California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) has announced that its Early Childhood Studies (ECS) Bachelor of Arts degree program is now taking applications for a fall 2014 cohort allowing individuals to complete the final two years of their degree at the CI Goleta campus. The program will serve both Early Childhood Education graduates from Santa Barbara City College, and the workforce of early childhood professionals in Santa Barbara County who have an Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood or Child Development. Currently, there is no public university offering a BA in this field of study in Santa Barbara County.

“Having this degree program available in the area is important because new research supports the influence of quality programming on children’s learning success, and funded programs such as Head Start and state funded preschool programs require their teachers to obtain a BA degree,” stated Dr. Gary W. Kinsey, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of the School of Education. “CI’s Early Childhood Studies program is one of only two in the CSU system that provides a BA in Early Childhood Studies that prepares teachers to serve diverse families and children from birth to age eight. This is significant, since California’s Commission for Teacher Credentialing (CTC) is discussing the addition of a stand-alone credential for Early Childhood. Since CI’s program already prepares educators to serve children from birth to age 8, graduates from the program will be extremely well positioned for attaining the new credential through CI, and prepared better to meet the diverse needs of families in Santa Barbara County.”

The ECS program at CI offers core curricula in early childhood studies while highlighting the contextual influences of family, culture, language, and society. “There is a specific focus on the preparation of graduates who possess knowledge and skills in language acquisition and literacy for dual language learners,” according to Dr. Elizabeth Quintero, Coordinator of CI’s Early Childhood Studies program. “The value of diversity and the importance of ensuring that all children have consistent access to high-quality educational experiences are core tenets of CI’s School of Education and Early Childhood Studies program.”

Many of the enrollees in the Goleta cohort will likely be community college transfer students, juniors and seniors who are prepared to complete the final two years of upper division course requirements for the ECS program. Cohort members who finish on schedule will complete their degree in four semesters taking a full-time course load of 12-16 units per term. Courses will be delivered two nights a week, utilizing both face-to-face and online learning experiences, and are planned to begin the week of August 25, 2014.

The cost of tuition and fees for the two-year program per student, at $3,253 per term, will be about $13,012. The program is prepared to enroll an annual cohort of 30 - 35 students and expects that a significant majority will qualify for financial assistance.

The CI Goleta campus is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and provides state-of-the-art technology for student and faculty use. Additionally, free parking is available and the location is convenient to students from a number of Santa Barbara County communities, with the added benefit of being close to the 101 freeway for easy access.

Those seeking more information about the ECS program, two meetings are planned for Thursday, April 17 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, May 10 at 9 a.m. at the CI Goleta Campus located at 5383 Hollister Avenue, Suite 220, Goleta, Calif. CI Admissions, Financial Aid and ECS Program representatives will be present to answer questions and assist individuals in applying to the program.

Questions can also be directed to Counselor, Sara Alcala, at sara.alcala@csuci.edu or 805-437-3579. Faculty coordinators for the program are Dr. Elizabeth Quintero and Dr. Carola Matera, and can be reached at: elizabeth.quintero@csuci.edu or carola.matera@csuci.edu.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI's strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master's degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI's Social Media.