Early Childhood Education

Graduate

This Early Childhood Education program leads to T-5 certification in Early Childhood Education and is designed to prepare master teachers to work with children in grades PreK-5.  This program also provides knowledge and skills for teachers to serve in leadership roles in curriculum development, supervision and research in the field of Early Childhood Education.  Graduates become master teachers who are poised for administrative positions in all fields of education.

The purpose of the M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education is to sanction leadership for PreK-5 populations.  Candidates complete 36 hours of courses designed to augment resourceful and imaginative problem-solving skills for K-5 populations.  All classes implement the College of Education's conceptual framework:  Reflective transformative practitioner, culturally-responsive practitioner, technologically-competent practitioner.  Candidates have to be admitted by the Office of Graduate Admissions before admission into the program.

Program Objectives

Objective 1.	The Early Childhood Education Program prepares PreK-5 school teachers to become accomplished educators who are empowered to impact the communities they serve by raising the academic achievements of young children from diverse backgrounds.
Objective 2.	Candidates in the Early Childhood Education Program will gain knowledge and skills for designing and implementing culturally responsive teaching strategies that are infused with technology and hone reflective practices that refine effective dispositions for teaching.
Objective 3.	Candidates’ progression through the Early Childhood Education Program will lead to an array of evidenced-based best practices in PreK-5 settings, creative and effective teaching performances, strengthened knowledge for making data-driven decisions, and methodologies for impacting student achievement through action research.
Objective 4.	The Early Childhood Education Program adds to the knowledge that current teachers already have about early childhood education.
Objective 5.	The Early Childhood Education Program enhances understanding of how influence of the intellectual, emotional, and physical development of young children relates to teaching and learning.

Admission to the Program

Admission to the Early Childhood Education Program requires an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education, or the equivalent, from an accredited college, and Georgia Professional Standards Commission Certification in Early Childhood Education.  Students are also governed by the general admission procedures and requirements for the M.Ed. degree program, and they may matriculate in the Early Childhood Education program under the same categories of admission.