The University of Lethbridge is adding a new undergraduate degree focused on teaching young children. The Bachelor of Education in Early Years Education is meant to prepare future educators for teaching specifically kindergarten to grade three.
It is the first time in 30 years the Faculty of Education has offered a four-year degree as part of its education program and it is the first time students can enter the program directly from high school.
“We’ve heard from superintendents in our area that there’s a real need for teachers who are able to help young children build foundational skills in literacy and numeracy,” says Dr. Richelle Marynowski, associate dean, undergraduate programs with the Faculty of Education. “These skills are important to student success both throughout school and later on in their lives.”
The degree is the third BEd option in the faculty, joining the five-year combined degrees program, where students graduate with a bachelor of education as well as a second degree from another faculty, and the after degree program, where students with a previously completed undergraduate degree can earn their BEd in two years.
“This allows high school students who already know they want to work with young children the opportunity to start that journey earlier,” says Marynowski. “The program also responds to the needs of school divisions across the province for teachers in this area.”
Applications are now being accepted for the program’s first cohort, which will begin in the Fall 2024 semester.