The post-baccalaureate early childhood education concentration prepares educators for initial licensure as an early childhood teacher who will work with students with or without special needs in PreK through grade 2.

Our curriculum features a semester-long, supervised practicum of 300 clock hours (100 hours at the PreK level and 200 hours at the grades 1-2 level), with at least one segment in a public school setting that includes students with disabilities for part of the school day. So, you’ll spend plenty of time in the classroom, inspiring young minds and making a difference before graduating ready to lead classrooms of your own.

A bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, sciences, or an interdisciplinary major prior to admission is required.

Master's Degree, MEd, Early Childhood Education (Master's Degree)

The Graduate Level Initial Licensure Program in Early Childhood Education prepares early childhood educators to assume teaching positions in public schools, child care programs, private preschools and kindergartens, early intervention programs, family support and home visiting programs and inclusive early childhood settings. All students entering the program will be required to meet the content area requirements as identified by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

In the Graduate Level Initial Licensure Program, early childhood educators gain the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to provide all young children (from preschool through second grade) the kind of early education they deserve. The program addresses the need for tomorrow’s teachers to be prepared to serve and to value a far more diverse group of young children and families than at any time in the past. Our program gives students the opportunity to student teach in inclusive early childhood settings which welcome young children with increasingly challenging disabilities and medical conditions. With the foundation provided by the required courses, including the pre-practicum and practicum field experiences, individuals completing the Graduate Initial Licensure Program in Early Childhood Education draw from a continuum of teaching strategies in order to support the learning and development of all children.

Prerequisites:
An undergraduate degree in the liberal arts or in a field related to early childhood education (e.g., Psychology); a broad background in coursework related to the primary grade knowledge of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks; documented experience in working with children between the ages of three and eight and a course in child development. A transcript review will determine whether there are additional prerequisites.