The College of Education, Departments of Curriculum Studies and Special Education, in partnership with the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), offers a 30 credit program leading to a Master of Education in Early Childhood Education degree. The program faculty seeks to expand the knowledge and skills of early childhood educators, foster the application of new knowledge, and improve programs serving young children and their families. Program goals are to support professional development and promote leadership for those who work in programs that serve diverse young children, including those with disabilities, who are infants to age eight (Birth-age 8).

The MEd ECE program includes a unique set of program assessments designed to measure each student’s competency in meeting four Core Program Standards. These assessments are based on the unit’s Conceptual Framework. They include measures of each student’s knowledge about child development and the field of early childhood education, ability to contribute to leadership in the profession as an effective advanced early childhood educator, and dispositions as a caring and ethical professional. These three foci are the key components in the conceptual framework of the College of Education.

The conceptual framework of the COE provides broad direction and focus for the program design, while the Graduate ECE program standards provide a narrower lens through which to interpret and manifest the conceptual framework. The two are directly linked through the mission, the program goals, and the objectives of the MEd in ECE program. These, in turn are aligned with the Graduate ECE Program Standards, Graduate Division Student Learning Outcomes (SLOS) and Key Assessments for the program.

The mission of the MEd in ECE is to develop students’ depth and breadth of knowledge about the field, collaborative skills, and the dispositions to engage in leadership activities and advocacy. Students develop the capacity to work collaboratively to design and implement high quality, inclusive programs for diverse young children and their families.

The MEd ECE program provides graduates with a conceptual framework, skills, and knowledge that will enable them to more effectively assume leadership roles in the field of early childhood education.