Early Childhood Administration, M.Ed.- Early Childhood Higher Education Concentration
This online-only program is designed for current and aspiring leaders in the field of early childhood care and education. The curriculum provides students with a review and higher level understanding of child development, early childhood curriculum, discipline and guidance, family systems, assessment, social and cultural diversity and professional ethics. It also covers staff management and human relations, educational programming, legal and fiscal management, marketing and public relations, facilities management, technology and leadership and advocacy.
Students admitted into this program will have the opportunity to work toward attainment of the Illinois Director Credential (Level III Credential) while fulfilling the requirements for their graduate degree. Visit the Illinois Professional Development System for more details.
Concurrent work in an early childhood setting is strongly encouraged for all enrolled students.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):
PLO1. Child Development and Learning: Students will understand the developmental period of early childhood from birth through age eight across developmental domains, that each child is an individual with unique variations, that children learn and develop within multiple contexts, including families, culture, language and society, and will use this knowledge to make decisions and carry out responsibilities.
PLO2. Partnerships and Community Connections: Students will understand that success in early childhood education depends on partnership with the families of the children they serve. They will know about, understand and value diversity in families, and will use community resources to support the learning and development of families.
PLO3. Personal and Professional Self-Awareness: Students will understand adult career development, personality typologies, dispositions and learning styles. They will understand the importance of ongoing reflection, for themselves and others, and recognize how their values impact their actions. They will be able to evaluate the ethical and moral dilemmas based on NAEYC’s Code of Professional Ethics.
PLO4. Educational Programming and Evaluation: Students will have knowledge of and will be able to implement research-based curriculum models, understand standards for high-quality programming, evaluate empirical research in early childhood and in adult learning, and support appropriate practices that include families.
PLO5. Leadership and Advocacy: Students will have knowledge of organizational theory and leadership styles as they relate to early childhood work and school environments. They will have skills to advocate on behalf of families and children and on behalf of the early childhood profession.
PLO6. Higher Education: Students will develop a foundational understanding of postsecondary teaching and learning in higher education landscapes, with a particular focus on working with culturally and linguistically diverse students.
In addition to the National College of Education Graduate Admission requirements, candidates must:
- Have at least five years of full time experience working in early childhood care and education (with children birth – age 8)
- Be able to perform the duties expected during the teaching internship quarters of the program. For online course internships this would include access to reliable internet, and accessibility to attend live or hybrid online sessions as dictated by course requirements. For in-person courses, must be able to travel to a college campus on a weekly basis or as dictated by the course offering.
- Have an admission interview
Program Details:
- Requires 34 SH for completion
- Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) may be accepted for up to 9SH for the following courses: ECE 504, ECE 510, ECE 512 and ECE 523. Only students applying for the concentration in Early Childhood Higher Education can access CPL for these courses.
- Requires two teaching internships in higher education
Required Courses
Program Core - 19 SH
| ECE 504 | Human Development: Infancy and Childhood | 3 |
| ECE 523 | Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| EDU 505 | Educational Inquiry and Assessment | 3 |
| ECE 510 | Child, Family and Community | 3 |
| ECE 512 | Early Childhood Curriculum | 2 |
| ECE 521 | Writing and Effective Communication for Early Childhood Education Administrators | 1 |
| ECE 538 | The Early Childhood Administrator: Individual and Organizational Perspectives | 2 |
| ECE 582I | Workshop/Administration/Leadership Connections | 2 |
Early Childhood Higher Education Concentration - 15 SH
| ECE 600 | Early Childhood Higher Education Faculty Internship I | 3 |
| ECE 601 | Early Childhood Higher Education Faculty Internship II | 3 |
| HED 600 | Higher Education in the United States | 3 |
| PTIL 601 | Instructional Design in Higher Education | 3 |
| PTIL 605 | Postsecondary Teaching in Content Specializations | 3 |
Note: The 15 SH of the above doctoral level coursework may be also applied toward the Postsecondary Teaching and Instructional Leadership major in the Higher Ed Leadership programs.