College of Education Health and Human ServicesSchool of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies
www.kent.edu/ehhs/tlcs
About This Program
The Early Childhood Education M.Ed. program is designed for experienced educators who want to advance their careers and take on leadership roles in the field of early childhood education. With a focus on curriculum development, teacher leadership and program administration, you'll gain the skills needed to make a meaningful impact on the field of early childhood education. Read more...
Contact Information
Program Delivery
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*
Education teachers, postsecondary
- 4.8% about as fast as the average
- 77,300 number of jobs
- $65,440 potential earnings
Elementary school teachers, except special education
- 3.5% about as fast as the average
- 1,452,100 number of jobs
- $60,940 potential earnings
Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- 3.7% about as fast as the average
- 127,700 number of jobs
- $57,860 potential earnings
Preschool teachers, except special education
- 2.5% slower than the average
- 540,400 number of jobs
- $31,930 potential earnings
Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- 3.6% about as fast as the average
- 1,395,900 number of jobs
- $28,900 potential earnings
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000 point scale
- Official transcript(s)
- Goal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
- Minimum 550 TOEFL PBT score (paper-based version)
- Minimum 79 TOEFL IBT score (Internet-based version)
- Minimum 77 MELAB score
- Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
- Minimum 58 PTE score
- Minimum 110 Duolingo English Test score
For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester
- Spring Semester
- Summer Term
Program Requirements
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
ECED 60152 | APPLICATION OF SELECTED THEORETICAL PRINCIPLES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG CHILDREN | 3 |
ECED 67296 | INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | 3 |
or ECED 67298 | RESEARCH IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION |
| 11 |
| VARIABLE TITLE WORKSHOP IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | |
| ORGANIZATION AND SUPERVISION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS | |
| CRITICAL INQUIRY: THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE FRAMEWORK | |
| TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN K-5 CLASSROOMS | |
| TEACHING PHONICS AND WORD STUDY | |
| TEACHING MATHEMATICS IN THE ELEMENTARY YEARS I | |
| TEACHING WRITERS IN THE ELEMENTARY YEARS | |
| TEACHING MATHEMATICS IN THE ELEMENTARY YEARS II | |
| DEVELOPMENT AND PEDAGOGY IN UPPER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | |
| CONSTRUCTIVIST TEACHING IN TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD SETTINGS | |
| SOCIAL STUDIES AND THE ARTS IN PRESCHOOL | |
| PRESCHOOL EDUCATION | |
| SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS FOUNDATIONS FOR EARLY AND MIDDLE CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | |
| SOCIOMORAL ENVIRONMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | |
| RECONCEPTUALIZING EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULUM | |
| TEACHING EARLY READERS | |
| FAMILY-SCHOOL-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS IN DIVERSE SETTINGS | |
| PRACTICUM AND INTERNSHIP IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | |
| INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | |
| RESEARCH IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | |
| |
| 15 |
| |
| |
| |
| |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 32 |
Additional Requirements for Students Not Declaring a Concentration
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
CI 60169 | UNDERSTANDING EMERGENT BILINGUAL AND IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES | 3 |
or ECED 60115 | SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS FOUNDATIONS FOR EARLY AND MIDDLE CHILDHOOD EDUCATION |
or ECED 60158 | RECONCEPTUALIZING EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULUM |
or MCED 60115 | SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING AND MATH FOUNDATIONS FOR EARLY AND MIDDLE CHILDHOOD EDUCATION |
CI 60171 | TEACHING EMERGENT BILINGUAL AND IMMIGRANT STUDENTS | 3 |
or ECED 60116 | SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING AND MATH INQUIRY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION |
or ECED 60163 | CONTEMPORARY ISSUES AND TRENDS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION |
1 | 9 |
| VARIABLE TITLE WORKSHOP IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | |
| ORGANIZATION AND SUPERVISION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS | |
| CRITICAL INQUIRY: THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE FRAMEWORK | |
| TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN K-5 CLASSROOMS | |
| TEACHING PHONICS AND WORD STUDY | |
| TEACHING MATHEMATICS IN THE ELEMENTARY YEARS I | |
| TEACHING SCIENCE IN THE ELEMENTARY YEARS | |
| CONSTRUCTIVIST TEACHING IN TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD SETTINGS | |
| PRESCHOOL EDUCATION | |
| SOCIOMORAL ENVIRONMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | |
| RECONCEPTUALIZING EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULUM | |
| FAMILY-SCHOOL-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS IN DIVERSE SETTINGS | |
| PRACTICUM AND INTERNSHIP IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | |
| INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | |
| RESEARCH IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | |
| |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Early Childhood Leadership: Advocacy, Curriculum and Policy Concentration Requirements
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
ECED 60101 | CONSTRUCTIVIST TEACHING IN TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD SETTINGS | 3 |
ECED 60158 | RECONCEPTUALIZING EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULUM | 3 |
ECED 60163 | CONTEMPORARY ISSUES AND TRENDS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | 3 |
ECED 60170 | WRITING FOR PUBLICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | 3 |
| 3 |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Globalization and Intercultural Competence Concentration Requirements
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
CI 60169 | UNDERSTANDING EMERGENT BILINGUAL AND IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES | 3 |
CI 60171 | TEACHING EMERGENT BILINGUAL AND IMMIGRANT STUDENTS | 3 |
| 3-6 |
| MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION: STRATEGIES | |
| INTERCULTURAL DIMENSIONS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING | |
| CRITICAL INQUIRY INTO INTEGRATED CURRICULUM IN THE PRIMARY YEARS | |
| 3-6 |
| METHODOLOGY OF TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE | |
| THEORIES IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION | |
| TEACHING LITERATURE AND CULTURE | |
| HERITAGE LANGUAGES AND SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING | |
| |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Concentration Requirements
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
ECED 60115 | SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS FOUNDATIONS FOR EARLY AND MIDDLE CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | 3 |
or MCED 60115 | SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING AND MATH FOUNDATIONS FOR EARLY AND MIDDLE CHILDHOOD EDUCATION |
| 6 |
| SPECIAL TOPICS IN CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION | |
| TEACHING MATHEMATICS USING COMPUTERS AND CALCULATORS | |
| RESEARCH IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION | |
| 6 |
| RESEARCH TRENDS IN SCIENCE EDUCATION | |
| CULTURE AND MULTICULTURALISM IN SCIENCE EDUCATION | |
| NATURE OF SCIENCE IN SCIENCE EDUCATION | |
| INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION | |
| |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Graduation Requirements
Students are guided by faculty in the development of a program of study that satisfies both individual professional goals and expectations of the school, college and university. All students are expected to complete an exit project that involves a practicum or action research project.
Students completing the M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education must take at least 32 credit hours for completion. No more than 50 percent of the program’s coursework may be at the 50000 level
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Co-construct curriculum as a co-worker with learners and others (parents, families, colleagues and community members) to make sound decisions for learning and teaching experiences, as opposed to being passive receivers of prescribed curriculum.
- Synthesize conceptual understandings of children, theory, content, technology and socio-cultural contexts into meaningful activities and opportunities for learning with all students in pre-kindergarten to grade three.
- Engage in the habit of self-assessment in order to continually uncover unknown possibilities in children’s learning, classroom practice, educational theory and one’s own teaching identity in the local and global context.
- Become committed to the children and their learning, the families and the local community while having an awareness of the global context.
- Engage in continuous self-improvement and lifelong learning.
- Apply skills, knowledge and dispositions to challenge “questionable” policies that limit opportunities for all children.
- Utilize research and theory to develop varied and effective pedagogies and assessments that will positively impact all students’ learning (learning and teaching is a transdisciplinary practice).
- Advocate as ethical leaders and moral agents striving for social justice.
- Acknowledge and practice multiple, multi-ethnic, multicultural, multiracial, multi-social, multi-economic and multilingual perspectives in a global society.
Full Description
The Master of Education degree in Early Childhood Education prepares critically reflective teachers with advanced knowledge in pre-school through primary multi-disciplinary curriculum. Students are prepared to be democratically accountable leaders, co-decision makers, pedagogical experts and committed professionals in various early childhood realms. The program emphasizes commitment to equitable and caring learning communities.
Ohio endorsements for pre-school and literacy endorsement or generalist (grades four and five) may be embedded in the program. In addition, students have the opportunity to receive an International Baccalaureate (IB) recognition award in the M.Ed. degree.
The Early Childhood Education major includes the following optional concentrations:
- The Early Childhood Leadership: Advocacy, Curriculum and Policy concentration commonly appeals to teachers who desire to further their own early childhood programs, become master teachers and/or enhance their own leadership on behalf of young children and professionals who work with them. Students delve into issues and trends in the field, reconceptualize practice, understand and deconstruct/reconstruct policy understandings and complete their own independent research as an inquiry exit project or thesis.
- The Globalization and Intercultural Competence concentration is designed for teachers who are searching for research-based solutions to the learning and teaching of international students and/or who want to build intercultural competence to meet the demands of growing or changing immigrant and refugee populations in the classroom.
- The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics concentration provides students the opportunity to engage children in interdisciplinary instruction; gain experience working with and integrating technology; and integrate STEM to break down traditional boundaries.