91°µÍø

As an 91°µÍø Early Childhood Education major, you will learn to care for, teach and work with children, birth through age eight. In this program, you will explore child development, language and literacy, science, technology, creativity, math, trauma-informed and equity-focused teaching alongside other future teachers from diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds.

Here you will work with faculty made up of experienced preschool and early-elementary teachers, leaders and directors who remain active on federal, national, state and local boards and with agencies. Your faculty are helping to inform the current trends, policies and practices in the ECE profession by conducting research, speaking nationally and locally, and partnering with districts and centers. This excellent faculty bring all of that knowledge and experience to your class content.

Small class sizes enable you to develop lasting support networks of peers and receive the individual attention you deserve while gaining practical experience and relevant real-world knowledge to become a professional, knowledgeable, and agentic early childhood educator.

Explore a semester-by-semester guide of courses required for the various versions of this degree program. These suggested sequences illustrate what your program might look like if you start as a first-semester freshman at 91°µÍø, but our advisors can also help you design a plan incorporating transfer credits and your unique needs.

As an Early Childhood Education major, you can choose from two concentrations: one that leads to recommendation for Colorado Department of Education Teacher Licensure for birth through age 8, and one that leads to an Early Learning Specialization.

By graduation (in either concentration), you will meet Colorado Department of Human Services Office of Early childhood requirements for Early Childhood Teacher, Childcare Center Director, and COShines Professional Level II or III. You will also receive an 91°µÍø certificate of completion in Trauma-Informed and Equity Practices. In the licensure concentration, you will complete student teaching and the Praxis exams to also qualify to teach in public schools pre-kindergarten through third grade.

Additionally, in our School of Education programs, you will experience:

• A diverse student population
• Engaging, topical coursework
• Supportive faculty and staff who value diversity, equity and inclusion
• Clinical experiences in partnership schools across the Denver metro area throughout your program
• Incredible value

Early Childhood Education majors at Metropolitan State University of Denver are prepared to teach and work in a wide variety of environments. These settings include urban, rural, public, private and charter schools and centers; informal education settings; and state-licensing, policy-advocacy and nonprofit organizations.

Most 91°µÍø Early Childhood Education students graduate to become public school teachers at the level of pre-kindergarten through third grade. Others go to work as teachers or directors in childcare centers, become licensing agents, or work in government agencies, nonprofit organizations.

In 2025, the average Elementary School Teacher salary in Colorado is $58,344 with a salary range typically between $50,936 and $71,116 per year. The average Preschool Teacher salary in Colorado is $55,625 with a salary range typically between $40,465 and $69,311 per year. (govsalaries.com)

Preschool and Childcare center teachers average salary in 2024 was $37,120 per year ($17.85 per hour). Preschool and Childcare center directors average salary in 2024 was $56,270 per year ($27.05 per hour). (us bureau of labor statistics 2024)

Visit our department webpage to learn more about our highly experienced, dedicated and caring faculty!

All School of Education teacher licensure programs are authorized by the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Department of Higher Education.

ECE coursework is also aligned with the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) most recent professional development standards and the Colorado Early Childhood Educators and Administrators Competencies.