Early Childhood Classroom Teaching - Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.)

Foundations (6 credits required)

• TE 505 - Educational Learning Theory
• TEMS 504 - Foundations of Teacher Education

Early Childhood Core (15 credits required)

• TE 590 - Early Childhood Education
• TE 592 - Early Childhood Curriculum
• TE 596 - Literacy Development for Young Children
• TE 597 - The Young Child in the Home, School, and Community
• TE 598 - Practicum in Early Childhood Education

Advanced Early Childhood Core

(For graduate students who hold a state of Michigan early childhood endorsement or its equivalent; 15 credits required.)

• TE 596 - Literacy Development for Young Children
• TE 690 - Advanced Study of Cognitive Development
• TE 692 - Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Curriculum
• TE 697 - Family and Culture
• TE 698 - Leadership in Early Childhood

Specialization

(9-12 credits required; graduate students will focus on developing a deeper understanding of a particular area of specialization related to one’s career role. Approved electives may be selected by students to focus on one of the following specializations: Infant/Toddler, Preprimary, Primary.)

Electives for the Early Childhood Specializations

• TE 509 - Special Topics in Teacher Education
• TE 545 - Language Acquisition/Dysfunction
• TE 563 - Advanced Motor Development
• TE 573 - Early Childhood Education Math Problem Solving & Child Literature
• TE 574 - Science, Literature & Early Literacy in Early Childhood Education
• TE 582 - Language & Literacy Acquisition in the Early Years Birth-8
• TE 586 - Integrating Children’s Literature in Early Childhood
• TE 587 - Technology in Early Childhood
• TE 588 - Teaching Strategies for Diverse Learners in Early Childhood
• TE 591 - Assessing the Young Child
• TE 593 - Mathematical/Science Experiences for the Young Child (Pre K-3)
• TE 594 - Administration of Early Childhood Programs
• TE 599 - Individual Child Study

Capstone (6 credits, which must be taken within the last nine credits of the program)

• TE 610 - Professionalism & Inquiry in Early Childhood Education
• TE 611 - Research in Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Endorsement

An Early Childhood Endorsement for teaching children ages birth to age 8 is available for interested students who would like to add the “ZA” endorsement to their elementary education teaching certificate. An Early Childhood Endorsement is increasingly becoming a requirement for employment in private and public school districts for kindergarten, first, and second grades. Teachers of state funded four-year-old readiness programs in public schools must have an Early Childhood Endorsement. The Michigan State Board of Education recommends an endorsement for kindergarten. Interested candidates must schedule an appointment with a certification advisor in the College of Education to review course work and state testing requirements for the endorsement and discuss how this program will develop into the Master of Arts in Teaching degree.