Graduate Degrees in Early Childhood-Primary Education
The department offers several graduate degrees in Early Childhood-Primary Education. The Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction/Early Childhood is available to both teacher licensed and non-licensed professionals in the field through the various options specified below.
An initial licensure with a master's degree, Master of Arts in Teaching, is also available for those individuals who have bachelor's degrees in other disciplines and want to acquire an Illinois Teaching License.
Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction/Early Childhood
Master of Science in Education (MSEd) degree. There is a six-year time limit from the date of first enrollment in graduate coursework to graduation.
The Master of Science in Education Degree in Curriculum and Instruction prepares students to work in a variety of professional positions (e.g., community college faculty level, program manager or director, education coordinator, child welfare worker, child advocate family specialist).
Option 1, the Master of Science in Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction, does not lead to teacher certification by entitlement or to certification by the State of Illinois through transcript evaluation.
Option 2, is restricted to candidates who hold a Illinois Type 04 or LBS1 Teaching Certificate.
Applicants whose undergraduate work has been completed in a discipline other than early childhood will be required to complete the following core knowledge/courses represented in Early Childhood: ECH 5000, 5001, 5020 and 5170. Courses must be completed within the first year after program admission.
Early Childhood Master of Science Degree in Curriculum and Instruction Total of 33 Credit Hours |
|||||
Professional Education Courses | |||||
Discipline | Course Number | Cr Hrs |
Course Title | Field Hours | Prerequisite |
ECH | 5850 | 3 | Screen/ Assessment/ Evaluation/ Young Child | See Syllabus | ECH 5020 |
ECH | 5250 | 3 | Contemporary Influences in ECH | See Syllabus | Consent of the Department |
ECH | 5270 | 3 | Cognitive Dev. Theory | None | Restricted to Master's Degree Candidates |
ECH | 5280 | 3 | Multidisciplinary Approach in ECH | None | Restricted to Master's Degree Candidates |
ECH | 5320 | 3 | Curriculum for Pre School Prim Child | None | Restricted to Master's Degree Candidates |
ECH | 5440 | 3 | Development in Infancy | None | Restricted to Master's Degree Candidates |
ED | 5960 | 3 | Foundations of Ed. Research | None | Taken after completion of 24 semester hours in a master's program & consent of the department |
ECEE | 5462 | 3 | Field Practicum | 216hrs. (Half a semester) | Restricted to Master's Degree Candidates |
READ | 5230 | 3 | Best Practice in Emergent Literacy | None | Consent of the Department |
ECEE | 5466 | 3 | Thesis | None | Taken after the completion of 24 credit hours in the program. |
Elective | - | 3 | - | - | To be agreed upon with advisor |
Master of Arts in Teaching
The College of Education offers a master’s degree program leading to initial teacher certification in Early Childhood-Primary Education. The program prepares students who have undergraduate degrees in fields other than education to become certified early childhood teachers for grades pre-school through third . The program provides change-of-career students the professional skills, knowledge, and dispositions necessary for successful teaching in urban schools. The curriculum is offered at the graduate level and qualifies program completers for an Illinois Teaching License with an Early Childhood Approval. The program requires field hours when school is in session, in addition to 16 weeks of full-time student teaching or internship during the fall or spring semester.
The Master of Arts in Teaching has two options: one for Initial Licensure and one for subsequent endorsement in early childhood with a master's degree.
MAT in Early Childhood-Primary Education Initial Licensure and Early Childhood Endorsement |
|||||
Required Professional Education Courses | |||||
Discipline | Course Number | Cr Hrs |
Course Title | Field Hours | Prerequisite |
ED | 5312 | 3 | Teaching w/ Technology | None | Consent of the Department |
ECH | 5850 | 3 | Screen/Assessment/Evaluation/Yg Child | See Syllabus | ECH 5002 |
ECH | 5001 | 3 | Ht/Phil Early Child Ed | None | ED 1520 & Consent of the Department |
ECH | 5170 | 3 | Nut, Health, Safety Young Child | None | Consent of the Department |
ECH | 5020 | 3 | Young Child | 15 | Consent of the Department |
S ED | 5301 | 3 | Char Ex Child | 15 | Consent of the Department |
ECH | 5320 | 3 | Curriculum for Pre School/Primary | None | Restricted to Master's Degree Candidates |
ECH | 5270 | 3 | Cognitive Dev Theory | None | Restricted to Master's Degree candidates |
***********Course Below Require Full Admissions Into the COE*********** | |||||
Discipline | Course Number | Cr Hrs |
Course Title | Field Hours | Prerequisite |
S ED | 5303 | 2 | Teaching Students w/Exceptional Needs | 15 | S ED 5301 & Consent of the Department |
ECH | 5008 | 3 | Creative Experience | 15 | ECH 5020 & Consent of the Department |
ECH | 5009 | 3 | Speech/Lang Dev | None | ECH 5020 & Consent of the Department |
ECH | 5120 | 3 | Reading/Language Arts | 15 | Consent of the Department |
READ | 5230 | 3 | Best Practice in Emergent Literacy | None | Consent of the Department |
ECH | 5150 | 3 | Child/Family/Com | None | ECH 5020 & Consent of the Department |
ECH | 5180 | 4 | Pre-Prim Methods | 20 | ECH 5020 & Consent of the Department |
ECH | 5319 | 4 | Primary Methods | 20 | ECH 5020 & Consent of the Department |
ED | 5960 | 3 | Foundations Ed. Research | None | Taken after completion of 24 semester hours in a master's program & consent of the department |
ED | 5485 | 6 | Student Teaching | Full Semester (432hrs) |
Completion of all approved coursework, 3.0 grade GPA, passing score on the content area test |