Liberal Arts and Sciences/Childhood Education (Teacher Education Transfer) A.S. – History Concentration

School: Business and Professional Careers
Academic Dept: Education and Human Services
HEGIS: 5649

Important Note about Program Requirements

The requirements listed below are for students entering into this program from Fall 2025 to Summer 2026. Students who entered the program during a prior semester will find their specific requirements listed in the Catalog under which they entered. Archived Catalogs are accessible through the dropdown menu above.

Program Description

The Liberal Arts and Sciences: Childhood Education A.S. with a concentration in History at SUNY Westchester Community College combines core education courses with an extensive liberal arts curriculum emphasizing social justice and inclusive practices that support diverse classrooms. Through courses in educational theory, classroom observation, child development, and a rich selection of history electives, you’ll gain insights and skills to help build engaging, supportive learning environments. Designed for seamless transfer to a bachelor’s program, this degree sets you on a path toward a rewarding career as an elementary educator, guiding students in grades 1 through 6.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, a student will:

Students will articulate pedagogical values rooted in educational philosophy and a strengths-based perspective of children and families.
Students will demonstrate understanding of teaching practices that support children of diverse backgrounds and abilities.
Students will demonstrate understanding of issues and policies in education and will evaluate trends in today’s schools.
Students will demonstrate competency and foundational knowledge within their concentration area.

Program Note

Students are encouraged to apply early due to an extraordinary demand.
Students must enroll in EDU 101 - Foundations of Education as well as ENG 101 - Writing and Research during their first semester.
Transfer programs at the bachelor’s level in Education often require a minimum cumulative GPA or 3.0 for admission; consult with transfer schools of interest for details.

Program Requirements

61 credits are required for the degree:

General Education - 31 credits
Required Degree Courses - 30 credits

General Education Requirements - 31 Credits

Communication - Written and Oral (3 credits): ENG 101 Writing and Research OR ENG 101H - Writing and Research - Honors
Humanities (3 credits): ENG 102 Writing and Literature
Mathematics (and Quantitative Reasoning) (3 credits): MATH 138 - Elements of Geometry
Natural Sciences (and Scientific Reasoning) (4 credits): BIOL 101 - Principles of Biological Science with Lab
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (3 credits): EDU 103 - Teaching in Today’s Diverse Classroom
Social Sciences (3 credits): PSYCH 101 - Introduction to Psychology and GEOG 101 - World Geography
World Languages (6 credits): choose TWO courses of the same language from World Languages general education courses
US History and Civic Engagement (3 credits): POLSC 102 - American Government and Issues

Where specific courses are not listed within the categories above, courses must be selected from the list of all general education courses .

Required Degree Courses - 30 credits

Required (18 credits)

ART 108 - Art of the Ancient World: Prehistory to Fourteenth Century OR ART 109 - Art of the Modern World: Fifteenth Century to Contemporary
EDU 101 - Foundations of Education
EDU 200 - Special Education: Contemporary Perspectives
EDU 202 - Elementary Education Practicum and Seminar
MATH 123 - Math for Elementary School Teachers
PSYCH 232 - Child Development
General History Elective (3 credits): select ONE of the following
U.S. History Elective (3 credits): select ONE of the following
- HIS 111 - 19th Century U.S. History
- HIS 112 - 20th Century United States History
Western Civilization OR History of Europe Elective (3 credits): select ONE of the following
- HIS 101 - Western Civilization to 1648
- HIS 102 - Western Civilization 1648 to 1914
World History OR History Survey Elective (3 credits): select ONE of the following

Program Map

The program map is a recommended semester-by-semester schedule of courses based on degree requirements and serve as a general guideline to help students complete their program in two years. Although designed for full-time enrollment, these are easily adaptable for part-time study. For additional, individualized guidance, students should review Degree Works and consult an Academic Counselor or Faculty Advisor to ensure they are on track to complete their program.

Semester 1

Course	Credits
ENG 101 Writing and Research	3
World Languages Gen. Ed. Course	3
EDU 101 - Foundations of Education	3
GEOG 101 - World Geography	3
US History Elective	3
Semester Total Credits	15

Semester 2

Course	Credits
ENG 102 Writing and Literature	3
BIOL 101 - Principles of Biological Science with Lab	4
EDU 103 - Teaching in Today’s Diverse Classroom	3
PSYCH 101 - Introduction to Psychology	3
Western Civilization OR History of Europe Elective	3
Semester Total Credits	16

Semester 3

Course	Credits
World Languages Gen. Ed. Course	3
MATH 123 - Math for Elementary School Teachers	3
EDU 200 - Special Education: Contemporary Perspectives	3
PSYCH 232 - Child Development	3
World History OR History Survey Elective	3
Semester Total Credits	15

Semester 4

Course	Credits
MATH 138 - Elements of Geometry	3
ART 108 - Art of the Ancient World: Prehistory to Fourteenth Century OR ART 109 - Art of the Modern World: Fifteenth Century to Contemporary	3
EDU 202 - Elementary Education Practicum and Seminar	3
POLSC 102 - American Government and Issues	3
General History Elective	3
Semester Total Credits	15

Minimum Total Credits: 61

Transfer Opportunities

Westchester Community College is committed to facilitating a smooth transfer process to ensure that graduates of the college are prepared to transfer with junior status, and are able to complete a bachelor’s degree within two years of full-time study upon transfer. View 4-year institutions’ transfer agreement information by program here.

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