The Major in Early Childhood Education & Music (ECMU)

As part of their degree program, students in early childhood education must complete both a professional and academic major. Academic majors include: art, biology, English, history, mathematics, mathematics/science/technology, music, Spanish, psychology, or sociology. The degree program in Early Childhood Education & Music is for the student who wants to become a general classroom teacher of young children.  These teachers are responsible for instruction in all subjects; their area of specialty happens to be music.  This degree program does NOT prepare the student to become the music teacher in the school.  In general, the ECMU student may not sit for the Praxis examination in Music Education.  Upon graduation with a professional major in early childhood education, the student receives the Bachelor of Science degree and is eligible for certification to teach pre-school through grade three in the public schools of New Jersey. 

Teacher education candidates will receive a "certificate of eligibility with advanced standing" which requires a candidate to be provisionally certified for his or her first year of teaching. After one year of successful teaching, the candidate is eligible for a permanent certificate.