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Early Childhood Education, MEd

Early Childhood Education, MEd

Academic programs / Graduate degrees / Early Childhood Education, MEd

Child Development, Early Childhood, Education

ASU's Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College is one of the top-ranked graduate colleges of education in the U.S. Our graduate programs develop purposeful innovators who bring people and ideas together to improve the lives of learners, the impact of educators and the performance of education systems.

Program description
Degree awarded: MEd  Early Childhood Education

The MEd program in early childhood education prepares individuals to contribute to systems to meet the educational, social and emotional needs of children from birth through age 8. Through coursework, applied activities and in-person clinical experiences, the program equips students with specialized skills and advanced knowledge in early childhood pedagogy, community collaboration, technology, policy and advocacy.

The master's degree is appropriate for students interested in learning about early childhood education research and working with infants, toddlers and children through age 8. This program may be of interest to students who already have a teaching certificate and are considering furthering their knowledge and skills or pursuing doctoral studies in the future.

At a glance
Degree requirements

30 credit hours including the required applied project course (ECD 593)

Required Core (24 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)

Electives (3 credit hours)

Culminating Experience (3 credit hours)
ECD 593 Applied Project (3)

Admission requirements

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:

  1. graduate admission application and application fee
  2. official transcripts
  3. three letters of recommendation
  4. personal statement
  5. professional resume
  6. 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, and explain what led them 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).

Tuition information
When it comes to paying for higher education, everyone’s situation is different. Students can learn about ASU tuition and financial aid options to find out which will work best for them.
Attend online
ASU Online

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.

Career opportunities

Graduates from this program may become curriculum designers, preschool directors or early childhood specialists.

Contact information
What are accelerated programs?
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.

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.
What are concurrent programs?
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
What are joint programs?
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

What constitutes a new program?
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the “New Programs” option.
What are online programs?
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
What is WRGP (Western Regional Graduate Program)?
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.

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