Early Childhood Education M.A./M.S.
This innovative early childhood education program emphasizes educating professionals to welcome multiple perspectives, engage all members of the community, experiment and build theories, make learning and listening visible, and think deeply together for all children. In the field of early childhood today, educators are working with children with differing abilities and strengths. Knowledge of inclusive early childhood education and accompanying practices are necessary to foster education for all children. Students who complete the program will have a choice of four specialty areas.
The four specialty areas include: Constructivism in Early Childhood, Early Childhood Special Education, Infant Toddler Mental Health, and a Distributed Focus that draws from the other three specializations. Students will participate in three courses that were jointly developed by CI and SPED faculty and have a distinct focus on inclusive education.
General requirements
Core Courses
| ECED 550 | Foundations in Early Childhood and Inclusive Education | 4 |
| ECED 551 | Child Development in Early Childhood and Inclusive Education | 4 |
| ECED 553 | Issues in Early Childhood and Inclusive Education | 4 |
| CI 590 | Action Research Proposal | 3 |
| CI 591 | Action Research Implementation | 3 |
Electives
| | Adviser approved electives taken within the College of Education | 9 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 27 |
Constructivism
Courses
| ECED 571 | Play: Curriculum in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| ECED 573 | Assessment and Technology in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| ECED 576 | Equity and Cultural Diversity in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| ECED 577 | Learning Designs: Early Childhood Environments | 3 |
| ECED 578 | Constructivist Curriculum: Big Ideas in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| | | |
| ECED 579 | Young Child as Scientist | 3 |
| | or | |
| ECED 572 | Language and Literacy in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
Early Childhood Special Ed
Courses
| SpEd 510 | Inclusive Early Childhood Models | 3 |
| SpEd 520 | Collaboration I: Families and Community - EL and EI/SE | 3 |
| SpEd 580 | Introduction to Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education | 3 |
| SpEd 582 | Specialized Techniques: Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education | 3 |
| SpEd 583 | Communication and Language Development: EI/SE (Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education) | 3 |
| SpEd 586 | Instructional Strategies II: EI/SE | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
Infant Toddler Mental Health
Courses
| SpEd 587 | Introduction to Infant Toddler Mental Health | 3 |
| | or | |
| | Another course with advisor approval | 3 |
| | | |
| Coun 520 | Collaborative Partnerships to Support Infants and Toddlers | 1-3 |
| ECED 585 | Dynamic Models of Infant/Toddler Development | 3 |
| SpEd 594 | Assessment Methods and Classification in Infant Mental Health | 3 |
| SpEd 595 | Prevention and Intervention in Infant Mental Health | 3 |
| Coun 597 | Strengths, Risk Factors, and Disturbance in Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
Distributed Focus
Take a minimum of two courses from each strand with approval of adviser.