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Early Childhood Education - M.A., M.A.T. and M.Ed. PDFDownload to print

College
College of Education, Health and Human Services

Department
School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies

404 White Hall
Tel: 330-672-2580
E-mail: oss@kent.edu
Web: www.kent.edu/ehhs/tlcs

Description

The Master of Arts and Master of Education 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,  pre-school with special needs or generalist (grades four and five) may be embedded in the program. The M.A. requires a thesis.

After completing a lengthy holistic self-study, the program was updated to reflect the changing nature of teaching due to globalization. Newly developed courses and renewed content reflect program area goals to be the first U.S. university to offer an International Baccalaureate (IB) recognition award at the initial licensure level.

M.A. and M.Ed.: Pre-Kindergarten Special Needs Endorsement provides teachers with the coursework and field experiences necessary to work effectively with preschool aged children with disabilities in a variety of settings. The Pre-Kindergarten Special Needs Endorsement can be added to the Early Childhood Education License and/or the Early Childhood Pre-K Validation and any Special Education license. The 4-5th grade endorsement or an International Baccalaureate (IB) recognition can also be embedded into the M.Ed. program.

The Master of Arts in Teaching in Early Childhood Education is for qualified persons who possess at least a baccalaureate in a discipline other than teacher education. This program leads to Ohio licensure for teaching children age three through grade three. Students have intensive field experiences in pre-school, kindergarten and primary programs, including those in urban/diverse settings.
 

Admission Requirements

Official transcript(s), goal statement, two letters of recommendation and good moral character verification. Admission into the M.A.T. also requires GRE, Praxis I Mathematics, supplemental form and interview.

Please refer to the university policy for graduate admission.

Graduation Requirements

M.A. and M.Ed.: Students are then guided by faculty in the development of a program of study that satisfies both individual professional goals and expectations of the department, college and university. All students are expected to complete an exit project that involves a practicum, action research project or thesis (M.A.).

M.A.T: The Master of Arts in Teaching degree in early childhood education is a program for students who have a bachelor’s degree in an area other than teacher education. This program requires 18 months of full-time study which begins in June. Students are also required to take the Graduate Record Examination and the math portion of Praxis I for admission. See Web site for deadline dates.

Licensure Requirement (not required for graduation):
Candidates seeking Ohio licensure are required to pass specific assessments in order to apply for licensure. Students should consult their advisors for specific program requirements and refer to the See Ohio Department of Education-Educator Preparation website for more information on assessments specific to licensure type.

Thesis/ Dissertation

A thesis is required for the M.A. degree.
 

Accreditation

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
 

Culminating Requirements

M.Ed.: Students must complete an exit project.

M.A.T.: Student teaching is required.