Many early childhood education majors choose to take advanced elective courses in education to further their expertise. Electives may include specialized math, science or reading courses for young children. Other education electives focus on teaching methods for infants or toddlers, children's literature or incorporating music and movement into classroom activities.
For students who want to focus on the developmentally disabled population, special education electives provide more extensive training. Courses teach students to assess children for potential developmental delays, learning disabilities or other childhood disorders. Special education electives help students develop tools to work productively with special-needs children to meet academic goals.
Understanding the thoughts and feelings of young children can be a challenge. Advanced psychology coursework helps early childhood education majors understand children's cognitive abilities. Take a childhood development course to learn about important milestones in a child's development. Childhood psychopathology or applied psychology courses teach students to recognize and address psychological problems seen in young children.
Administration courses help you understand the bureaucratic processes and managerial tasks performed by administrators in a school or child care environment. Even for students who do not want to become administrators, early childhood education administration electives provide insight into the workings of a child care organization. This helps future teachers recognize the strengths and limitations of a program, which can improve efficiency and academic outcomes.