Early Childhood Education, M.A.T. (Alternative Teacher Licensure Program)

This program is designed for those who do not have a Professional Educator License. It provides candidates with a comprehensive background for working with younger children in a variety of settings. Completion of this degree program leads to licensure by entitlement for a Professional Educator License endorsed for early childhood and self-contained general education (age 0 to grade 2) along with an ESL or Bilingual Education Endorsement.

For more information on state licensure and certification information please visit NLU’s Public Disclosures page.

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):

PLO 1. Candidates analyze young children’s characteristics and needs, multiple interacting influences on children’s development and learning, and be able to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for each child.

PLO 2. Candidates value the importance and complex characteristics of children’s families and communities; they are able to create respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families, and to involve all families in their children’s development and learning.

PLO 3. Candidates justify goals and benefits of child assessment, are able to design systematic observations, documentation, and other effective assessment strategies in a responsible and ethical way, in partnership with families and other professionals, to positively influence each child’s development and learning.

PLO 4. Candidates use positive relationships as the foundation for their work with young children; candidates know, understand, and use a wide array of developmentally appropriate approaches, instructional strategies, tools, and technologies to positively influence each child’s development and learning.

PLO 5. Candidates have solid knowledge of academic disciplines, know the essential concepts, structure of content areas, and resources, and are able to apply this knowledge to design, implement, and evaluate experiences that promote positive and comprehensive learning outcomes for each child.

PLO 6. Candidates apply NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and professional standards to their early childhood education practice; identify and conduct themselves as professionals who demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective and critical perspectives on their work, make informed decisions, and advocate for sound educational practices and policies.

PLO 7. Candidates demonstrate leadership skills in the early childhood field to think strategically, build consensus, create change, effectively collaborate with and mentor others; demonstrate a high level of oral, written and technological communication skills with specialization for specific professional roles.

In addition to National College of Education Graduate Admissions Requirements, applicants must:

Have a bachelor's degree from a school with institutional accreditation with a major in the content area of reading, English/language arts, mathematics or physical or social sciences. If the individual does not meet these requirements, transcripts must be evaluated by the State Superintendent of Education for equivalency. This process will be started by the Transfer Articulation Analyst in the Registrar’s office and appropriate documents and transcripts send to ISBE.
- ISBE review requires a min of 9SH in any one or a combination of the four areas listed above to be admitted to the program
- 32 semester hours of coursework in a combination of the areas of reading, English/language arts, mathematics or physical or social science including methods courses (required as part of the program) are required prior to entitlement
  - Please note: the Transfer Articulation Analyst will review transcripts prior to admission and notify students if additional content coursework is needed before entitlement.
Have a GPA no lower than 3.0, on a 4.0 point scale. Candidates may be provisionally admitted to the program with a GPA between 2.5 and 2.99. They must complete the first four courses in the program with grades of B or better.
Pass the appropriate content test (Early Childhood or Elementary) by May 1st prior to the summer start. Candidates without a passing score must attend tutoring sessions May-June. Candidates must pass the test by June 20th.
Provide written statement describing interest in entering a degree in Early Childhood Education through an Alternative Licensure program and description of candidates’ employment experience in schools and working with students or evidence of a minimum of 4 weeks substitute teaching experience or school support experience in at the appropriate grade level or content area
Complete a student interview with the Program Coordinator, program faculty and the university partners
Provide three references (from BA degree, and/or employment experience appropriate for teaching experience)

Program Details:

Requires 37 SH for completion
Candidates must meet the ISBE requirements for a Provisional Teaching License before ECE 591
Candidates must earn a grade of "B" or better in all methods courses (ECE 503, ECE 507, ECE 522, and RLL 537)
Requires immersive school placement

Required Courses

ECE Alternative Teacher Licensure Coursework

ECE 503	Teaching & Learning in Early Childhood Settings:Language Arts, Social Studies, Art, Music & Movement	3
ECE 504	Human Development: Infancy and Childhood	3
ECE 507	STEM in Early Childhood	3
ECE 510	Child, Family and Community	3
ECE 522	Foundations of Emergent Literacy	3
ECE 523	Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Early Childhood Education	3
ECE 526	Methods of Developing Mathematical Mindsets in Early Childhood	3
ECE 591	Early Childhood Alternative Licensure Seminar	1 TO 7
RLP 537	Early Literacy Methods, PreK-3	3
SPE 500	Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities	3
CIL 531	Cross Cultural Education	3

Note: ECE 591 must be taken for a total of 7 semester hours.