Early Childhood Education, M.Ed.

OSRHE Program Code: 117
CIP Code: 131210
Major Code: 3400

Purpose

The Master of Early Childhood Education program prepares professionals who are reflective about their practice and who critically analyze what constitutes effective teaching and valuable learning. They expand their instructional repertoires and master an expanding body of pedagogical knowledge while becoming deeply cognizant of the ethical and societal dimensions of early childhood education. The program emphasizes instruction, curriculum development, and assessment within an interdisciplinary approach.

Specialty Accreditation

NSU’s educator preparation programs at the baccalaureate and master’s levels are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), www.caepnet.org, (1140 19th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20036-1023, 202-223-0077), and/or the Oklahoma Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (840 Research Parkway, Suite 455, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, 405-522-5399), www.ok.gov/oeqa

Credential Requirements

Courses included in the Master of Education in Early Childhood do not represent all courses needed for an Early Childhood teaching certificate for the State of Oklahoma.  Candidates seeking certification should contact NSU’s Teacher Certification office for individual advisement on courses needed based on previous college credits.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Identify children’s characteristics and needs.
2. Identify multiple interacting influences on children’s development and learning.
3. Use content knowledge to design and implement meaningful and challenging curriculum that promotes development and learning for each child.
4. Use content knowledge to design and implement meaningful and challenging curriculum that promotes development and learning for each child.
5. Use developmentally appropriate assessment strategies in ways that promote positive outcomes for each child.
6. Conduct themselves as members of the early childhood profession.
7. Use ethical guidelines and other professional standards related to early childhood practice.
8. Implement strategies that foster dispositions leading to life-long learning.

Admission, Retention and Graduation

Admission. Beyond the admission requirements for the Graduate College, admission to the Early Childhood Education program requires:

1. A grade average of 3.0 in the undergraduate major (may be conditionally admitted on a grade average of 2.75 in the undergraduate major. Conditional admission requires a student to maintain a 3.0 grade average in the first 12 hours of graduate coursework with no grade below a “C”.);
2. An applicant who has not met admission requirements may be admitted for one semester only on a tentative (temporary) basis. An applicant may continue in the program, beyond the first enrollment, only if admission requirements are met. Otherwise, any coursework completed may not apply in the program.

Advisement. The Graduate College assigns students an advisor upon admission to graduate studies. It is the candidate’s responsibility to make an appointment with the advisor prior to enrollment to discuss policies and procedures relevant to the degree program. Conferring with the student, the advisor develops the plan of study, assists in the selection of classes, and counsels the student.

Courses in the Master of Education in Early Childhood Education do not include all courses needed for an Early Childhood Teaching Certificate for the State of Oklahoma.  Candidates seeking certification will be individually advised on courses needed based on previous college credits.

Retention and Graduation. Candidates for the Master of Education in Early Childhood Education degree must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Continue to meet the Graduate College’s retention standards. See the Academic Information page for more information.
2. Monitor degree progress using the degree audit system in the goNSU portal.
3. Meet Graduate College policies detailed in Academic Information and Master’s Degree Requirements regarding GPA, minimum grades, coursework age, residency and institutional / state regulations governing degree conferral.