Early Childhood Education, Advanced Studies, Master of Education

Purpose:

This program is designed for either 1) individuals who already hold an initial license in Early Childhood Education who, with requisite experience as a teacher of record, wish to qualify and apply for a professional license from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or 2) individuals with prior experience in the field (as either a teacher or administrator in a public school, a private school, a Head Start or child care or out-of-school-time program setting) who are seeking further professional development in the field.

Program Requirements

Core Courses (18 credits)

EDU 712 - Models of Early Education: Past & Present
EDU 921 - Capstone Seminar in Early Childhood Education and Child Development
Select one of the following Policy/Advocacy class:
PSY 738 - Child Development and Public Policy
EEC 809 - Anti-bias Education: Perspectives, and Advocacy in Early Childhood Education
EDS 825 - Connecting Research, Policy, and Practice in Education
Select one of the following Family/Community Engagement class:
EDU 742A - Reading, Writing, and Child Development in Early Childhood
EDU 889 - Partnerships for Families: An Interprofessional Approach
EEC 811 - Risk Factors that Affect Children and Families
EEC 810 - Methods for Early Intervention Services
EEC 808 - Supporting Dual Language Learners and Their Families in Early Childhood
Select one of the following Leadership class:
EDU 991K - Leadership for Excellence in Education
EEC 807 - Leadership and Supervision in Early Education and Care
EEC 819 - Administration and Positive Climate in Early Education and Care Programs with Field Experiences
EDU 999TT - Advanced Teaching Strategies in the Early Childhood and Elementary Curriculum
Select one of the following Diverse Learner course
EDC 705 - Assessment and Instructional Practice
EDU 876 - Global Perspectives in Cultural Diversity
EDS 770N - Context and Culture in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
EEC 808 Supporting Dual Language Learners and Their Familes in Early Childhood

EEC810 Methods for Early Intervention Services

EEC811 Risk Factors that Affect Chidren and Families

Complete a Strand (12 credits minimum)

Courses cannot be used to complete multiple requirements within the program.
Any Education Certificate Licensure-Only Program, or four (4) course cluster may be substituted for a Strand with approval from the coordinator.
Candidates who choose to replace the strand with certificate or licensure-only program may exceed 30 credits in completing their degree.

Advanced Teaching Strand (select 4)

Early Education and Care Strand (select 4)

Literacy in the Early Childhood Classroom (select 4)

Special Education Strand (select 4)

Early Literacy Strand (select 4)

Entrepreneurship Strand (select 4)

Advanced Early Childhood Practice Strand (select 4)

* EDU 767 - Literature for Children
* EDU 999C - Teaching Students to Write (Pre K-12)
* EDU 742A - Reading, Writing, and Child Development in Early Childhood
* EDS 859 - Teaching Grammar to English Learners
* EDS 771 - Sociolinguistics
* EDS 776 - Linguistics for Language Teachers
*Courses that include Early Childhood Pedagogy and/or Content Knowledge and were approved by DESE based on prior submission of 12 credit option form.

Please fill out a plan for the 12 credit option form when developing your plan of study. After completing the coursework, please submit MA DESE 12 credit option form to School of Education licensure liaison or signature and verification after you have applied for Professional Licensure. SSU will upload 12 credit option from to ELAR on your behalf.

Education Certificates

Any education certificate (e.g., Autism Spectrum Disorder) or licensure-only program (e.g., Elementary Education, Reading, Special Education, or TESOL), or coordinator approved 4-course cluster may be substituted for a strand with approval of the coordinator. Candidates who choose to replace the strand with a certificate or licensure only program must apply to that program independent of their early childhood program. Candidates who choose to replace the strand with a certificate or licensure program may exceed 33 credits in completing their degree.