Online Master's in Early Childhood Education (ECE) Programs
Early childhood education (ECE) is a teaching specialization that covers the vital developmental years of a child’s life, from birth through the age of eight, inclusive of pre-K, kindergarten, and first, second, and third grades. Early childhood educators teach in various formal and informal settings, including public and private schools, daycare centers, and home school settings. Employment in public schools requires professional licensure or certification in all fifty states and the District of Columbia, and many states require daycare professionals and others who work with young children to be licensed and/or have health and safety training above and beyond what they learn through formal academic degree programs.
In addition to teaching young learners, early childhood education specialists can work in a number of other adjacent roles, such as providing leadership and administrative services, conducting educational research, or designing and evaluating ECE curricula. Master’s in Early Childhood Education program provide training and instruction in these areas, preparing students for work throughout the field and helping them to cultivate the teaching, assessment, and emotional skills needed to provide positive, supportive, and inclusive environments for young children.
What is a Master’s in Early Childhood Education Degree?
Master’s in Early Childhood Education programs are academic degree programs for graduate students that provide formal training and instruction in the theories, practices, knowledge, and skills needed to teach the youngest learners. Students in these programs study childhood development, theories of learning, and methods for fostering healthy social, emotional, and cognitive development in children from birth through age eight. While many master’s programs in early childhood education focus on school-based learning, they also typically prepare students to work in more informal and non-traditional learning environments, such as daycare centers and preschools, as well as in research, administrative, and policy positions.
These programs are generally designed for a broad range of students who hold a bachelor’s degree, including current teachers who want to specialize in early childhood education, psychologists, social workers, and other service providers who want to expand their knowledge of early childhood education. It is important to note that master’s program graduates who wish to teach in public schools must first meet state licensing requirements and obtain a state certification in order to work in that state. Many states also require daycare professionals and others tasked with teaching and caring for young children to be licensed. For students who are not already licensed educators, the training provided by Master’s in Early Childhood Education programs can help prepare graduates to apply for state licensure, especially if the program includes supervised internships or practical experiences. However, completing a master’s degree does not automatically qualify graduates for teaching positions in settings subject to state regulation.
Online Master’s in Early Childhood Education Programs
Online programs give qualified students the opportunity to complete graduate training in early childhood education without having to commute to a campus for classes. These programs provide a more convenient and flexible alternative to traditional campus-based programs, delivering all or most of their required coursework through distance learning technologies. Students in an online master’s program access live and/or pre-recorded lectures and virtual classes by logging on to web-based learning management systems (LMSs), which are also used for taking exams, submitting assignments, participating in discussion groups and forums, and other instructional activities like attending office hours or communicating with classmates and instructors.
While many online master’s programs in education do not require students to attend any classes on campus, some programs incorporate a limited number of campus-based sessions, which are often scheduled during the summer and typically last three to five days. However, online students in Master’s in ECE programs are commonly required to engage in site-based internships or practical experiences, and these requirements are typically completed at a location near a student’s place of work or residence rather than near the campus of the school offering the program.
How OnlineEducation.com Identifies and Classifies Online Master’s in ECE Programs
Early childhood education is a relatively well-defined field with training standards that are maintained by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Thus, most master’s programs in ECE are designated as such. However, there are Master of Education (MEd), Master of Arts (MA), and Master of Science (MS) programs in early childhood education, as well as Master of Science in Education (MSE) in Early Childhood Education programs, all which are largely equivalent. There are also master’s in education, curriculum and instruction, educational leadership, and other similar degree programs with specializations in early childhood education that also provide master’s training in the field.
OnlineEducation.com researches online degree programs and identifies programs with an early childhood education curriculum that are offered online by accredited non-profit colleges and universities. These programs include:
- Master of Education (MEd) in Early Childhood Education
- Master of Arts (MA) in Early Childhood Education
- Master of Science (MS) in Early Childhood Education
- Master of Science in Education (MSE) in Early Childhood Education
- Master of Education (MEd) in Curriculum and Instruction with a Specialization in Early Childhood Education
- Master of Education (MEd) in Early Childhood Education for Diverse Learners
To be classified as an online Master’s in Early Childhood Education, programs must offer all or most of their didactic, classroom instruction via distance-learning. Programs that require more than two campus visits per year are classified as hybrid programs and are not listed on the site. As noted above, master’s in education programs may require site-based practical experiences or student teaching hours that must be completed in person. These requirements are not considered when classifying programs as online, hybrid or on-campus programs.
What Students Learn in Online Master’s in Early Childhood Education Programs
Early childhood education encompasses teaching, administration, curriculum design, research, and policy work that directly impacts the youngest learners from birth until the age of eight. While online master’s program curricula can vary by school and by program, most programs align their curriculum with standards maintained by the NAEYC. Core areas of study include childhood development, curriculum design and implementation, student and program assessment, methods for engaging young learners, research design, leadership and program management, language and literacy in young children, and fostering positive learning environments. In addition, some programs include specialized training in educational technologies, family and community engagement, advocacy and policy, special education, or other related topics.
Students in an online Master’s in Early Childhood Education program may be required to complete a master’s thesis or applied capstone project prior to graduating, and many programs include a site-based practicum or internship. Fieldwork in early childhood education environments is particularly important for professionals who intend to work in public school settings, as all states require public school teachers and administrators to be licensed or certified.
Common Courses in Online Master’s in Early Childhood Education Programs
The table below provides an overview of coursework that is typical of early childhood education master’s program curricula. The course names and descriptions are drawn from actual online programs in in the field.
| Course Title | Course Description |
|---|---|
| Advanced Child Development | An in-depth study of how children develop cognitively, emotionally socially, and physically from birth through age eight, with a focus on using this knowledge to improve learning outcomes and foster healthy learning environments. |
| Emergent Literacy | Examines accepted research on oral language development and literacy from birth through kindergarten; presents effective strategies for teaching language and literacy to this population; and explores alphabet instruction, phonemic awareness, and beginning decoding. |
| The Intentional Teacher | Introduces a framework for professionals to develop, deliver, and assess evidence-based, multidisciplinary curricular content for the youngest learnings in reading, social studies, math, science, music, and arts. |
| Developmental Pathways of Diverse Learners, Birth-Adolescence | Focuses on child and adolescent development from diverse viewpoints, addressing typical and atypical development, including language acquisition, physical, social, and emotional development, and overall intellectual development; and examines the effect of individual and cultural differences on childhood and adolescent development. |
| Leadership of Early Childhood Programs | Explores the roles, responsibilities, and characteristics of successful leaders in the field, with a focus on personal growth, communication skills, staffing strategies, and curriculum assessment, improvement, and implementation. |
| Positive Learning Environments for Young Children | Teaches professionals how to create positive learning environments for young children, including the social and physical design and layout of classrooms and how these factors impact behavior and learning outcomes. |
| Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood | Presents strategies and best-practices for the assessment of young children, including measurement terms and concepts, the utilization and interpretation of developmentally appropriate formal, informal, and holistic instruments, legal regulations for record-keeping, technology use in assessment, and assessment team management. |
| Statistics for Family Sciences | Presents an overview of graduate-level statistical methods in family science and educational research, including descriptive and inferential statistics, t-test, regression, correlation, and ANOVA. |
| Teaching Methods for Early Childhood Social Studies | Examines the procedures and materials for teaching social studies to students in pre-K through third grade, including various strategies for encouraging young learners and improving outcomes. |
| Mathematics for the Young Child | Explores the development of mathematical understanding in young children; covers appropriate mathematical learning methods for young children, appropriate assessments, and curriculum analysis; and focuses on number sense, measurement, algebra, place value, probability, and data analysis. |
Admissions to Online Master’s in Early Childhood Education Programs
Applicants to online Master’s in Early Childhood Education program must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and submit official transcripts with their application. Some programs have additional academic requirements, such as a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale and/or prior coursework in education, psychology, sociology, or a related field. While many programs no longer require applicants to submit GRE or MAT test scores, some encourage applicants to submit scores to help support their application. Programs may also ask applicants to furnish two or three letters of recommendation and/or submit written answers to one or more essay questions as part of the application process. It is important to note that some master’s programs in the field of education require applicants to already be licensed or certified teachers, so applicants should review all admissions requirements carefully before applying to a master’s programs in ECE.
Online Master’s in Early Childhood Education Format Options
Online master’s programs may use one or both of two distinct online instructional methods, provide students with several enrollment options, and/or require students to attend a limited number of campus visits. Each of these format options are outlined in the sections below.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Instruction: Synchronous instruction takes place in real-time and requires students in an online program to be logged on to the program’s learning management system to view and participate in live-streamed lectures and virtual classes, typically using video conferencing software. Classes utilizing synchronous instruction typically meet once or twice per week in the evenings or on weekends in order to better accommodate students who are working during the day. Asynchronous instruction includes all learning activities that do not have a real-time component. This Includes pre-recorded lectures and class sessions that can be viewed by online students 24-7 via the program’s LMS. Class readings, homework assignments, and research papers with set due dates are also examples of asynchronous instruction.
All online programs utilize asynchronous instruction in some form, but only some programs employ synchronous instruction. The advantage of synchronous instruction is the structure it provides as it more closely resembles traditional on-campus programs. Students who prefer to interact with instructors and classmates in real-time may also benefit from these live sessions. Conversely, asynchronous instruction offers more scheduling flexibility because students are not required to be online at specific times each week, which can be beneficial for working professionals who need to be able to access and complete coursework at different times each week. However, asynchronous instruction requires a greater amount of self-motivation and time-management skill to keep up with course materials in the absence of weekly scheduled lectures. Potential applicants to online Master’s in Early Childhood Education programs should consider their learning preferences before choosing an online program.
Part-Time vs. Full-Time Enrollment: Enrollment options impact the amount of time students spend on coursework while classes are in session and the time it takes to complete an online master’s program in ECE. Students who enroll full-time should expect to spend roughly 40 hours per week on schoolwork and can typically complete their degree in approximately two years. Part-time enrollment reduces the number of courses a student takes each term, which lowers the amount of time each week a student must spend on coursework. Part-time students typically spend 15 to 20 hours per week on coursework, depending on how many classes they are enrolled in each term. However, part-time enrollment also extends the time it takes to earn a degree beyond the two years typically required for a master’s degree.
Time to completion is also dependent upon the structure of a program’s academic calendar. Some programs offer courses four, five or six times per year in five-week or eight-week terms, rather than the traditional 10-week quarter or 15-week semester systems. These alternative academic calendars can allow students to take one course per term and still graduate in roughly two years. Students who enroll in courses year-round can also reduce the time to completion and may be able to graduate in as few as 12 to 16 months of full-time enrollment or 24 months of part-time enrollment.
Campus Visits: In addition to programs that are offered in a fully online format that do not require students to attend any campus visits, some online Master’s in Early Childhood Education programs expect students to attend one or two campus-based sessions per year as part of their required curriculum. Campus visits, often designated as residencies, intensives, or immersion sessions, can be a valuable addition to an online program, providing opportunities for hands-on learning, in-person interactions with instructors and classmates, and networking experiences. However, campus visits can add to the cost of a master’s degree as they are not typically included in a program’s base tuition rates and fees, and they may cause scheduling conflicts for some students who are not able to travel to campus for several days to a week.
It is important to note that even fully online programs that do not require any campus-based instruction may still require site-based internships or supervised teaching experiences that must be completed in person at a site near a student’s work or place of residence. As noted above, OnlineEducation.com only includes online Master’s in Early Childhood Education programs that require two or fewer campus visits per year.