People who:

• Want to teach preschool to 3rd grade general education settings, and/or
• Want to teach preschool to 3rd grade special education settings, and/or
• Want to teach in early childhood private preschool programs, and/or
• Want to teach in Head Start programs or other community programs

Upon program completion, qualified candidates will be recommended for initial teacher licensure in BOTH early early childhood (PK-3) and special education (PK-3). Program graduates are prepared to teach in a range of settings including private preschools, Headstart programs, Hawaii Department of Education preschool classes, and other community settings.

• Preschool to 3rd grade general education teacher, and/or
• Preschool to 3rd grade special education teacher, and/or
• Early childhood private preschool teacher, and/or
• Head Start teacher or other community program teacher

Once completing an initial teacher licensure program, graduates are eligible to apply for a state license through the Hawai‘i Teacher Standards Board, which will allow the licensee to teach in public and charter schools in the State of Hawai‘i.

Hawai‘i also participates in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement which facilitates the mobility of educators among states that are members of NASDTEC. UHM recommends you contact the office of certification in any state to which you may be relocating to get the most current information. See NASDTEC website for more information.

Eligibility Requirements

• 2.75 GPA or higher
• Complete 55 credits prior to beginning the program. The 55 credits can be from UHM and/or approved transfer credits from another institution.
• Complete UHM General Education Core Requirements prior to the start of program. Applicants who have completed an articulated Associates of Arts (AA) degree from a UH Community College are considered to have met the UHM General Education Core Requirements with possible exceptions (see an academic advisor).
• Complete 40 hours of paid or voluntary group leadership field experience with PK-6th grade students. The experience cannot have occurred more than 5 years prior to acceptance into the program.
• Effective Fall 2025: Either DA or DL course with HWST 107 (DH) will be required for admission prior to the start of the licensure program.
• Effective Fall 2025: Completion of two Writing Intensive (WI) courses with C or better will be required for admission prior to the start of the licensure program (Non-UH system transfer students can meet this requirement by completing 2 English Literature or Composition courses with grades of C or better).
• Complete Licensure Track Prerequisite Courses
  • MATH 111
  • MATH 112 (FS)
  • MUS 253, THEA 470, DNCE 490 or any other (DA) course
  • HWST 107 (DH)
  • HDFS 230 or PSY 240 (DS)
  • SPED 304 (DS)
  • STE 318 (Child Development from Prenatal Through Age Eight)
  • STE 360 or EDEF 360

Note: SPED 304 offerings and information.

Need to take courses but not yet currently enrolled at UHM? Submit a free application through our UHM Outreach College to take these courses. Tips for registering are found here: Outreach Registration Instructions

Work with your Office of Student Academic Services (OSAS) Academic Advisor to schedule the above Elementary Education Emphasis courses. Some of these courses may be offered in the summer. Set up an appointment with an academic advisor

Application Requirements

• Interview with the program
• Write a personal statement
• Provide Three (3) Professional References

International students are unable to pursue our online or hybrid programs due to visa requirements, including for those who wish to pursue online courses from their home country. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Late applications are not accepted. To receive updates, notifications, and reminders regarding admissions, please complete the “Request More Info” form.

STATEWIDE PROGRAM (online/hybrid)

Available on all islands. Cohorted program. Courses are primarily online with online class sessions held in the early evenings, typically 4:30pm-7:00pm on weekdays. In addition, there are two face-to-face Saturday class meetings each Fall/Spring semester. Neighbor island candidates travel to Oahu and some financial support is provided to assist with travel costs associated with face-to-face program requirements.

This is a blended program, meaning blended coursework is co-taught as one class by both early childhood & early childhood special education faculty.

Approximately $471 per credit (RESIDENT)

See: https://www.outreach.hawaii.edu/admissions-and-aid/tuition-and-fees/

DOE STIPENDS (36 credits of resident tuition rates, approximately $17,000): Available to fund candidates who agree to teach as a special education teacher in a Hawaii DOE school for a minimum of 3 years after program completion.

• Upon yearly renewal of funds, this funding opportunity will automatically be offered to all admitted program candidates. The stipend is given each semester directly to the student while enrolled, therefore stipend is considered taxable and may impact financial aid award.
• Prior to accepting stipend, Non-U.S. citizens need to inquire with the Hawaii DOE to determine eligibility for employment upon graduation.

TEACH GRANT: Up to $8,000 may be available to candidates who intend to teach special education full-time at a Title I school. Candidates must qualify for financial aid and have a GPA of 3.25 or above to be eligible.

SCHOLARSHIPS: Refer to College of Education Scholarships

Blended program: Some coursework is co-taught as one class by both early childhood & early childhood special education faculty. Blended co-taught courses are shown together using a ‘+’ in the course sequence below.

UHM Focus Requirements: requirements are built into the program through coursework and fieldwork requirements:

• Contemporary Ethical Issues (E)
• Oral Communication (O)
• Writing Intensive (W; 5 courses)

Proposed Course Sequence*

*Sequence is subject to change. Last updated: June 2023

FALL I (16 credits)

*Note: *STE 425 will be waived for students who completed a CC MOA-approved ECE program.

SPRING I (16 credits)

SUMMER I (6 credits)

FALL II (16 credits)

SPRING II (15 credits)

Please refer to the course catalog, School of Teacher Education (STE) and Special Education (SPED), for more detailed course titles and descriptions.

A part-time course sequence option is available, which would extend the program shown above to three years instead of two. Please contact osas@hawaii.edu for information and advising.

Fieldwork Requirements

In addition to general coursework, each Fall/Spring semester candidates will enroll in field experience, where candidates are placed in local schools during the day to learn from a mentor teacher. The first three semesters of the program are part-time field experiences, typically requiring two or three days in the classroom, whereas the final spring semester is a full-time (Monday-Friday) student teaching experience in both general education and special education early childhood placements.

Types of Field Placements

Traditional placements are assigned by the cohort coordinator for candidates to observe and practice in a classroom with a licensed special education or general education early childhood teacher.

In-place placements are for those already working in school settings and employed by the DOE or early childhood programs.  All candidates who are considering using their paid position to fulfill field requirements must first obtain departmental approval, which are completed on a case-by-case basis.