Early Childhood Education (Teacher Certification), MEd
Child Development, Development, Early Childhood, Education, Grades K-3, Infant, Pre-K, Toddler, teaching
No matter where you're located, you can earn your master's degree and prepare to build a solid learning foundation for children during their most formative years. Online coursework paired with in-person internships and residencies prepares you to obtain teacher certification and thrive in the field of early childhood education.
The MEd program in early childhood education prepares individuals to meet the educational, social and emotional needs of children from birth through age 8 or grade 3.
Through online coursework and applied activities, the program equips students with specialized skills and advanced knowledge in early childhood pedagogy, community collaboration, technology, policy and advocacy.
A series of professional experiences assists students in developing their understanding of teaching and learning as they apply knowledge from their coursework in varied school settings. Individualized guidance through the clinical framework provides students with the support they need to become effective educators.
Graduates earn an institutional recommendation from ASU that is recognized by the Arizona Department of Education for teacher certification in Early Childhood, birth--age 8 or grade 3. To teach in an Arizona public school, graduates must pass the appropriate Arizona educator exams: National Evaluation Series or Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments.
- College/school:
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College
- Location: Online
36 credit hours including the required applied project course (ECD 593)
Required Core (24 credit hours) Concentration (9 credit hours) Culminating Experience (3 credit hours)
ECD 505 Foundations of Early Childhood Education (3)
ECD 527 Mathematics in Early Childhood Education (3)
ECD 541 Assessment of Young Children (3)
ECD 549 Foundations of Diversity, Human Development and the Young Child (3)
ECD 565 Appropriate Instructional Methodologies for Young Children (3)
EED 532 Literacy Methods of Instruction and Assessment for Diverse Learners (3)
TEL 517 Creating Equitable Learning Environment: Decision Making and Action (3)
TEL 531 Foundations of Literacy: The Science of Reading (3)
ECD 567 Clinical Experience: Early Childhood Internship (Ages Birth-5) (2)
ECD 576 Clinical Experience: Early Childhood Internship (Grades K-3) (2)
ECD 578 Student Teaching: Early Childhood (Grades K-3) (2)
ELL 515 Structured English Immersion Methods (3)
ECD 593 Applied Project (3)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- three letters of recommendation
- personal statement
- professional resume
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
The letters of recommendation should be from individuals who can speak to the applicant's potential for success in a graduate program. Only professional recommenders are accepted.
The personal statement should describe the personal and professional goals that motivated the applicant to apply to the graduate certificate program, and explain what led the applicant to this career path and how they will excel as an educator. The admission committee pays particular attention to the quality of writing and ideas expressed in the personal statement.
The professional resume should be one to two pages and include relevant personal, professional, educational and community activities.
The personal statement and professional resume should be prepared in one of the following file formats: MS Word (.doc), rich text (.rtf), Portable Document Format (.pdf), or text (.txt).
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
Graduates of Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College are highly sought-after teachers in public, charter and private education institutions. Graduates gain skills in teaching, conducting research, using technology and analyzing policy --- all of which prepare them to expand or pursue educational careers working with young children and their families. Career examples include:
- childcare worker
- early childhood educator (birth--grade 3)
- education administrator
- family social worker
- preschool teacher or director
ASU programs that may lead to professional licensure or certification are intended to prepare students for potential licensure or certification in Arizona. Completion of an ASU program may not meet educational requirements for licensure or certification in another state. For more information, students should visit the ASU professional licensure webpage.
Division of Teacher Preparation
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ED 200
graduateeducation@asu.edu
877-326-6744
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
