Early Childhood/Elementary Education is a double major program offered by CWU-Des Moines. This program, which has served the teacher preparation needs of the Puget Sound area for over 20 years, is widely respected by school districts in King and Pierce County.

A cohort model allows students to work cooperatively and collegially as part of a professional training curriculum. The program leads to Washington State Teacher Certification with Early Childhood (Birth - Grade 3) and Elementary Education (K-Grade 8) endorsements. This opportunity to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education while meeting teacher certification requirements is made available to residents of the greater Seattle area through cooperation with the Puget Sound area Community Colleges.

Students will need to plan for a total of seven quarters to complete the program, including a full summer quarter between the first and second academic years. Summer session begins during the third week of June, and ends in the third week of August.

Application Process

This program begins only in the fall quarter of the academic year Therefore those who are interested in future admission should plan carefully to meet the following requirements and procedures:

1. Meet CWU’s general education requirements through a community college direct transfer agreement (DTA), bachelor's degree, or equivalent from any state accredited college or university.
2. Complete the lower division prerequisites or their equivalents listed below. Equivalencies at community colleges around the state for the prerequisites can be found at www.cwu.edu/registrar/transfer-equivalencies-policies.
3. Apply for admission to Central Washington University online at www.cwu.edu/admissions. Submit official electronic or hard copy transcripts from any colleges or universities you have attended to the Admissions Office in Ellensburg and provide the Des Moines Center with a student copy for advising purposes.
4. Be admitted to CWU’s Teacher Preparation Program (www.cwu.edu/teacher-certification for the application process and materials). Requirements include a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the most recent 45 quarter credits, and passing all portions of the WEST-B test. Testing dates and information are available online at www.west.nesinc.com.
5. Make an appointment with an academic advisor as part of the application process.

For complete program curriculum, visit CWU’s online catalog at http://catalog.acalog.cwu.edu/.

BAEd Early Childhood Education/Elementary Education (PDF)