In addition to having the region’s most affordable tuition, we offer thousands of dollars in scholarships every year. Learn more about scholarships and financial aid for your early childhood inclusive education degree.

Inclusive Early Childhood Education (Birth - Grade 3)
Inclusive Early Childhood Education
If you're interested in the education of young children, prepare to teach the youngest ages with an early childhood inclusive education degree. At Wayne State College, you’ll develop the tools and mindset you need to guide and care for children ranging from infants to the third grade. With an inclusive early childhood education degree, you’ll be able to teach in elementary school, preschool, or community programs. Or you could work in a day care or other facility that cares for young children. With a long-standing, excellent reputation for its education program, Wayne State is the perfect place to begin your early childhood education career.


Percent of recent WSC graduates employed or in graduate school
based on the most recent graduate survey
Fast Facts
Degrees offered: B.A., B.S.
Hours required: 45 hours for endorsement
At least 120 hours are required for graduation from Wayne State College.
Recommended pairings: Special Education Generalist (K-6), English as a Second Language (PK-12), Reading and Writing (K-6)
School: Education and Behavioral Sciences
Department: Educational Foundations and Leadership
Accreditation: Council of Accreditation for Educator Preparation (CAEP), Nebraska Department of Education
Licensing and Certification: Wayne State academic programs are designed to prepare students for licensure or certification in Nebraska. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Nebraska, please check that state's licensing board to determine their licensing requirements. Authorization may be required from them prior to beginning a clinical or field experience in that state. Learn more.
Nationally Ranked Programs
Education degrees at Wayne State are nationally ranked and recognized for academic excellence, incredible value, successful graduates, and innovative learning.

No. 4 in the U.S.
Best Master's in Education Administration, 2022
Intelligent.com

Best Master's in Education Administration, 2022
No. 4 in the U.S.
Intelligent.com
Intelligent.com ranked Wayne State College as No. 4 in the U.S. for the best master's degree in education administration for 2022. For their 2022 online degree report, Intelligent.com researched over 2,900 colleges and universities, evaluating each program on the basis of flexibility, faculty, course strength, cost, and reputation. Schools on the list must also be accredited by national accreditors such as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Learn more about our online master's in school administration

No. 6 in the U.S.
Best Online Master's in K-12 Education, 2022
Intelligent.com

Best Online Master's in K-12 Education, 2022
No. 6 in the U.S.
Intelligent.com
Intelligent.com ranked Wayne State College as No. 6 in the U.S. for the best online master's degree in K-12 education for 2022. For their 2022 online degree report, Intelligent.com researched over 2,900 colleges and universities, evaluating each program on the basis of flexibility, faculty, course strength, cost, and reputation. Schools on the list are also regionally accredited.
Learn more about our online master's degree in K-12 education (curriculum and instruction).

No. 1 in Nebraska; No. 18 in the U.S.
Top Online Master's in Educational Administration, 2021
TopEducationDegrees.com

Top Online Master's in Educational Administration, 2021
No. 1 in Nebraska; No. 18 in the U.S.
TopEducationDegrees.com
Wayne State College's online master's degree in school administration was recently ranked No. 1 in Nebraska and No. 18 overall in the U.S. by Top Education Degrees. To come up with the ranking, they compiled a list every university offering a master’s degree in Educational Administration which can be completed entirely online. We then narrowed down our list to just the 20 best by focusing on the points-based ranking system. In the event of a tie in points, the program with the lower annual out-of-state tuition cost in the higher-ranking position.
The Top Education Degrees’ mission is to provide the facts students need to find the degree programs that best suit their personal career goals. Their goal is to educate prospective students about everything they need to know as they embark on their dream educational careers.

No. 1 in the U.S.
Best College for Educational Leadership Degree Programs, 2018-19
Schools.com

Best College for Educational Leadership Degree Programs, 2018-19
No. 1 in the U.S.
Schools.com
Wayne State College has earned the distinction of having the best educational leadership degree programs in the U.S. for 2018-19. If you're passionate about education and feel that your strengths would be best used in the upper tiers of administration, educational leadership degree programs are your stepping stone to the next level. Training in educational leadership can give you the skills you need to provide the best experience possible for your students, staff and teachers. Criteria used in ranking the top educational administration programs included tuition and fees, graduation rate, accessibility, student-to-faculty ratio, size of the program, and more.

Only Public College in Nebraska
College of Distinction, 2021-22
Colleges of Distinction

College of Distinction, 2021-22
Only Public College in Nebraska
Colleges of Distinction
Wayne State College has been named once again as a College of Distinction. Colleges of Distinction honors and recognizes the hundreds of smaller, teaching-centered colleges that make up the fabric of the American educational system, schools that deliver well four overarching distinctions — Engagement, Teaching, Community, and Outcomes — which are the fundamental elements of an effective undergraduate education.
To be designated a “college of distinction,” a school’s curriculum must emphasize such core competencies as critical thinking, writing, oral skills, research, and global perspectives. They must also offer dynamic out-of-classroom learning and study abroad programs. The process is objective, in-depth, and qualitative; however, quantitative data such as class-size statistics, faculty-to-student ratio, plus retention and four-year graduation rates are also taken into account.

No. 4 in the U.S.
Most Affordable Early Childhood Degree, 2020-21
College Affordability Guide

Most Affordable Early Childhood Degree, 2020-21
No. 4 in the U.S.
College Affordability Guide
College Affordability Guide ranks the early childhood program at Wayne State as the 4th most affordable college for early childhood in the U.S. for 2020. Ranking is based on the following factors:
- Institutional Fit – At least 500 students enrolled and the ability to earn non-standard credits (AP and ROTC), including at least 20% of students receiving Pell Grants.
- Getting In – Overall affordability and equitable use of financial aid, making the average net price of $15,000/year or less
- Getting Out – High graduation rate with more than 50% of students either debt-free or paying down student debt within three years of graduation
- Top Colleges - The combination of these "Institutional Fit," "Getting In," and "Getting Out" filters leaves a small group of schools that are serious about making sure that students of all backgrounds get their money's worth

No. 15 in the U.S.
Best Online Master's in Educational Administration, 2019
OnlineMasters.com

Best Online Master's in Educational Administration, 2019
No. 15 in the U.S.
OnlineMasters.com
OnlineMasters.com, a trusted source for unbiased college rankings and higher education planning, has ranked Wayne State College’s online master’s in school administration at 15th in the U.S for 2019. The top-ranked programs were selected based on curriculum, program flexibility, affordability, and graduate outcomes. OnlineMasters.com analyzed graduate schools across the country with only the top 50 making it to the final 2019 list.
In addition to interviews and surveys from current students and alumni, they also leveraged insight gained from human resource professionals. The methodology incorporates the most recent data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and statistical data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Most importantly, only programs from accredited nonprofit institutions were eligible.

No. 15 in the U.S.; Top 5%
Most Focused Education Degree Programs, 2019
College Factual

Most Focused Education Degree Programs, 2019
No. 15 in the U.S.; Top 5%
College Factual
In a recent ranking of the best education degree programs by College Factual, Wayne State College earned #15 of all colleges in the U.S., placing us in the top 5% nationwide for 2019. Three metrics measure how College Factual determines which colleges are the "Most Focused."
- Percentage of students studying a particular major - the higher the better. This is a signal from students at the college that they recognize the strength of the program, and also stands to reason that more resources are dedicated to departments with more students.
- Market share - We take it as a positive signal if a college is attracting a lot of students to a particular major. This usually means that a college has more income from tuition to further invest in the program.
- Post graduate resources - If a college has significant graduate and doctoral level programs, that indicates they are even more focused on a particular major. This can mean more resources available to all students.
College Factual, located in Troy, New York, is a leading source of college data analytics and insights, with a strong focus on student outcomes. Its mission is to help all types of students discover their best-fit college and major so they can enjoy their college experience and graduate with less debt. College Factual provides coverage for over 2,500 colleges and universities, 350 college majors, for students in over 160 countries.

No. 23 in the U.S.; Top 10%
Most Focused Special Education Degree Program, 2019
College Factual

Most Focused Special Education Degree Program, 2019
No. 23 in the U.S.; Top 10%
College Factual
In a recent ranking of the best special education degrees by College Factual, Wayne State College earned #23 of all colleges in the U.S., placing us in the top 10% nationwide for 2019. Three metrics measure how College Factual determines which colleges are the "Most Focused."
- Percentage of students studying a particular major - the higher the better. This is a signal from students at the college that they recognize the strength of the program, and also stands to reason that more resources are dedicated to departments with more students.
- Market share - We take it as a positive signal if a college is attracting a lot of students to a particular major. This usually means that a college has more income from tuition to further invest in the program.
- Post graduate resources - If a college has significant graduate and doctoral level programs, that indicates they are even more focused on a particular major. This can mean more resources available to all students.
College Factual, located in Troy, New York, is a leading source of college data analytics and insights, with a strong focus on student outcomes. Its mission is to help all types of students discover their best-fit college and major so they can enjoy their college experience and graduate with less debt. College Factual provides coverage for over 2,500 colleges and universities, 350 college majors, for students in over 160 countries.
Our Focus is Results
Wayne State has the keys to your success and offers just what you need to become well prepared for the real world.
Skills Learned
- Creative arts for children
- Appropriate practices for children
- Instructional media and technology
- Early reading and literacy assessment
- Diverse family systems and parent relationships
- Teaching math in elementary school
- Health and safety of young children
- Red Cross CPR certification
- Classroom management and organization
- Practices for children with exceptionalities
- Consulting and collaborating
- Lesson plan development
- Instructional methods
- Monitoring and assessment
- Leadership and supervision
- Active listening
- Time management
- Communication
- Critical thinking and problem solving
Possible Careers
- Preschool teacher
- Preschool director
- Kindergarten teacher
- Elementary school teacher
- Special education teacher
- Learning coach
- Guidance counselor
- After-school program manager
- Youth worker
- Camp director
- Child development specialist
- Educational consultant
Employers
- Preschools
- Public schools
- Private schools
- Early learning academies
- Community programs
- Non-profit organizations
- Education / learning facilities
- Instructional software companies
Learn From the Best
Our faculty are accomplished. Several are highly regarded as experts and have been recognized with notable honors and awards. And with a low student-to-faculty ratio, you'll be sure to receive an excellent education while earning your early childhood inclusive education degree.
Outside the Classroom
At Wayne State College, you’ll have opportunities to enhance your education by participating in clubs, organizations, internships, and more.

Clubs and Organizations
- Early Childhood Association
- Kappa Delta Pi (education honor society)
- Nebraska State Education Association (NSEA) Aspiring Educators
- Student Council for Exceptional Children (SCEC)

Service-Learning
Make a difference in the community while learning skills you can apply toward your future career. Wayne State’s Service-Learning program has received national awards in recognition of outstanding community service, with more than 400 students participating in Service-Learning projects each semester.

Opportunities
- Northeast Nebraska Teacher Academy (NENTA) - Develop your classroom skills and get paid at the same time.
- Study Abroad - Earn credit toward your degree while experiencing exciting global adventures overseas.

Clinical Practice
Before graduating with your inclusive early childhood education degree, you will complete a semester of clinical practice in a school district chosen with the help of your advisor. During this semester, you will work closely with an experienced teacher to gain classroom experience. Internships are not required as part of this program; however, Career Services is available to help students find employment opportunities.