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  • ME Early Childhood Education Courses

    There are two tracks within the program.

    1. The Professional License Track is a Master’s Degree program designed for those who possess the Initial License or its equivalent. This track fulfills the full licensure requirements set by the Massachusetts Department of Education for a teacher of Early Childhood Education (P-2) and leads toward the Professional Teaching License. (34 credits total)
    Prerequisites: Initial License or its equivalent in Early Childhood Education

    The program consists of the following courses:
    I. Core requirements: (Required of all students – 10 credits)

    • ED 981 Advanced Foundations of Education 3 credits
    • ED 982 Research in Education 3 credits
    • ED 993 Seminar: Research in Content Concentration 3 credits
    • ED 992 Portfolio Evaluation (to be taken last) 1 credit

    II. Core Content Courses: (Required of all students, except for those who can demonstrate recent mastery of the content area. With the approval of the program coordinator, those students must document mastery and may elect higher level or alternate courses. – 12 credits)

    • ED 920 Cognitive/Affective Learning for Typical and Atypical Children 3 credits.
    • CD 910 Speech/Language Development, Differences, Diversity 3 credits
    • EE 911 Early Literacy for Young Children 3 credits
    • EE 912 Young Children and Inclusive Early Childhood Practices 3 credits               

    III. Content across the curriculum courses: (Students must elect a minimum of three of these courses, which have been developed and/or taught in conjunction with liberal arts and sciences faculty members. Students may choose to elect graduate level courses in the content areas which they teach: English, Mathematics, Science, History, Fine Art, or Reading – 9 credits)

    • EE 900 Literature for Young Children 3 credits
    • EE 903 Language Arts in Early Childhood: Content, Curriculum, Evaluation, Methods and Materials 3 credits
    • EE 904 Exploring Science in Early Childhood Education 3 credits
    • EE 913 Social Studies in Early Childhood: Content, Curriculum, Evaluation, Methods and Materials 3 credits
    • EE 916 Mathematics in early Childhood: Content, Curriculum, Evaluation, Methods and Materials 3 credits
    • EE 917 The Fine Arts in early Childhood: Content, Curriculum, Evaluation, Methods and Materials 3 credits          

    IV. Electives 3 credits
    Students may select additional content across the curriculum courses or may select two courses from electives offered by the department. Students may elect an area of focus by choosing electives and completing their research projects in a specific area.
    Total 34 credits.

    2. The Professional Development (Non-Licensure) Track is designed for students who wish to enhance competence within an existing career in preschool, early intervention, nursery school, day care, kindergarten, or first through second grade.

    Prerequisites: General Admission Requirements located at:
    www.worcester.edu/Graduate

    The program consists of the following courses:

    • ED 981 Advanced Foundations of Education 3 credits
    • ED 982 Research in Education 3 credits
    • ED 993 Seminar: Research in Content Concentration 3 credits
    • ED 992 Portfolio Evaluation 1 credit
    • ED 920 Cognitive and Affective Learning for Typical and Atypical Children 3  credits
    • EE 912 Young Children and Inclusive Early Education Practices 3 credits
    • CD 910 Speech and Language Development 3 credits
    • EE 911 Early Literacy for Young Children 3 credits

    Electives 12 credits

    Total Credits: 34

    Note: Teachers in the field of Early Childhood Education are certified in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by two licensing agencies. Public school teachers teaching preschool through grade two are licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Teachers who teach at the preschool level in day care and nursery school programs are certified by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. It is possible for students to complete many or all of the requirements set by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care for certification as Preschool Teacher, Preschool Lead Teacher or Director I, Director II.