Ohio University is located in Athens and enrolls approximately 17,000 students on the Athens campus. This university offers a bachelor of science in education with an early childhood major. Ohio University's program is geared towards teaching children between the ages of 3 and 8. Due to Ohio teacher licensure requirements, students in this program must complete a general education program along with specific early childhood classes. Entry-level classes in the early childhood program include elementary topics in mathematics and the United States in world affairs, while upper-level students will take courses like philosophy and theories of child development and diversity in early childhood education. After students at OU complete the major and pass the Praxis II exams, they are eligible for an Ohio two-year provisional license in Early Childhood Education, according to OU's website.
Columbus State Community College has two main campuses in Columbus and Delaware. As of autumn 2010, this community college enrolls 30,297 students. CSCC's early childhood development program began in 1977 and received the right to grant degrees from the Ohio Board of Regents in 1987. This community college offers an associate of applied science degree in early childhood development. Students can also earn a preschool education certificate and a child development associate credential preparation. Examples of courses for these degrees and certificates include essay and research, creative curriculum, child abuse and neglect and a student teaching seminar. Those earning the associate degree must complete a total of 104 to 107 degree hours.
Central Ohio Technical College began in 1957 and has four campuses which are located in Newark, Coshocton, Reynoldsburg and Fredericktown. COTC has an early childhood development (ECD) program with options in ECD or teaching. This technical college program prepares students to apply for Pre-K Associate Licensure through the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), transfer to a four-year institution and gain recertification for ODE Licensure, according to the COTC website. The teaching option leads to licensure while the child development option allows students to focus their studies on child development while taking electives. The ECD program teaching option at Central Ohio Technical College is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children Associate Degree Early Childhood Programs.
Ohio State University was established in 1870 and is located in Columbus. OSU's College of Education and Human Ecology has an undergraduate program in early childhood development and education. Students can choose between three areas of focus: early education and care, early intervention of developmentally delayed children and early childhood education, age 3 to grade three. OSU prepares students to attend an "M.Ed. or licensure only program to become a licensed teacher (pre-k through grade 3)," according to the OSU website. Students in this program will take courses like disabilities and risk factors, guidance of young children in groups and group care practicum.