Early Childhood Education, Master of Education

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Candidates in this program are required to demonstrate content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and skills, professional knowledge, and professional dispositions to be eligible to enter student teaching or internship placements.

Content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge or skills, and professional dispositions are demonstrated through candidate performance on key assessments embedded in the following course(s):

• ECI 608, ECI 620, ECI 621, ECI 625

These courses must be taken and may not be substituted using transfer credit or other courses.

Minimum Units for Completion	30
Additional Admission Requirements	Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
Fieldwork Experience/Internship	Optional
Emphasis, Minor, or Certificate Required	An emphasis, minor, or certificate is required for this major.
Progression Plan Link	View Program of Study

Student Learning Outcomes

In addition to the NAEYC SPA accreditation standards, which are integral as we move into accreditation procedures for this degree, this program also incorporates the opportunity to enroll in coursework for National Board Certification:

What Is National Board Certification?

All students deserve accomplished teachers who are equipped to prepare them for success in today's world. National Board Standards and National Board Certification give teachers and schools the tools to define and measure teaching excellence. Similar to certification in fields like medicine, National Board Certification is a rigorous, peer-reviewed process that ensures that Board-certified teachers have proven skills to advance student achievement.

National Board Certification is an advanced teaching credential. As part of this process, teachers must analyze their teaching context and students’ needs, submit videos of their teaching, and provide student work samples that demonstrate growth and achievement. The reflective analyses that they submit must demonstrate:

1) A strong command of content;
2) The ability to design appropriate learning experiences that advance student learning;
3) The use of assessments to inform instructional decision making; and
4) Partnerships with colleagues, parents and the community.
Through this structured and iterative process, teachers expand and refine their content knowledge and pedagogy. The outcome is more powerful teaching that improves student achievement and reflects college and career readiness (NBPTS, 2014)
 
NAEYC SPA Standards
 
NAEYC-ADV – Standard 1: Candidates prepared in early childhood degree programs are grounded in a child development knowledge base. They use their understanding of young children's characteristics and needs, and of multiple interacting influences on children's development and learning, to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for each child.
 
NAEYC-ADV – Standard 2: Candidates prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that successful early childhood education depends upon partnerships with children’s families and communities. They know about, understand, and value the importance and complex characteristics of children’s families and communities. They use this understanding to create respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families, and to involve all families in their children’s development and learning.
 
NAEYC-ADV – Standard 3: Candidates prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that child observation, documentation, and other forms of assessment are central to the practice of all early childhood professionals. They know about and understand the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment. They know about and use systematic observations, documentation, and other effective assessment strategies in a responsible way, in partnership with families and other professionals, to positively influence the development of every child.
 
NAEYC-ADV – Standard 4: Candidates prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that teaching and learning with young children is a complex enterprise, and its details vary depending on children’s ages, characteristics, and the settings within which teaching and learning occur. They understand and use positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation for their work with young children and families. Candidates know, understand, and use a wide array of developmentally appropriate approaches, instructional strategies, and tools to connect with children and families and positively influence each child’s development and learning.
 
NAEYC-ADV – Standard 5: Candidates prepared in early childhood degree programs use their knowledge of academic disciplines to design, implement, and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for each and every young child. Candidates understand the importance of developmental domains and academic (or content) disciplines in early childhood curriculum. They know the essential concepts, inquiry tools, and structure of content areas, including academic subjects, and can identify resources to deepen their understanding. Candidates use their own knowledge and other resources to design, implement, and evaluate meaningful, challenging curriculum that promotes comprehensive developmental and learning outcomes for every young child.
 
NAEYC-ADV – Standard 6: Candidates prepared in early childhood degree programs identify and conduct themselves as members of the early childhood profession. They know and use ethical guidelines and other professional standards related to early childhood practice. They are continuous, collaborative learners who demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective and critical perspectives on their work, making informed decisions that integrate knowledge from a variety of sources. They are informed advocates for sound educational practices and policies.
 
NAEYC-ADV – Standard 7: Field experiences and clinical practice are planned and sequenced so that candidates develop the knowledge, skills and professional dispositions necessary to promote the development and learning of young children across the entire developmental period of early childhood – in at least two of the three early childhood age groups (birth – age 3, 3 through 5, 5 through 8 years) and in the variety of settings that offer early education (early school grades, child care centers and homes, Head Start programs).

Additional Admission Requirements

• Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

• The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.
  
  Admission requirements include the following:

  • Transcripts.
  • Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.

  
  Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
  
  Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

  International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.

• • IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card

• • Teaching Certificate - if the applicant has one

Master's Requirements

• Take the following 30 - 31 units:

  Core requirements (12-15 units):

  • ECI 620, ECI 621, ECI 625 (9 units)
  Select from (3-6* units):
  • EDF 673, EDF 677, EDR 610
  *For the Early Childhood National Board Preparation Emphasis select two courses.
  
  Emphasis Requirements (16-18 units):
  
  Select one:
  
  Early Childhood Teacher Emphasis (18 units):
  • ECI 526, ECI 531 (6 units)
  • Select one course from (3 units):
  • (One additional from EDF 670, EDF 671, EDF 673, EDF 677,) EDR 611, EPS 525
  Select three courses from (9 units):
  • ECI 541, ECI 569, ECI 602, ECI 604, ECI 607, ECI 642, ECI 643, ECI 644, ECI 645, ECI 647, ECI 648, ECI 651, ECI 661, ECI 696, ESE 510, ESE 516, ESE 536, ESE 556

• Early Childhood Leadership Emphasis (18 units):

  • ECI 608 (3 units)
  Select one course from (3 units):
  • EDL 600, EDL 622, EDL 627
  Select two courses from (6 units):
  • EPS 525, EPS 605, EPS 606, EPS 610
  Select two courses from (6 units)
  • ESE 516, ESE 536, ESE 556

• Early Childhood National Board Preparation Emphasis (16 units):
  
  • ECI 610, ECI 611, ECI 612, ECI 613, ECI 614, ECI 615 (10 units)
  Select one course from (3 units):
  
  • EDF 670, EDF 671
   Select one course from (3 units):
  
  • ESE 516, ESE 536, ESE 556

• At least fifty percent of the courses in your program must be at the 600-level or above. In addition, you must be admitted to this degree program before taking your last 12 units of graduate work.

• Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

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