECE4U Curriculum

The ECE4U curriculum provides students the opportunity to take coursework that will prepare them for a wide variety of employment options working with young children and their families.

The curriculum can be broken down into two general areas:

ECE4U program cohort classes
UW-Whitewater University General Education Requirements

UW-Whitewater University General Education Requirements can be found here.

Once you are admitted to UW-Whitewater, the Admissions Department will create an Academic Advisement Report (AAR) for you. This document, available through WINS, lists every course requirement for the program. Any courses that you completed through your Technical College that transferred to UW-Whitewater will also appear there. As you take coursework each semester, the AAR updates automatically and keeps track of your requirements and progress toward graduation.

Course Schedule

The course schedule attached is one way to complete the ECE4U program. It is designed around the cohort model: students move through the courses at the same pace so they are with the same group of peers throughout their time at UW-Whitewater. This course sequence and load can be tailored to your individual situation and goals.

Your program advisor is happy to meet with you to review your Academic Advising Report to make sure you meet all of the requirements for graduation, and in a sequence you are comfortable with.

Field Experiences

Students are involved in fieldwork and directed teaching experiences throughout the program. The placements provide students with a variety of experiences, covering the wide range of careers that are available after graduation. The placements also provide students with the opportunity to implement classroom strategies in professional experiences, enhancing their educational experiences.

Students complete the following experiences:

50 hour placement working with children ages 3–5 years old and the special education professionals who work with them
50 hour placement in an elementary school working in a 1–3 grade classroom
150–300 hour student teaching placement working with young children birth to three years old and their families
9-week full time student teaching placement in a 1–3 grade classroom
9-week full time student teaching placement working with an elementary school special educator

Please note that if you are completing the program without the intention of applying for your teaching licenses, you only complete the two 50 hour placements. The other three are only required if you intend to obtain your teaching licenses.

Meeting Dates

The ECE4U program classes are offered through an online hybrid model. This means that the coursework is completed mostly online, but there are six face-to-face meeting dates each semester. On these dates, classes are held on UW-Whitewater’s campus in Winther Hall, located near the corner of Prairie Street and Starin Avenue. The face-to-face meeting dates are requirements of the program. Dates are available in advance, so please plan ahead. You can plan on attending classes on these Saturdays from 8:30 to 3:30.

Spring 2021 Face to Face Dates

First 8 Weeks