Early Childhood Education - M.A.T.

Full Description

The Master of Arts in Teaching degree in Early Childhood Education is for qualified students who possess at least a baccalaureate in a discipline other than teacher education. This program leads to Ohio licensure for teaching children in Pre-Kindergarten through grade five. Students have intensive, supervised field experiences in pre-school, primary and upper elementary grades, including those in urban/diverse settings.

This degree program requires 19 months of full-time study, which begins in mid-May of odd years and ends with a final student teaching experience and a December graduation.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure.

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000 point scale
• Official transcript(s)
• Goal statement
• Questions in Anticipation of Licensure form
• Supplemental form
• Two letters of recommendation
• Interview
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
  • Minimum 550 TOEFL PBT score
  • Minimum 79 TOEFL IBT score
  • Minimum 77 MELAB score
  • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
  • Minimum 58 PTE score
  • Minimum 110 Duolingo English score

Applicants will be assessed holistically, considering academic credentials; standardized test scores of reading, writing and mathematics; academic or professional references; non-academic dimensions; and other specific program criteria.

Application Deadlines

• Summer Term
  • Priority deadline: February 1
    Applications submitted by this deadline will receive the strongest consideration for admission.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Co-construct curriculum as a co-worker with learners and others (parents, families, colleagues and community members) to make sound decisions for learning and teaching experiences, as opposed to being passive receivers of prescribed curriculum.
2. Synthesize conceptual understandings of children, theory, content, technology and socio-cultural contexts into meaningful activities and opportunities for learning with all students from pre-kindergarten to grade five.
3. Engage in the habit of self-assessment in order to continually uncover unknown possibilities in children’s learning, classroom practice, educational theory and one’s own teaching identity in the local and global context.
4. Become committed to the children and their learning, the families and the local community while having an awareness of the global context.
5. Engage in continuous self-improvement and lifelong learning.
6. Apply skills, knowledge and dispositions to challenge "questionable" policies that limit opportunities for all children.
7. Utilize research and theory to develop varied and effective pedagogies and assessments that will positively impact all students’ learning (learning and teaching is a transdisciplinary practice).
8. Advocate as ethical leaders and moral agents striving for social justice.
9. Acknowledge and practice multiple, multi-ethnic, multicultural, multiracial, multi- social and -economic and multilingual perspectives in a global society.

Program Requirements

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Teacher candidates are only permitted to repeat a field experience course once. Please see Repeating Field Experience Courses in Teacher Education Programs policy for details.

Graduation Requirements

• In order to qualify for graduation, the student must have a 3.000 average in all graduate courses attempted.

Licensure Information

Candidates seeking Ohio licensure are required to pass specific assessments in order to apply for licensure. Students should consult their advisors for specific program requirements and refer to the Ohio Department of Education-Educator Preparation website for more information on assessments specific to licensure type.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation