Applied Science (Early Childhood Studies) ,BAS
Childcare, Coach, Community, Early Childhood, Education, Head Start, Preschool, Teacher, youth
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College is changing their name, effective Fall 2025. The new name is Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation.
Elevate your Associate of Applied Science degree by gaining skills and knowledge that are in high demand across a variety of early childhood settings. Prepare to have a positive effect on young children, their families and communities.
The Bachelor of Applied Science with a concentration in early childhood studies is a two-year program for students who already have an Associate of Applied Science degree in early childhood education or a similar field.
Students gain skills in communication, critical thinking and leadership so they can positively affect lifelong learning for children from birth to age 5 (not yet in kindergarten). Through online coursework, students deepen their understanding of the social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of young children. Students learn to set developmentally appropriate learning goals, create and support effective instructional strategies, and develop highly individualized instruction for young learners.
This program integrates experiential learning opportunities into the curriculum, enabling students to put coursework into practice. Students must be able to work or volunteer with learners in an early childhood setting (birth to age 5, not yet in kindergarten) for at least 15 hours per month throughout their junior and senior year.
Individuals who do not have an AAS degree may consider the Bachelor of Arts in Education program in educational studies with a concentration in early childhood studies, which has a parallel curriculum.
This program does not lead to teacher certification. Students seeking teacher certification should enroll in one of the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College undergraduate programs that lead to institutional recommendation for teacher certification.
- College/school:
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College
- Location: Online , ASU Local
- Second language requirement: No
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
- First required math course: MAT 142 - College Mathematics
- Math
intensity: General
Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
First-year | Transfer | International | Readmission
Additional requirements:
This program is not available to first-year students.
Transfer admission requirements:
Students applying to this program must have completed an Associate of Applied Science degree from a regionally accredited institution and be employed or volunteer in an early childhood setting (e.g., Head Start, child development center, early care and education center, private or public preschools, home-based child care) to successfully participate and complete coursework.
Students who have earned an AAS degree from a regionally accredited Arizona community college may be eligible to transfer up to 75 credits towards the BAS degree.
A current ASU student must have completed an AAS degree program in early childhood education or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution to change to this major.
Students should visit the Change of Major form for information about how to change a major to this program.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
It is now possible to earn an ASU degree with ASU Local, an integrated college experience in which students take advantage of in-person success coaching and programming experiences on site while completing one of 130+ undergraduate online degree programs, all of which come with online faculty interaction and tutoring support.
ASU is committed to helping students thrive by offering tools that allow personalization of the transfer path to ASU. Students may use MyPath2ASU® to outline a list of recommended courses to take prior to transfer.
ASU has transfer partnerships in Arizona and across the country to create a simplified transfer experience for students. These pathway programs include exclusive benefits, tools and resources, and they help students save time and money in their college journey.
Because of climate change, geopolitical instability or economic factors, the United Nations and other institutions predict that, for the foreseeable future, migration will increase globally. Learners will migrate to new communities, and in response, educators will be asked to meet the needs of students who speak languages other than English and who bring a variety of cultures into classrooms and learning environments.
Education students can prepare for this reality by participating in Global Education programs, in which they can expand their notion of normal schooling and deepen their understanding of how to foster inclusive and inspiring learning environments.
This program is a great option for those who are already working in the field of early childhood education.
Graduates may become early childhood educators in various settings, such as Head Start programs, early care and education centers, private preschools, nonprofit centers and home-based service providers. Other career opportunities include center-based administrators or directors; topic specialists who provide resources, training and technical assistance to early childhood educators and programs; program managers; family support specialists and consultants.
Example job titles and salaries listed below are not necessarily entry level, and students should take into consideration how years of experience and geographical location may affect pay scales. Some jobs also may require advanced degrees, certifications or state-specific licensure.
| Career | *Growth | *Median salary |
|---|---|---|
|
-2.0%
|
$28,520
|
|
|
3.7%
|
$66,930
|
|
|
-3.0%
|
$49,690
|
|
|
3.4%
|
$35,330
|
Educational Leadership & Innovation, Division
|
ED 102
ASUeducation@asu.edu
480-965-9995
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
