M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education

Welcome to the Master of Education in Early Childhood Education Website at Rhode Island College. We appreciate your interest in our program. Please enjoy browsing though our website. We hope that it provides you with helpful information about our program. We look forward to hearing from you and answering your further questions. We accept applications throughout the year on a rolling admissions basis.

Mary Ellen McGuire-Schwartz Associate Professor Horace Mann 207 (401) 456-8250 mmcguire@ric.edu

• Announcements
• Program Overview
• Admission Requirements
• Course Requirements
• Requirements for an Early Childhood Certificate
• Fall Offerings
• Summer Session II Offerings
• Advanced Preparation and Learning
• Admissions
• Financial Aid

Announcements

• Early Childhood Graduate Courses (Spring 2010)
• Early Childhood Graduate Courses (Fall 2009)
• Learning, connections and threads of research
  (Registration Form)

Program Overview

The M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education prepares early childhood educators for leadership positions in the field. This program emphasizes an understanding and commitment to the importance of the early years from Birth to age 8. Children’s optimal development and learning is strongly advocated for, as well as the role of research as critical to a strong knowledge of theory and practice. Cultural competence is intrinsic to the program. Each child/learner is considered and respected as a unique individual who is a member of a group from a unique family configuration that is embedded in a unique social/cultural context. The program embraces professional dispositions, values, and professional ethics that encompass reflective practitioners who value life long learning, technological competency, collaboration, professionalism, and excellence through equity, diversity, and social advocacy in the field of early childhood education.

Within the M.Ed. program in early childhood education, teaching and learning includes the preparation of meaningful curriculum that connects with children and families, uses developmentally effective approaches, understands content knowledge in early education and promotes comprehensive developmental and learning outcomes for all children through reflective practice, pedagogy, knowledge, diversity, assessment, and professionalism. Families are valued as partners in the educational process. Collaborative community, school, and family relationships and interrelationships are highly valued and viewed as integral parts of the learning process. Ethical guidelines and professional standards provide a framework for practice. Advocacy for young children and their families, early care and education programs, educational policies and practices is a valued goal for all early childhood education professionals and leaders within the program.

The early childhood education program is committed to preparing early childhood professionals and leaders who value knowledge, research, and learning with ethical principles and professionalism. A respect for diversity and collaboration with others are nurtured and supported. Democracy, social justice, and equity for all are valued. The program promotes excellence for all learners, students, and families with full access to learning and knowledge within a context of cultural and linguistic diversity, anti-bias education, and cultural competence. Constructivist pedagogy, reflective practice, and professionalism are highly valued. For early childhood education professionals and leaders, a deep understanding of how children grow, develop, and learn includes knowledge of learning as a developmental process within a constructivist framework of hands-on learning and respect for the diversity of every child’s culture, learning styles, and language.

Admission Requirements

Admission to FSEHD Masters level programs is determined by the quality of the total application. Applicants must submit the following to the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs as a measure of their potential for success in graduate level studies.

1. A completed application and $50.00 nonrefundable fee.
2. One copy of all official transcripts of each undergraduate and graduate record.
3. A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of B (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) in all undergraduate course work. Applicants with undergraduate GPAs less than 3.00 may be admitted to degree candidacy upon submission of other evidence of academic potential.
4. Teacher certification in elementary education, early childhood education, or an appropriate field.
5. Official standardized test scores (Graduate Record Examination or the Miller Analogies Test).
6. Three candidate reference forms WITH 3 accompanying letters of recommendation.
7. Professional goals essay.
8. Performance-based evaluation.
9. Interview may be required.

Course Requirements

Foundations Component
ELED 510	Research Methods, Analysis, and Applications	3
FNED 502	Social Issues in Education	3
or
FNED 520	Cultural Foundations of Education	3
Professional Education Component
ECED 502	Curriculum, Developmental Play, and Programs	3
ECED 503	Infants and Toddlers in Early Care and Education Programs	3
ECED 505	Early Childhood Education and Development Issues	3
ECED 512	Working with Families: Building Home-School Partnerships	3
ELED 580	Workshop (only with consent of instructor)	3
or
ECED 661	Directing Early Care and Education Programs	3
ECED 662	Seminar in Early Childhood Education Research	3
Electives
TWO COURSES from
SPED 513	Orientation to the Education of Young Children with Special Needs	3
SPED 516	Organization and Implementation of Programs for Infants and Preschool Children with Special Needs	3
SPED 534	Involvement of Parents and Families Who Have Children with Disabilities	3
* Students who have never completed a special education course must take SPED 513.
TWO COURSES from
CEP 533	Psychology of Students with Exceptionalities	3
ELED 509	Emergent Literacy—Infants through Grade Two	3
ELED 504	Mathematics in the Elementary School	3
ELED 508	Language Arts in the Elementary School	3
ELED 515	Literature in the Elementary School	3
ELED 518	Science in the Elementary School	3
ELED 528	Social Studies in the Elementary School	3
TESL 539	Language Acquisition and Learning	3
TESL 549	Sociocultural Foundations of Language Minority Education	3
* Students who have not had a course in beginning reading must take ECED 509.
Comprehensive Assessment		0
Total Credit Hours		36

Requirements for an Early Childhood Certificate

Approved Early Childhood Courses in the M.Ed. Program

• Child Growth and Development ECED 505, Early Childhood Education and Development Issues
  
• Curriculum and Methods in Early Childhood Education - ECED 502, Curriculum, Developmental Play, and Programs
  
• Reading Readiness and Developmental Reading - ECED 509, Emergent Literacy - Infants through Grade Two
  
• Health and Nutrition for the Young Child - ECED 503 Infants and Toddlers in Group Care
  
• Child, Family, and Community Relationships - ECED 512 Working with Families: Building Home-School Partnerships
  

Applicants who have not completed an approved program can be certified by transcript analysis by presenting evidence of six (6) semester hours of student teaching (SEE NOTE TWO) in the early childhood grades and not less than twenty-four semester hours of course work to include work in each of the following areas; Child Growth and Development, Curriculum and Methods in Early Childhood Education, Reading Readiness and Developmental Reading, Health and Nutrition for the Young Child; Child, Family, and Community Relationships; and Identification of and Service to Special Needs Children.

NOTE TWO (2): The student teaching requirement may be waived for an applicant who has had two or more documented years of successful teaching experience in an approved early childhood setting. Certified teachers who have had two or more years of teaching experience and who seek early childhood certification may fulfill the student teaching requirement by completing a one-year supervised internship at the early childhood level. After completing the necessary course work for the early childhood certificate, and arranging through the local community for a one-year internship, the Superintendent of Schools may request the issuance of a one-year professional certificate. The Department of Education must approve the internship in advance and the supervisor must have at least 3 years of teaching experience. Upon successful completion of the internship, the individual will be issued a five (5) year professional certificate.
Requirements for an Early Childhood Certificate retrieved on 12/12/08 from
http://www.ride.ri.gov/

Advanced Preparation and Learning

This program prepares early childhood educators for leadership positions in the field.  With emphasis on birth to age 8, the program explores specializations in curriculum development, infant-toddler development, program administration, early literacy and early intervention. The M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education offers an accessible, affordable, and high quality advanced education program in Rhode Island.

Program Goals

The goal of promoting children’s optimal development and learning is the foundation for the program. Graduate candidates gain a deep understanding of learning as a developmental process within a constructivist framework of hands-on learning.

The program embraces NAEYC professional dispositions, standards, values and ethics, and focuses on learning in cultural competence, research, and advocacy.  

Career Possibilities

Possible career options with a M.Ed.in Early Childhood Education  include leadership positions in early education care and education programs, college teaching and training, early childhood curriculum specialists and trainers, advocacy positions, early childhood/ early intervention positions, and early childhood teaching in public and private schools.

Admissions

For information about applications, please see the Admission Requirements for the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development Graduate School.

Financial Aid

For information about financial aid, please see the RIC Financial Aid website.

Please contact me at (401)456-8250 or MMcguire@ric.edu to set up an appointment to discuss the M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education at Rhode Island College. I look forward to hearing from you.

With best wishes,
Mary Ellen McGuire-Schwartz, Ed.D.
Graduate Coordinator of the M.Ed