What do I have to major in to become a preschool teacher?

You won't need to change your major, but you need to check with your university about what is required to enroll in their teaching certificate program - it is much easier to get your certification while you are already in college rather than doing it later (even if it takes another semester). Through their program there will be standard courses that are required, and you should also consider additional electives that would be helpful as well (child psych, behavioral psych, etc.). This is a great question, and it hits close to home since my wife has recently found herself in a similar situation. Good luck!

While I agree with the first answerer ("patience"), it is generally beneficial to specify a major in Early Childhood Education if you would like to stay in the field as a preschool teacher. What made you change your mind? You may want to check out what being a preschool teacher is all about before you commit to a change in your major. Many people get into preschool teaching because they think it will be simple. Perhaps it would be a good idea to volunteer in a center (perhaps the one on your campus) to get a good idea of what preschoolers are like before committing to a change. Learning about preschoolers, and working with them, are two entirely different things! So much more is learned on the job than from a book (but the book stuff is very important also). In order to make much pay as a career preschool professional, you have to have the units behind you, as well as the on-the-job experience. A degree in ECE will help you gain the upper hand as far as education goes, which will boost your pay more than years of experience. Typically, preschool teachers are highly underpaid for the job they do... ranging from the very low ($5/hr) to a more typical ($7-10/hr) depending on where you live. The more education you have behind you, the better pay. You can also choose to major in Psychology, which can be very helpful if you plan on getting a master's in ECE. Social/Behavioral Science is also another good choice for the preschool field. But choosing something like Art or English Lit as a major will not help you go far in ECE, so choose carefully depending on what your ultimate goals are. Good luck!

An Associates in Preschool Education is a good idea, or if you can do it, get Elementary Education with Early Childhood and get both certifications. It will make you very marketable. Pre-K for 4 year olds is very big right now and they want teachers with both El Ed and Early Childhood certification for that.

To be a preschool teacher you don't really need major on anything, the schools accept CDA-Child Development Associate, which is a 5 months course with classes every saturday for 6 hours. It costs around $600.00 but with this diploma you'll be making more money anyway and it is respected among the schools. I got one...

It dpends some States wil take any major. But it is best if you major in Early Childhood Education.

In most states you don't have to obtain a degree. Check the Internet for your specific state guidelines.

patience