Early Childhood Education
Specialization leading to a Master of Education degree.
(34 credits total plus exit requirement; 30 minimum required for degree)
This specialization provides advanced study in early childhood education, a field that has an enormous impact on children, families and society. Students may complete a master’s degree, or a teaching license in early childhood education (PK-3), or both. It includes University and field-based experiences that focus on the development and education of children from ages three to eight, including typically developing children and those with mild and moderate disabilities.
While primarily intended to meet the professional development needs of practicing early childhood educators, a qualified applicant who possesses a baccalaureate degree in another teaching field or related discipline may apply required coursework toward a resident educator license in early childhood. Eligibility for this license requires 1) additional coursework beyond that needed for the master’s degree, 2) an electronic portfolio containing required artifacts, meeting specific criteria at checkpoints, and demonstrating proficiency in the college outcomes (http://www.csuohio.edu/cehs/students/taskstream/taskstream.html) and the standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (http://www.naeyc.org/ncate/standards), see below, and 3) successful completion of Pearson OAE exams.
Built around a common College Core, specialized course work in early childhood education is integrated with required offerings in educational research, social foundations, and human development as outlined below. Taken as a whole, the curriculum focuses on the development of teaching and learning practices associated with high-quality early childhood education for young children representing diverse cultures and abilities. These practices respect all children and provide them with equal opportunity to develop and learn emotionally, socially, physically, and intellectually.
For further information, contact the Department of Teacher Education at (216) 687-4600.
Admission Information
In addition to the requirements of the College of Graduate Studies as described in this catalog, candidates pursuing a teaching license through the Ohio Department of Education must satisfy the following admission requirements:
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better. Candidates admitted as a non-degree graduate student must earn a GPA or 3.0 or above after completing 12 graduate credit hours, including EDB 601 with a grade of B- or better, and satisfying all other licensure program admissions to be admitted into a licensure program. A score at the 50% percentile on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) on each section will also fulfill the GPA requirement.
- Background check. All prospective licensure candidates must pay for an initial BCI/FBI check at the time of their initial visit to the Education Student Services Center (except for MUST and international students, who are required to have a BCI/FBI check prior to starting their first field experience). Throughout their licensure program, candidates are required to pay for and complete additional BCI/FBI fingerprinting checks to ensure that a valid report is always on file with the Office of Field Services as required for field placement. Prospective candidates with criminal records indicating convicted offenses considered by the Ohio Department of Education to be “absolute bars” to licensure will be denied acceptance to the college and any registration permissions for subsequent semesters will be revoked. Prospective candidates with criminal records indicating convicted offenses eligible for rehabilitation will be referred to the Ohio Department of Education Office of Professional Conduct to determine whether they will be able to obtain a teaching license.
- Post-baccalaureate and graduate candidates who complete all academic content courses prior to CSU professional course work (e.g. adolescent/young adult or middle grades licensure areas) must take and pass the relevant Ohio Assessments for Educators content knowledge assessment prior to admission. Candidates who need to take content courses at Cleveland State are allowed to take content knowledge assessments prior to student teaching.
Upon formal admission to the College, students must prepare a Program of Study with the assistance of an assigned advisor.
Note: Before completing an admission application, individuals who wish to obtain Ohio Department of Education licensure in order to work in public schools should obtain counseling from the Education Student Services Center, Julka Hall 170, telephone (216) 687-4625.
Apply Now: http://www.csuohio.edu/graduate-admissions/how-apply
Graduate Licensure Admission
An individual with a baccalaureate degree from a college or university with full academic accreditation who is seeking a State of Ohio teaching or school services license may apply for Graduate Licensure admission status. This status is for individuals who are not seeking a master’s degree; however, candidates for Graduate Licensure must satisfy the same admission requirements as degree-seeking candidates.
Portfolio
All teaching licensure students are expected to maintain a portfolio while completing their professional coursework and field experiences. Students who begin a teaching licensure program in Fall 2012 or later are required to purchase a subscription to Taskstream, which they will use to submit all required portfolio components. At various checkpoints, students must meet specific criteria to be eligible to continue to the next phase of their program. For complete information on portfolios, students are advised to speak with an advisor and access the Student Portfolio Handbook available at the following: http://www.csuohio.edu/cehs/students/taskstream/taskstream.html.
Program of Study College Core
(11 credits)
Educational Research and Technology
Select one of the following courses:
Specialization
(23 credits)
(All seven courses listed below are required unless exempt due to prior coursework or experience. See your advisor for necessary approvals.)
Electives
The additional courses listed below represent those required to attain an Early Childhood Education license as a first teaching credential at the graduate level:
Exit Requirements (Select one of the following:)
(0-4 credits)
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