This program is available at the following location:

• OSU-Cascades

The Early Childhood Leadership, Policy, and Practice bachelor’s degree prepares students to work across systems and advance solutions to promote young children’s wellbeing across contexts, such as family, school, and community. The degree is built flexibly for students to tailor their education to career pathways. Students take courses in human development and family science, as well as policy, leadership, and communication. Through a series of practicum, internship, and capstone courses, students graduate ready to bring early childhood expertise to positions in leadership, policy, and/or working directly with young children.

Graduates draw on real-world experience and professional networks to pursue meaningful careers or advanced study in early childhood leadership, mental and behavioral health, policy, and in a range of systems that support children, their families, and their communities. To accommodate both first year students as well as those with prior learning experiences and/or community college or university credits, this degree offers flexible pathways aligned with a wide array of career opportunities and graduate programs.

Focal Areas Aligned with Career Pathways

Students may personalize their degree by selecting a focal area. Focal areas are not transcript visible.

All students will also be prepared for working directly with young children in early childhood settings.

• Leadership: prepares early childhood workforce leaders to support, coach, lead, and retain educators.
• Behavioral Health Foundations: prepares students with a base of knowledge and skills in applied mental and behavioral health, with expertise in young children and families.
• Policy and Advocacy: prepares graduates to contribute to policy and advocacy, bringing knowledge and skills in child development, families, social systems, and early learning.

Some careers may require a graduate degree. OSU students can apply to begin accelerated master’s programs during their junior year in areas such as applied behavioral health, public health, public policy, social work. Additional graduate programs such as counseling and education are also strongly aligned with this undergraduate major.

Major Code: A077

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Apply leadership and management principles to foster ethical, inclusive, and person-centered work environments in early childhood through strengths-based and empowering approaches.
• Integrate evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, and/or trauma-informed strategies to support the holistic development and resilience of young children with their families, and/or professionals who serve them.
• Utilize data and research to effectively inform practices, policies, programs that support thriving children, families, professionals, and communities.
• Apply effective interpersonal, intercultural, and professional communication skills.
• Develop policies that reduce barriers and promote wellbeing for young children within the context of the families, schools, and/or communities.

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Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025

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Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond

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Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course

¹

Courses completed at COCC may count for Statistics, Social Context, Leadership & Policy credits with advisor approval. See your academic advisor for a list of pre-approved COCC courses

²

Leadership & Policy credits may be personalized to career paths, using Focal Areas for guidance. See your academic advisor for more information about Focal Areas

Major Code: A077

Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.

Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Science

*

Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025

+

Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond

^

Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course