McDaniel College adds early childhood education undergraduate major for fall 2024 semester

McDaniel College has received approval to offer a new undergraduate major in early childhood education from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC).

This new major, beginning fall 2024, expands McDaniel’s education offerings to prepare undergraduate students to teach infants, toddlers, and young children, which is a focus of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.

McDaniel has provided programs to train teachers and administrators for over 110 years and currently offers an elementary education major, as well as secondary education and pre-K-12 minors in specialized areas, such as art, physical education, and Spanish, along with almost 20 graduate degrees and certificates. The new major provides a pathway for students looking to obtain a bachelor’s degree and seek teacher certification for pre-K through third grade.

Grounded in the liberal arts, the program pulls from existing coursework and expertise within McDaniel’s Education department with new courses directly related to early childhood development and topics focused on young learners.

In developing the program, McDaniel’s education department consulted with the college’s existing partners, including Carroll County Public Schools and Carroll Community College, and considered the impact on private childcare centers and independent providers, plus programs like Head Start.

Since fall 2020, McDaniel has added 13 new majors that directly prepare students for careers in growing fields, including actuarial science, American Sign Language (ASL), applied mathematics, biochemistry, biomedical science, criminal justice, food studies, health sciences, international business, marketing and writing and publishing. A new Bachelor of Science in Nursing also begins this fall 2024.

In addition, McDaniel has launched a new accelerated Master of Science in teaching, which allows students to receive their degree after four semesters, including a yearlong internship with Carroll County Public Schools.

Students in the program are also eligible for a $23,000 Teacher Collaborative Fellowship to support up to 24 recent graduates and career changers who enroll in the program for spring 2024, which is currently underway, and summer 2024.