Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction
Early Childhood Education
The Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction (C & I)
at Shippensburg University includes options in early childhood education.
The early childhood options are designed to provide advanced knowledge in
child development from birth through age eight (or third grade) and at least
one period of that age span: infants and toddlers, preschool and kindergarten
age, and primary school (grades one through three) age. Emphasis is placed
on working with young children and their families. Graduate students in the
early childhood options will apply knowledge of child development, families
and best teaching practices to a variety of educational settings including
public school kindergarten and primary programs, preschool programs, Head
Start, child care, parenting and family support programs.
The mission of early childhood education at Shippensburg University is to
prepare professionals to plan, implement, and evaluate programs that serve
children from birth through age eight and their families, including children
with special developmental and learning needs. Settings for these programs
may include centers, schools, or homes. At the completion of the program,
students will be able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge of theory and practice for planning and implementing
programs for individual and groups of children.
• Apply and analyze the core knowledge and to systematically develop
appropriate curriculum for individual and groups of children.
• Demonstrate capability to refine the core knowledge and evaluate and
apply research to improve practice.
• Develop and conduct assessments of individual children and groups.
• Demonstrate understanding of family strengths and areas for support
as they form authentic partnerships with families
• Reflect on practices that result in improved programming for young
children and families.
• Use strategies for effectively advocating for policies designed to
improve conditions for children, families, and the profession.
• To contribute to continuing professional development in the field
of early childhood education.
Both the early childhood and the early childhood certification programs have
recently been awarded national recognition by the National Association for
the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the premier national scholarly organization
for early childhood education. This recognition is through the auspices of
the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the noted
organization that accredits teacher preparation programs throughout the country.
After rigorous review by a national panel, our early childhood programs were
granted the highest level of national recognition, meeting 100% of the guidelines
for early childhood teacher preparation. Of special note in the commentary
from NAEYC were our strengths in the following areas: the infusion of family
theories and family context throughout our courses, the strong emphasis on
social and emotional development as well as application of this information
to educational settings, and the interwoven concepts from child development
theory and research through the program. NCATE has demonstrated that quality
teacher preparation makes a difference in student learning. Further, NCATE
accreditation of teacher preparation programs makes a difference in teacher
preparation that leads to differences in student learning. Graduates from
NCATE accredited programs become competent, caring and highly qualified teachers.
To be eligible for admission to the Master of Education in Curriculum and
Instruction (C & I) Early Childhood options, a prospective student must
meet the following requirements:
• Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
• Have an undergraduate overall grade point average of 2.75 or an approved
score on the Miller Analogies Test. (A 3.0 grade point average is required
for certification).
• Submit an application and $30 application fee to the Office of Graduate
Admissions.
• Provide official transcripts of all undergraduate/graduate work.
• Complete a questionnaire concerning teaching background and future
goals.
• Submit three letters of reference.
• May be requested to come to campus for an interview.
Three options are available:
• Option A: Master’s degree in C & I with option in early
childhood education.
• Option B: Master’s degree in C & I and state certification
in early childhood education (for students with existing state certification
in elementary, special education, or middle school).
• Option C: Master’s degree in C & I and state certification
in early childhood education (for those without certification listed in Plan
B).
The options in early childhood education emphasize child development and
family theory and practice. Most courses will have a balance of theory, research,
and practical application. A minimum of 3 credits is required for the M.Ed.
without certification.
Requirements for admission are:
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• An undergraduate overall grade point average of 3.00. If the GPA is
under 3.00 the candidate has the option of taking either the Miller’s
Analogy Test or GRE or the candidate may start the program as a provisional
student.
• A completed application submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions
• Official transcripts of all undergraduate/graduate work.
• A completed questionnaire concerning teaching background and future
goals.
• Three letters of reference
• An interview and a planning review session may be required.
