ECEM Transfer & Prospective Students

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Thinking About Becoming a Teacher?

The Department of Early Childhood, Elementary, and Multilingual Education housed within the Woodring College of Education, offers programs that can help you earn your Residency Teacher Certificate in Washington State to teach either P-3 or K-8 grades. That means you'll be on your way to becoming a certified teacher!

Our department is all about building strong connections with the community, celebrating diversity, and making sure every student feels included and supported. We believe in learning together, respecting different cultures and backgrounds, and working toward a more fair and just society.

Our programs are designed to help you become a confident, well prepared teacher who can make a real difference in students’ lives. You’ll follow a step-by-step curriculum that’s based on the latest research about what works best in classrooms today. Everything you learn is aligned with what teachers across the country are expected to know and do.

How to Apply - Simplified for You

Applying to Early Childhood or Elementary Education

You can apply to both WWU and either the Early Childhood or Elementary Program at the same time—as long as you meet the program's application requirements.

Early Childhood Education only accepts students once per year during spring quarter by March 1st deadline. 

You can take SCED 201 (science) and the math prerequisite application requirements during the same quarter you apply, or you can complete them beforehand.

For full details, visit the Teacher Education Admissions website and choose the program you're interested in.

Transferring Courses from in WA State 

All public, Washington state colleges and universities have had all courses evaluated by our transfer credit specialists. If you are transferring credits from a public Washington state college or university, see our Transfer Equivalency Guide 

This guide will outline all courses, including General University Requirements (GURs).

Applying to Early Childhood or Elementary Education

You can apply to WWU and the major at the same time if you meet the requirements. It’s highly recommended that you meet with an advisor for your program to make sure you’ve got everything covered before applying.

For ELL/BLE Endorsement:
Visit the ELL/BLE Endorsement Program for Certified Teachers page for full details.

For Elementary Education Endorsement:
Visit the Elementary Education Endorsement Program for Certified Teachers page for full details.

If you want to become a certified Elementary teacher, you can choose from these options:

The Early Childhood Education Program offers two options to students. Both options are available in Bellingham and Bremerton and are for candidates seeking a profession in early childhood education and specialization in working with young children and their families.

  • The P-3 option is designed for students wanting to specialize in early childhood education (birth through third grade) and seek a teaching endorsement to work in the public schools. Visit the catalog page to view all course requirements.
  • The Non-certification option is designed for individuals who want to work in positions specific to the birth to eight years age range in childcare, Head Start or with school-age children in after-school programs. Visit the catalog page to view all course requirements. 

Upon completion of the program, candidates can work in childcare centers, preschools, Head Start programs, and, if they receive the P-3 teacher endorsement, in the primary grades in public schools. The course work offers a combination of theory, methods, and field experiences in a variety of early childhood settings.

Wooding’s small class sizes, dedicated professors, and diverse curriculum made me a better educator, while the student-centered approach means I’ve had a real voice in my education.

Quinn Reno