Best Bachelor's in Preschool Education Programs in 2026

Built for students drawn to the earliest years of learning, UNCW's Education of Young Children, B.A. leads to North Carolina's Birth through Kindergarten (B-K) teacher licensure, an interdisciplinary credential that qualifies graduates to work with children from birth through age five, including those with disabilities. That breadth shapes the program, which prepares candidates for public schools, preschools, child care, and early intervention settings alike rather than a single kind of classroom. Fieldwork is woven through the coursework from the start, with 30 to 45 clock hours built into each course before students step into a culminating internship. Delivery stays primarily face-to-face, yet video conferencing and some online general education courses give remote learners real flexibility. The result is a hands-on, practice-heavy path into early childhood teaching. Earning a bachelor's degree in preschool education is a common route toward becoming one of North Carolina's kindergarten teachers.

This cross-departmental Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education totals roughly 89-90 credits, split between a pre-professional phase and a 55-credit professional sequence entered by selective admission. Candidates complete five semesters of field placement, including a yearlong internship in a public Professional Development School. Graduates meet Maryland certification requirements for early childhood general education (preschool through grade three) and early childhood special education (birth through grade three), earning dual licensure. Program learning outcomes align with CEC, NAEYC, and AAQEP standards. Delivered on campus in College Park. A bachelor's-level path in preschool education, it builds toward a career among kindergarten teachers in Maryland.

Tulane's Early Childhood (PreK-3) Education is a coordinate major, meaning it is not a standalone degree but a teaching credential students earn alongside a primary bachelor's major such as a B.A., B.S., or B.F.A. Offered through the School of Professional Advancement, it lets undergraduates weave education coursework into their main course of study rather than choosing between the two. The curriculum keeps a clear focus on the youngest learners, with instruction in early childhood reading, science, and social studies. Every candidate completes hands-on field experiences plus a two-semester residency at a partner school, with an applied research project as an alternative. Finishing the sequence, including its culminating clinical, leads to Louisiana teacher licensure in the PreK-3 grade band. Earning a bachelor's degree in preschool education is a common route toward becoming one of Louisiana's kindergarten teachers.

UNC Charlotte's Bachelor of Arts in Child and Family Development is built for students who want to teach and support the very youngest learners, from infants and toddlers through preschoolers and kindergarteners, including children with and without disabilities. Across its 120 credit hours, the degree balances a strong general education base with a substantial core of major coursework and room for selective electives, giving students both breadth and depth in early childhood development. The clinical side is woven throughout rather than saved for the end, and it builds toward a yearlong internship in a single classroom. Students spend one day a week there in the fall, then return to that same room for full-time student teaching in the spring, which lets them grow alongside the children they serve. Completing the program qualifies graduates for North Carolina's Standard Professional 1 license in birth-through-kindergarten education. This bachelor's-level preschool education program prepares graduates for work as kindergarten teachers in North Carolina.

Yeshiva University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education, a registered New York State program preparing candidates to teach Birth through Grade 2 in public and non-public schools. The five-semester sequence begins in the second semester of sophomore year, advances to hands-on courses in junior year, and culminates in a professional student teaching semester in local urban public and non-public schools during senior fall. Completers who pass the certification examinations apply for New York State Initial Teacher Certification. The University is pursuing, but has not yet earned, AAQEP accreditation of its educator preparation programs. Delivered on campus. This bachelor's-level preschool education program prepares graduates for work as kindergarten teachers in New York.

The Birth Through Five B.S.Ed. is a minimum 120-hour, fully online degree in early childhood education. Its teacher certification concentration leads to Georgia certification in birth through kindergarten plus an endorsement in preschool special education for ages 3-5, while a separate non-certification concentration prepares students for non-classroom roles. Candidates complete more than 900 clock hours of experiential learning in early learning classrooms and at least nine credits of student teaching, with clinical requirements available in approved work-based settings. Coursework is delivered 100 percent online. Earning a bachelor's degree in preschool education is a common route toward becoming one of Georgia's kindergarten teachers.

Westfield State University's Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education prepares candidates to teach the youngest students, leading to Massachusetts licensure for PreK-2. Based in the College of Professional Studies, the 107-108 credit program is approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and accredited by AAQEP, signals of a carefully vetted preparation. Its strength is a scaffolded clinical sequence that moves candidates through three field experiences, from Becoming a Teacher into Theory to Practice and Advanced Theory to Practice, before placing them in practicums spanning PreK-K and grades 1-2, each paired with a seminar for reflection. Students also declare a nine-credit Area of Focus with their advisor to round out the degree. The program is traditional and on campus. As a bachelor's degree in preschool education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as kindergarten teachers in Massachusetts.

This fully online Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education focuses on children from Birth to Age 5 and is designed for professionals working in preschools, Head Start, and child-care settings. The program page states plainly that the degree does not lead to Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5 licensure, so it is a non-licensure early childhood degree. Coursework includes practicum and student-teaching components such as preschool student teaching, a preschool internship, and an infant and toddler practicum requiring classroom hours. Multiple annual start dates and part-time or full-time pacing are offered. This bachelor's-level preschool education program prepares graduates for work as kindergarten teachers in Ohio.

Hampton University prepares future elementary teachers through a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education offered by its Department of Education within the School of Liberal Arts and Education. The curriculum is deliberately multidisciplinary, pairing content-area study with professional education coursework so candidates build both subject knowledge and teaching skill, and students who want to broaden their qualifications can add an optional endorsement. Classroom time is central to the experience, with a practicum leading into a full semester of student teaching before graduation. Because the program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, its graduates emerge prepared for Virginia teacher certification through a recognized route. Instruction takes place on campus, keeping students connected to faculty and peers throughout. The program fits students who want a well-rounded, certification-ready foundation for teaching in the elementary grades. This bachelor's-level preschool education program prepares graduates for work as kindergarten teachers in Virginia.

Inter American University of Puerto Rico's Guayama campus offers the Bachillerato en Educacion en la Ninez Temprana: Nivel Preescolar, a bachelor's degree in early childhood education at the preschool level. It sits within the campus division of Education, Social Sciences, and Humanistic Studies, and prepares students to teach and care for young children in preschool settings. Graduates of this preschool education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as kindergarten teachers.

The University of Arizona College of Education offers a Bachelor of Arts in Education in Early Childhood Education that qualifies graduates for an Arizona Teaching Certification covering birth through grade 3. The program embeds an ESL or bilingual endorsement into the default Tucson cohort so candidates can teach English language learners. Clinical preparation includes two full years of field experience, one placement in a birth-to-preschool classroom and one in a K-3 classroom. Students apply to the major after roughly 60 credits and completing composition and math requirements. Delivery is in person on the Tucson main campus. Earning a bachelor's degree in preschool education is a common route toward becoming one of Arizona's kindergarten teachers.

Stevenson University's Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education is built around sustained time in real classrooms, giving candidates who want to teach young children a hands-on route to Maryland teacher licensure. Offered through the School of Education, the program embeds field placements across all four years rather than saving practice for the end, so students grow more confident with each stage. It culminates in a yearlong internship in a Professional Development School, an immersive final experience that mirrors the rhythm of a full school year. That steady progression from early observation to full-time teaching gives the degree a practical, classroom-first character. It is accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation and approved by the Maryland State Department of Education, and a Bachelor's to Master's option lets students finish a master's degree in as little as five years. As a bachelor's degree in preschool education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as kindergarten teachers in Maryland.

North Park University's BA in Early Childhood Education is shaped around the youngest learners, leading to an Illinois license to teach infants through grade 2. Rather than saving practice for the end, the School of Education threads an extensive clinical sequence through the degree, culminating in a student teaching term of at least twelve weeks. During that placement candidates run a classroom in full, teaching lessons, attending meetings, keeping records, grading, and meeting with parents, all with regular faculty observation and feedback. That immersion helps future teachers grow comfortable with the day-to-day realities of early education before they graduate. The university's licensure programs carry approval from the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois State Teacher Licensure Board. Students placed in high-need Chicago schools also find guidance through the Golden Apple Scholarship liaison. Graduates of this preschool education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as kindergarten teachers.

Northern Kentucky University's Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education program is a Birth to Kindergarten certification track in the College of Education and Human Services. It prepares candidates for teacher licensure and is offered separately from a non-certification early childhood option for students not pursuing a teaching credential. Students may pair it with Special Education as a double major, or pursue Special Education as a standalone major. As a bachelor's degree in preschool education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as kindergarten teachers in Kentucky.

Built for students who want to teach in Arkansas elementary classrooms, the University of Arkansas at Monticello's Bachelor of Arts in K-6 Elementary Education leads to teacher licensure and is delivered through the UAM School of Education. The program is flexible about scope: with additional coursework, candidates can add a K-12 Special Education endorsement, broadening the ages and needs they are prepared to serve. Coursework runs on the Monticello campus, keeping the experience grounded and personal. The university is also working to bring the degree closer to more students, developing community-college partnerships that include a Forrest City site pending state and Higher Learning Commission approval and a location at the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville planned for May 2026. The result is a licensure path with a growing local footprint. As a bachelor's degree in preschool education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as kindergarten teachers in Arkansas.

Inter American University of Puerto Rico, San German, offers a Bachillerato en Artes in Educacion para la Ninez Temprana: Nivel Preescolar through its Departamento de Educacion y Educacion Fisica. The preschool-level program prepares candidates who meet the teacher-certification requirements of the Puerto Rico Department of Education. The department offers related programs at the elementary primary level (K-3), elementary level (4-6), special education, secondary education, and physical education. Graduates of this preschool education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as kindergarten teachers.

Eastern Illinois University's Early Childhood Education program leads to a Bachelor of Science in Education and an endorsement that reaches from birth through grade 2, the widest early span a teacher can hold. Based in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Foundations, it fills the years before student teaching with numerous field experiences across schools and social agencies, so candidates learn how very young children develop by watching them closely. For those who already hold a bachelor's degree, a post-baccalaureate licensure-only pathway offers a faster route into the field. Graduates go on to teach in pre-primary and primary classrooms as well as private preschool centers. The program was among EIU's initial preparation programs accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation in 2018. This bachelor's-level preschool education program prepares graduates for work as kindergarten teachers in Illinois.

Built with working professionals in mind, the Bachelor of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education at the University of Minnesota-Duluth schedules its courses in the afternoon and evening and welcomes transfer students, letting those who arrive with an associate degree finish in about two years. The teaching philosophy runs throughout, favoring play-based, developmentally appropriate, and culturally responsive practice that treats anti-racist teaching as central rather than optional. Students move through childcare, preschool, and elementary settings, so the classroom hours accumulate steadily and in varied environments. That range prepares candidates for Minnesota licensure spanning birth through grade 3, a wide band that asks teachers to understand children at very different stages. The program sits within the College of Education and Human Service Professions, which holds Minnesota PELSB approval and recommends graduates for their license. A bachelor's-level path in preschool education, it builds toward a career among kindergarten teachers in Minnesota.

Pittsburg State University's Early Childhood Unified: Birth through Kindergarten degree, a B.S.Ed. housed in the Department of Teaching and Leadership within the College of Education, prepares candidates to teach children from birth through kindergarten. Students complete over 500 hours of field experiences, including hands-on work at the university's NAEYC-accredited Little Gorillas Preschool and other community early learning programs, before student teaching. The on-campus program leads to teacher licensure across the birth to kindergarten grade band. Earning a bachelor's degree in preschool education is a common route toward becoming one of Kansas's kindergarten teachers.

Shawnee State University's School of Education offers a Bachelor of Science in Education that prepares students for teaching licensure in the early grades. The program is taught on campus and includes clinical and field experiences as part of its licensure preparation. Several early-grades pathways are available, including Early Childhood for PreK through grade 3 and Primary Education for PreK through grade 5. A bachelor's-level path in preschool education, it builds toward a career among kindergarten teachers in Ohio.

Grounded in constructivist theory, Athens State University's Early Childhood Education program treats young children as active builders of their own understanding, and it backs that philosophy with field experiences and clinical practice in real early childhood settings. The degree leads to the Alabama Class B Professional Educator Certificate for grades P-3, though the program is unusually flexible about how students get there. They can follow the certification track, choose a non-certification Technical Education instructor option, or pursue an Educational Studies early childhood concentration, and courses come on campus, blended, or fully online. Beyond the degree itself, the program adds practical on-ramps, including a one-semester Teacher Assistant Certificate, provisional certification for paraprofessionals, and credit for prior learning. Scholarships such as the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Grant help offset the cost. This bachelor's-level preschool education program prepares graduates for work as kindergarten teachers in Alabama.

Erskine College offers a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education (PreK-3) through its Education department, an on-campus program whose Teacher Education Program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). From their freshman year onward, education majors spend substantial time in active school classrooms under close supervision of professional teachers and college faculty, reflecting the program's view of teaching as a skilled craft learned through practice and mentoring. Erskine candidates who obtain South Carolina certification are usually eligible for reciprocity in other states. As a bachelor's degree in preschool education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as kindergarten teachers in South Carolina.

Ana G. Mendez University's Bachelor of Arts in Pre-Kindergarten/Primary Education centers on the earliest grades, preparing candidates to teach Pre-K through third grade with attention to content, teaching, and pedagogical standards. Across its 130 credits, the program keeps students in real classrooms from the start, weaving clinical field observations throughout the coursework before two full-time supervised semesters, Internship I and II, in a Pre-K-3 setting. That progression gives candidates a long runway of practice rather than a single culminating placement. According to the catalog, the degree meets the educational eligibility criteria for certification in the state where it is offered, with additional steps possible for licensure elsewhere. Delivery format and language of instruction depend on availability, and the program is not currently admitting new students. As a bachelor's degree in preschool education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as kindergarten teachers in Florida.

Springfield College offers an early childhood teacher licensure track leading to a bachelor's degree of at least 120 credit hours through the Education Department. To meet Massachusetts DESE regulations for PreK-2 licensure covering students with and without disabilities, candidates complete the pathway through a Psychology major rather than a standalone Education major, since the state requires an arts and sciences major. Fieldwork includes pre-practicums in special education and literacy plus separate PreK-K and Grade 1-2 practicum and seminar placements. Admission to the teacher preparation program is a separate, competitive step before the junior year, requiring passing MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills Tests. A bachelor's-level path in preschool education, it builds toward a career among kindergarten teachers in Massachusetts.

Kean University's Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education prepares candidates to teach the youngest learners while equipping them to support children with disabilities from day one. The P-3/TSD structure means graduates leave with New Jersey P-3 certification and an included Teacher of Students with Disabilities endorsement, a pairing that reflects how inclusive today's early classrooms are. Through the Department of Early Childhood Education, students gain fieldwork in both public schools and early childhood centers, and they can broaden their preparation with a content-area concentration or a second major. The program carries accreditation from both the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and it is also available at the Kean Ocean location. As a bachelor's degree in preschool education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as kindergarten teachers in New Jersey.