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Online Master of Education in Early Childhood Education

Program Highlights

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teacher in kids' classroom

30 credit hours |  In-state tuition: $480.90/credit hour | Out-of-state tuition: $590.53/credit hour

  • Convenient 100% online M.Ed. program for working teachers and professionals caring for/about young children
  • May be completed in as little as 12 months 
  • Program curriculum approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
  • Non-thesis master’s degree
  • Does not lead to teaching certification, but provides diverse career opportunities in enhancing the educational and developmental experiences of young children
  • Offered by UTEP's College of Education
NOTE: YOU MUST HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE TO APPLY.

PROGRAM ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Make a Difference in Young Lives

Nurture. Inspire. Lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning. Early childhood teachers and professionals in related fields can have a profound impact on young children, and ultimately, our society.

The M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education program, offered through UTEP Connect and the College of Education's Teacher Education Department, is a fully online, 30-credit hour degree designed for individuals who wish to pursue graduate studies focused on the teaching and learning of young children (Birth to Age 8) in diverse, inclusive early care and educational settings. Intended for busy educators (licensed or un-licensed) seeking to take on instructional leadership roles in the field and to apply theoretical and research knowledge to their teaching practice, this degree program can be completed in as little as 12 months.

In choosing the online master's degree in Early Childhood Education, students will gain practical marketable skills such as:

  • The ability to interpret and apply theories and research on justice-oriented and asset-based teaching and learning;
  • The capacity to analyze the impact of the physical environment and socio-cultural interactions/relationships on young children’s early development;
  • The knowledge needed to critically examine and apply various instructional techniques, materials and approaches to early childhood education aimed at addressing the differential needs of young children;
  • Proficiency in synthesizing knowledge of the history, current issues and trends in early childhood education to design curricula for culturally and linguistically diverse young learners.

UTEP Edge

Our student success initiative, the UTEP Edge, develops upon students’ assets through a variety of high-impact experiences. These experiences are designed to improve student skills and give UTEP students a competitive advantage as they move forward in their lives and careers. Our goal as a campus is to provide these UTEP Edge experiences to all students, regardless of their area of study, so they will graduate with a competitive advantage over their peers. These are the Edge experiences Early Childhood Education students will have and the Edge skills they will graduate with:

Edge Experiences

  • Leadership
  • Creative Activities
  • Community Engagement
  • Research and Scholarly Activities

Edge Skills

  • Leadership
  • Critical Thinking
  • Communication
  • Confidence
  • Problem Solving
  • Teamwork

Learn more about UTEP Edge

Outside-the-Classroom Opportunities

Instructional leaders in early childhood education are in high demand and job opportunities are available in a variety of settings that provide care for and about young children. While many graduates do work in early childhood education settings and classrooms, other opportunities are also available, including in: 

  • Children’s literature/publishing
  • Curriculum design and development
  • Children’s museums and community-based educational programming
  • Children’s entertainment industries (television, theater, toy design)
  • Health and human services/early intervention
  • Early childhood education advocacy

Course Overview

This M.Ed. program focuses on child development, early childhood learning theory and curriculum and instruction, with a specific emphasis on working with culturally, linguistically, (dis)ability, and socioeconomically diverse young children and their families. It prepares advanced teacher leaders and early childhood advocates to address the learning and developmental needs of young children from all backgrounds in home-based, community-based and early elementary school contexts. Coursework centers on pedagogical strategies that advance culturally-sustaining and asset-based teaching to promote whole child development. Through graduate coursework designed to promote reflection, refine teaching focus and build new knowledge and skills, this program prepares Master Teachers to help support young children to thrive individually and as part of an engaged community, setting the foundation for life-long learning in our diverse contemporary world.

This program does not include a teaching credential.  However, the M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education may be combined with our residential Alternative Certification Program (45 credits total) for individuals seeking to obtain this M.Ed. degree and who also want to earn a Texas elementary (EC-6) teaching license.  Admission to the Alternative Certification Program requires a separate application process.

Early Childhood Education master's degree online program faculty all have earned their Ph.D.s and have intensive knowledge of current teaching theory and practice as well as the latest research in the field of early childhood education. Faculty are dedicated to the preparation of Master Teachers who promote the use of intentional, meaningful and research-based learning experiences to support the optimal development and growth of individual talents in young children in culturally and linguistically diverse educational contexts.  Program courses are designed to nurture advanced practitioners and educational leaders in the field of early childhood education who are knowledgeable, culturally responsive and innovative educators.  

Required Courses

Focus on historical and contemporary psychological and psychosocial theories of development of young children from Birth to Age 8. Examine the relationship of development and early learning to: biological factors; child and family factors; early schooling; and other sociocultural factors, particularly in diverse educational contexts. Evaluate children’s physical, cognitive, communicative, social and emotional development as both contributors to, and as consequences of, early learning experiences.

Focus on current methods and practice for teaching young children, Birth to Age 8. Study major approaches to Early Childhood Education, including their historical and theoretical bases. Analyze various approaches to Early Childhood Education pedagogy through the lenses of: Play-based and Inquiry-based learning theories; DCAP (Developmentally and Culturally Appropriate Practice); and the Funds of Knowledge premise, with an emphasis on helping all children to become contributing members in a diverse society.

This course focuses on the early language and literacy acquisition of young children, taking a broad view of early literacy. It covers the components and linguistic underpinning of emergent literacy, Birth to Age 8. It further explores how young children create meaning in multimodal ways and the use of a wide range of cultural, linguistic, communicative, and technologically diverse teaching practices to support early literacy/biliteracy learning. Students will synthesize differing views of early language and literacy pedagogy and current research to create curricula that supports diverse literacy learners in the Early Childhood classroom.

This course focuses on the early STEM/STEAM (Science, Technology, Art, Engineering, Mathematics) learning of young children and the use of culturally sustaining teaching methods and materials to support early STEM/STEAM learning. It covers how environmental interactions, sociocultural relationships and STEM/STEAM practices form the basis of early STEM identity development, early problem solving and domain-relevant conceptual development. Students will synthesize differing views of STEM/STEAM learning, inquiry-based learning pedagogy and current research to create curricula that supports diverse STEM learners in the Early Childhood classroom.

Learn how the use of multicultural literature in the Early Childhood classroom impacts young children’s beliefs and knowledge of diversity, equality, social justice and fair treatment in our diverse, contemporary society. Study the conceptualizations of justice-oriented/equity education, multicultural education and multicultural literacy as applied to teaching and learning in the early years. Explore the creation, critique and utilization of children’s literature by/about various cultures, as well as literature by/about groups traditionally defined by class, religion, (dis)ability, gender or sexuality.

Study play, games and toys, with an emphasis on historical and contemporary discourses of their role in Early Childhood Education. Explore diverse theories and research on patterns/processes of play related to the social and cognitive development of children from Birth to Age 8, as well as research on the affordances/challenges of play-based teaching practices. Critique games and toys in terms of their sociocultural construction, pedagogical usage, and in how they may contribute to the creative, language, social, emotional and identity development of young children.

Focus on responsive relationships and their impact on the brain and social-emotional development of young children, Birth to Age 8. Explore relationship building including the system of relationships (interconnected and reciprocal) between the child, teacher, family, peers and community. Also examine notions of care, discipline and child guidance strategies from infancy to early elementary school, as well as the design of learning environments.  Explore multiple frameworks to both understand and challenge traditional ideas of “classroom management”.

Explore Asset and Arts-based teaching, Birth to Age 8. Examine the role of children’s inherent and inherited (cultural/linguistic) capacities and strengths in designing effective and impactful curriculum, and early education approaches that emphasize the importance of nurturing children’s unique talents and creative processes. Analyze the relationship between artistic engagement/behaviors and all domains of development, as well as how the Arts can be used to design culturally sustaining, student-centered, multimodal, interdisciplinary early learning experiences.

Choose one of the following

Conduct an in-depth exploration of current topics related to culturally and culturally and linguistically diverse young children birth through 8 who have or are at-risk for developmental delays or disabilities. Specifically, examine nationally recognized issues pertaining to leadership, teaming and collaboration, assessment, transition, culturally responsive practices, and instruction and how these issues are reflected in local settings that serve young children and their families.

Study research methodology to address the problems and needs of classroom teachers with an emphasis on interpreting professional literature and practitioner research in educational settings. Prerequisite: TED 5304 with a grade of “B” or better.

Identify principles, problems, and issues of primary and second language acquisition, specifically the relationship between the development of these languages, to facilitate and promote literacy/ biliteracy.

This course is the culminating experience in the M.ED. in Early Childhood Education program. Synthesize and apply core content knowledge gained throughout their course of study. Through the completion of a guided case study project conducted in an early childhood setting,  demonstrate your academic and professional skill development as an advanced early childhood teacher-leader. Earning a grade of “pass” in the capstone course is a degree requirement for graduation.

CONNECT WITH US

The University of Texas at El Paso
UTEP Connect Online Programs
Kelly Hall, Ste. 115
500 W. University Ave.
El Paso, Texas 79968
E: utepconnect@utep.edu
P: 1-800-684-UTEP