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Accelerated Early Childhood Education Degree Requirements

Follow these academic requirements to earn your accelerated degree in early childhood education.

Master of Science in Early Childhood Education

Admission Requirements

The applicant must meet the School of Graduate Studies’ current minimum general admission requirements as published in the graduate catalog.

  1. An undergraduate degree in early childhood education, child development, elementary education, or a related field.
  2. A cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.75 for all undergraduate work or a GPA of at least 3.0 for the junior and senior years of undergraduate work (based on A = 4.00).
  3. Satisfy the School of Graduate Studies’ English Language Proficiency requirements as published in the graduate catalog.
  4. Transcripts, recommendations for admission, and a personal statement, i.e., a response to three essay prompts, are part of the School of Graduate Studies and Early Childhood Education application procedure. The personal statement essay should be 2-3 pages in length and the prompts are:
    1. What have you already done professionally or personally of which you are proud? Please include a chronological history of all professional teaching and administration experience, as well as academic honors or achievements you earned.
    2. What are the characteristics, attitudes, values, and/or skills that you think will make you a good candidate for your professional role?
    3. Describe several personal and professional goals you would like to achieve in the next five years. Include in your description reasons why these goals are important to you.

Accelerated (B.S.Ed./M.S.) Admission Requirements

The Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's (ABM) 4+1 program allows exceptional undergraduate students at UND an opportunity to complete the requirements for both the B.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Education and the M.S. in Early Childhood Education degrees at an accelerated pace. All requirements for both degrees must be met, and these students may count up to 12 graduate-level courses toward the requirements for both their bachelor's and master's degree requirements. ABM students must obtain their master's degree within 12 months of completing the bachelor's degree.

  • Students may apply to this program upon completion of 60 credits toward the bachelor’s degree or with an Associates degree. 
  • Students must have an overall G.P.A. of 3.00 at the time of admission.
  • Admission to Teacher Education Requires: Praxis Core Pass score; Live Text purchase; Introductory Letter; Level One Disposition

Degree Requirements

The M.S. degree in Early Childhood Education is available in two options: non-thesis option and the thesis option. The program of study is developed together with the student’s advisor (non-thesis option, 32 credits) or with a student’s thesis committee (thesis option, 30 credits).

Non-Thesis Option:

  1. Thirty-two credits including credits required for the major.
  2. A minimum of two credits of T&L 997 Independent Study, or T&L 995 Scholarly Project.
  3. A maximum of one-fourth of the credit hours required for the degree may be transferred from another institution.
  4. All credits must be approved graduate level courses.
  5. The program may include just the major, the major and the minor, or the major and a cognate area. The major must include 20 credits from the major department and the minor or cognate must include nine credits.
  6. Completion of a two-credit practicum (60 hours) in an early childhood setting.
  7. Preparation of a written independent study or scholarly project approved by the faculty adviser.

Thesis Option:

  1. A minimum of 30 semester credits in a major field, including the credits granted for the thesis and the research leading to a 4-6-credit T&L 998 Thesis.
  2. A maximum of one-fourth of the credit hours required for the degree may be transferred from another institution.
  3. All credits must be approved graduate level courses.
  4. The program may include just the major, the major and a minor, or the major and a cognate area. The major must include 20 credits from the major department and a minor or cognate must include nine credits.
  5. Preparation and successful defense of a thesis.

This program of graduate study can be completed in 18 months going full-time or 24 months going part-time (two courses per semester). Courses are offered on campus, online and a combination of the two.

Required Courses:

Course List
Code Title Credits
Major
SPED 510Introduction to Early Childhood Special Education3
T&L 517Social Emotional Learning & Guidance3
T&L 526Play in Development and Early Childhood Education3
T&L 527Curricular Foundations in Early Childhood Education3
T&L 529Language Development & Cognition in Children3
T&L 530Foundations of Reading Instruction3
T&L 553Collaborative Relationships: Home, School and Community3
T&L 580Practicum in Schools3
T&L 995Scholarly Project2-6
or T&L 997 Independent Study
or T&L 998 Thesis
Scholarly Tools
EFR 509Introduction to Applied Educational Research3
T&L 511Assessment in ECE3
Total Credits32

Students are required to take T&L 580 Practicum in Schools. This practicum requires 60 hours in an early childhood setting, which could be the candidate’s work setting if it meets required accreditation standards.

Accelerated (B.S.Ed/M.S.) Degree Requirements:

  • Students seeking the M.S. in Early Childhood degree through the Accelerated program at the University of North Dakota must satisfy all the requirements for both the B.S. Ed and M.S degree. A maximum of 12 credits may be double counted toward each of the two degrees. 

Transferred credits or credits fulfilled with Associates Degree in Early Childhood or Education include:

Course List
Code Title Credits
T&L 250Introduction to Education3
T&L 251Understanding Individuals with Different Abilities3
T&L 252Child Development3
T&L 310Introduction to Early Childhood Education3
T&L 320Infant and Toddler3

Courses:

Course List
Code Title Credits
Bachelor’s courses for licensure:
T&L 322Administration and Leadership in Early Childhood Education3
T&L 333Methods and Materials: Pre-Kindergarten3
T&L 335Foundations of Reading3
T&L 336Social and Emotional Development and Guidance of Children3
T&L 339Educational Technology2
T&L 405Data Literacy for Teachers1
T&L 453Methods and Materials: Kindergarten2
T&L 411Primary Reading and Language Arts2
T&L 443Mathematics for Primary Grades2
T&L 456Early Childhood Ed Seminar1
T&L 470Science Methods in Elementary Schools (TEAM)3
T&L 430Social Studies Methods in Elementary Schools (TEAM)3
T&L 487Student Teaching4-16
T&L 486Field Experience1-4
T&L 488Senior Seminar1
T&L 319Integrating Diverse Needs in Educational Settings3
T&L 316Behavioral Assessment and Tiered Supports in Education3
T&L 423Assessment and Individualized Planning in Special Education3
T&L 413Assessing and Correcting Reading Difficulties2
T&L 444Assessing and Correcting Mathematics Difficulties2
T&L 489Senior Capstone: Responsive Teaching3
Special Education Minor courses- included in degree
T&L 251Understanding Individuals with Different Abilities3
T&L 316Behavioral Assessment and Tiered Supports in Education3
T&L 319Integrating Diverse Needs in Educational Settings3
T&L 413Assessing and Correcting Reading Difficulties2
T&L 423Assessment and Individualized Planning in Special Education3
T&L 444Assessing and Correcting Mathematics Difficulties2
T&L 486Field Experience1-4
SPED 525Legal/Ethical Aspects in Special Education3
ECE Master’s level courses (12 credits double counted from BS with asterisk)
SPED 510Introduction to Early Childhood Special Education (*)3
T&L 511Assessment in ECE (*) (covers content from 311)3
T&L 517Social Emotional Learning & Guidance3
T&L 526Play in Development and Early Childhood Education3
T&L 527Curricular Foundations in Early Childhood Education3
T&L 529Language Development & Cognition in Children (*)3
T&L 553Collaborative Relationships: Home, School and Community (*)3
T&L 995Scholarly Project2
T&L 580Practicum in Schools1-4
EFR 509Introduction to Applied Educational Research3

The requirements on this page are pulled from UND’s academic catalog and may not reflect future terms. Updates are published annually in April.

Licensure Requirements

This program meets the educational prerequisites for professional licensure or certification in several states. Check our licensure map for more details.

State Licensure Map

 

"You can tell this accelerated program has been well-planned. The courses all seem to flow together so well and build on each other. In talking to my college friends who went on to become teachers, comparing what they learned versus what I’m learning shows that we’re in a totally different world. I feel like UND is really right where it needs to be, meeting where education is at the moment.”

—Heather Huighe, UND Elementary Education Graduate

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Department Contact
JoAnne Yearwood
Undergraduate Coordinator
P 701.777.6580
joanne.yearwood@UND.edu
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