early childhood education teacher reading with pre-school children

Online Master's in Early Childhood Education M.S.

Master of Science (M.S.)

Enhance your professional skills in early childhood education through an online master's program ranked among the Top 10 nationwide.

UND's master's in Early Childhood Education online program is a non-licensing degree. It prepares you to address the educational needs of children under the age of eight, in a variety of settings.

Program type:
Master's Degree
Format:
Online
Est. time to complete:
2+ years
Credit hours:
32

Why earn a master's in early childhood education online?

Application Deadlines
Fall:
June 1* | Aug. 1
Spring:
Nov. 1* | Dec. 1
Summer:
April 1* | May 1

*Priority deadline

If you're an international student, refer to the international application process for deadlines.

The online master's in Early Childhood Education combines theory and research with practical experience. You begin with the belief that the child is a born learner. As a teacher, you must be an open-minded observer who develops early learning curriculum with the child in mind.

The child is always at the center of our online early childhood education program. Through online courses and a classroom practicum, you will learn educational methods that emphasize young children in the context of their:

  • Family
  • Culture
  • Community

Accredited Online Master's in Early Childhood Education

Teacher Education programs at UND are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). This online master's program follows the guidelines of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Master's in Early Childhood Education Online

  • Be part of the ND Essential Skills Network. You’ll share experiences, celebrate successes, and problem-solve perceived barriers related to social emotional learning.

  • Gain skills in curriculum development, lesson planning and child development.

  • Learn from highly qualified faculty with graduate degrees and extensive experience in teaching graduate-level early childhood education courses.

  • Gain hands-on experience through a UND-approved, 60-hour classroom practicum in your community, which can be completed in your own classroom.

  • Enhance your professional skills at 60+ free workshops offered through the UND School of Graduate Studies. Our goal is to provide you with the workforce skills and job search strategies to succeed.

  • Get an engaging and interactive learning experience for developing leadership and management competencies though Aim4Excellence. It is offered through a partnership with the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

What can you do with a master's in early childhood education?

109k

Number of projected job openings each year for kindergarten and elementary school teachers through 2033

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

64k

Median annual salary for kindergarten and elementary school teachers, 2023

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

The master's in Early Childhood Education online program prepares you to teach and be a leader in:

  • Public and private schools (Pre-K and Kindergarten through third grade)
  • Head Start/Early Head Start programs
  • Child care and education centers
  • Other programs related to the education of young children

Master's in Early Childhood Education Jobs

You can work as a:

  • Early Childhood Teacher
  • Educational Director
  • Administrator
  • Curriculum Specialist
  • Early Intervention Specialist
  • College Teacher

There is a push to improve early childhood education in many states by offering full-day kindergarten and universal preschool programs. These programs, along with projected higher enrollment growth for preschool age children, will create demand for new jobs.

Master's in Early Childhood Education Online Courses

T&L 553. Collaborative Relationships: Home, School and Community. 3 Credits.

A course appropriate for anyone working with families, early childhood educators, general educators, special educators, related service personnel, administrators and outside agency personnel. Topics covered include: (1) the various models of collaboration and consultation and the stages of each; (2) communication skills; (3) problem-solving; (4) conflict management; (5) diverse perspectives; (6) information collection procedures; (7) supervisory skills; (8) family characteristics and structure across the lifespan; (9) family focused intervention; (10) school choices; and (11) school issues such as poverty, domestic violence, teasing, bullying, and school violence.

T&L 527. Curricular Foundations in Early Childhood Education. 3 Credits.

This course examines the historical, philosophical, cultural, race, class, and gender influences on curriculum in early childhood, including the philosophy and mission of the Department of Teaching and Learning.

SPED 510. Introduction to Early Childhood Special Education. 3 Credits.

An introduction to the field of Early Childhood Special Education, primarily for students interested in entering the field. Issues such as program design, parent involvement, identification, infant education, and effects of disabilities will be covered. F,S,SS.

T&L 530. Foundations of Reading Instruction. 3 Credits.

This course focuses on the relationship between reading theory, research, contemporary issues and instructional practice. Emphasis is placed on strategic systems related to effective reading, instructional approaches that support the development of these strategic systems and assessment as collecting evidence of effective reading behaviors. F,S.

T&L 529. Language Development & Cognition in Children. 3 Credits.

This course provides foundational information about language and cognitive development in children. The course content will also analyze typical and atypical language and cognitive development. The focus of the course will include children birth to age eight. .

T&L 526. Play in Development and Early Childhood Education. 3 Credits.

This course explores the role of play in cognitive, physical and social-emotional development, and the way in which play is incorporated into educational and other programmatic settings. Students will explore how assessment of play indicates a child's development, and they will use assessment to promote Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) for PreK-Grade 3 (ages 3-8) learners.

Best Master's in Early Childhood Education Online

#7 Intelligent Master's
#8 Grad School Hub
#8 Value Colleges
#10 Intelligent
#15 SuperScholar

UND is consistently recognized as a best online Early Childhood Education master's program. U.S. News ranks UND as top online graduate education program for veterans. It cites veterans and active-duty service members gain the most from distance education that is affordable, accessible and reputable. The Best Online Programs for Veterans rankings measure these factors in consideration of financial benefits available specifically to people with military experience.

U.S. News Ranking

Online Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education

2#

best online graduate programs

EDsmart

1#

best online college in North Dakota

Forbes

UND's master's in Early Childhood Education is 100% online. You never have to come to campus.

Flexible Online Master's in Early Childhood Education Classes

With asynchronous classes, you do not attend class at a set time. If you need to balance work, family, and other commitments, this flexible format allows you to learn anywhere at any time.

Depending on your instructor, you’ll learn online through:

  • Lesson modules
  • Streaming video content
  • Virtual libraries
  • Posted lectures
  • Online simulations

There will be times when you interact with your instructor and classmates through online discussion boards, polls, and chat rooms.

Your learning revolves around materials that can be accessed on your own time within a set time frame. However, this is not a self-paced course. You’ll have structure and deadlines.

Early Childhood Education Practicum

To earn your online master's degree in Early Childhood Education, you'll be required to complete a 2-credit practicum in an early childhood education classroom setting for a total of 60 hours.

You'll be responsible for finding an approved practicum site and the individual who will supervise you. If you're currently teaching, you may complete the practicum in your own pre-school, Kindergarten or grade 1-3 classroom if it meets UND's accreditation requirements. Standard 4 - Diversity of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education states:

Field experiences or clinical practice for both conventional and online learning programs provide experiences with male and female P-12 students from different socioeconomic groups and at least two ethnic/racial groups. Candidates also work with English language learners and students with disabilities during some of their field experiences and/or clinical practice to develop and practice their knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions for working with all students. Feedback from peers and supervisors helps candidates reflect on their ability to help all students learn.

Your supervisor may be an administrator, education coordinator or another individual physically located at your practicum site. Your supervisor does not need to be in your classroom on a regular basis if you have previously taught in an early childhood classroom.

If you are not currently teaching, UND faculty may be able to assist you in locating a qualifying practicum site.

Top-Tier Online Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education

Over a third of UND's student population is exclusively online; plus, more take a combination of online and on campus classes. You can feel reassured knowing you won't be alone in your online learning journey and you'll have resources and services tailored to your needs.

No matter how you customize your online experience, you’ll get the same top-quality education as any other on campus student.

  • Same degree: All online programs are fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Your transcript and diploma are exactly the same as our on-campus students.
  • Same classes: You’ll take courses from UND professors, start and end the semesters at the same time and take the same classes as a student on campus.
  • Real interaction: You can ask questions, get feedback and regularly connect with your professors, peers and professionals in the field.
  • Your own academic advisor: As an invaluable go-to, they’re focused on you, your personal success and your future career.
  • Free online tutoring: We're here to help you one-on-one at no cost. Plus, get access to a variety of self-help online study resources.
  • Unlimited academic coaching: Need support to achieve your academic goals or feeling stumped by a tough course? We'll help with everything from stress and time management to improving your memory to achieve higher test scores.
  • Full online access: Dig into virtual research at UND's libraries. Improve your writing skills with online help from the UND Writing Center. Get online access to career services, veteran and military services, financial services and more.
  • 24/7 technical support: UND provides free computer, email and other technical support for all online students.
  • Networking opportunities: Our significant online student population means you’ll have a large pool of peers to connect with. UND has numerous online events and activities to keep you connected.

Best Online College

Our high alumni salaries and job placement rates, with affordable online tuition rates make UND a best-value university for online education. UND's breadth of online programs rivals all other nonprofit universities in the Upper Midwest making UND one of the best online schools in the region.

UND ranks among the best online colleges in the nation for:

  • Affordability
  • Student satisfaction (retention rate)
  • Academic quality (4-year graduate rate)
  • Student outcomes (20-year return on investment per Payscale.com)

Leaders in Early Childhood Education

Students from across the world are earning their degrees through UND's online Early Childhood Education program.

Explore More Options

Connect with the education faculty you'll work with at UND or explore other online master's degrees in education.

Department Contact
Kristen Votava
Graduate Director
P 701.777.5683
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