Originally founded as the Addison Teachers Seminary in 1864, the university has a 150-year track record of producing some of the most qualified teachers in the country.

More than a dozen CUC graduates have been recognized by the highly prestigious Golden Apple Foundation for outstanding teaching, which speaks volumes about the level of training you will receive.

Students who major in early childhood education learn how to teach children from infancy through second grade. Hands-on experience is a cornerstone of our program. You are required to gain at least 100 hours of field experience observing, assisting and teaching in the classroom. Our 16-week student teaching semester is four weeks longer than most programs, providing our graduates with additional experience and confidence.

CUC offers extensive graduate-level programs in education, with options for advanced degrees and additional certificates—supporting your professional development needs throughout your teaching career.

Your core courses will focus on communication, mathematics, natural sciences, humanities and fine arts,and social and behavioral science. Other coursework includes human and cognitive development, educational technology, teaching in diverse classrooms and teaching exceptional learners. All early childhood candidates also complete an ESL endorsement meeting the State of Illinois requirements.

You will take methods classes that teach you how to teach art, music, literacy, movement, play, infant toddler care, math, science and social science to young children. You will also learn how to develop and organize curriculum for the early childhood classroom. You will observe and teach in classrooms throughout the program. This provides experience in teaching students in actual classroom settings.We provide you with the tools needed to help students thrive in a nurturing environment.

The Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC), located in the state-of-the-art Christopher Center for Learning and Leadership, is a laboratory school for CUC.

Recently recognized as one of the top 100 programs in the United States, this exceptional early childhood education center provides pre-professional learning opportunities for teacher candidates. The center provides students with the opportunities to observe, participate and evaluate a variety of experiences with children from birth to age six.

Beyond the ECEC, each year in August, the University hosts the Early Childhood Conference featuring prominent speakers who offer hands-on workshops and seminars for students and teachers alike. There are numerous opportunities for students to learn in both public and private schools, and in special education and multicultural settings throughout metro Chicago and the nearby suburbs.

• A completed admission application for Concordia University Chicago.
• Official transcripts of all college coursework from each institution you have attended.
• Foreign transcripts evaluated by a Concordia-Chicago-approved international credentialing service. Concordia-Chicago accepts evaluations from Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).
• A certified document pledging financial support for your first year of study and without any unexpected events, and enough funding from the same or an equally dependable source for the following years.
• Proof of graduation from a secondary school.
• A transfer verification form for students transferring from a school in the United States.
• Proof of English proficiency, via one of the following:
• A score of at least 72 (internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) — Concordia-Chicago’s DI code is 1140
• A score of 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• Successful completion of Level 112 at an ELS Language School (ELS) or a certificate of completion of program from an English Language Institute (ELI), along with a recommendation of the program director
• Duolingo test with a minimum score of 95