Please Note: The program requirements listed below are for students entering in the catalog year 2011-2012.  Students who entered in previous catalog years should refer to the program requirement sheets in the Advising area of MyWheelock. Students entering in future years should follow the requirements in that catalog year.

M.S.Early Childhood Education (PreK-2) for Initial Licensure Course Requirements (34 credits)

The 34-credit Early Childhood Education (PreK-2) Masters Program is designed to prepare professionals who wish to pursue careers in public schools, child care programs, Head Start programs, and community- or corporate-based early care and education settings. Students develop skills in curriculum design, observation and assessment, communication, collaboration, responding to diverse learning styles, and classroom management. Emphasis is placed on a commitment to equity in a multi-racial and multicultural society, working in partnership with families, fully integrating children with special needs into the learning environment, and collaboration with community agencies. This program leads to Massachusetts' Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Early Childhood: Teacher of Students With and Without Disabilities (PreK-2) Initial Licensure. This license enables educators to work in diverse settings, including inclusive pre-K-2 public school settings and early childhood programs serving children ages 3-8 in public and private settings. To be eligible for state licensure through this program, students must meet all program requirements, including successfully passing the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL).

Orientation to Education Programs (0 credit)

Core Courses (9 credits)
Take either of the following: HDF 504 Child Development: The Early Years* or HDF 501 Lifespan Development: Birth through Adolescence (3 credits)
EDU 505 Racial and Cultural Identities (3 credits)
RES 651 Action Research I (1 credit)
RES 652 Action Research II (2 credits)

Program Courses (25 credits)
EDU 520 Introduction to Inclusive Early Childhood Education (3 credits)
RDG 537 Teaching Reading (3 credits)
EDU 535 Developing Numeracy for Diverse Learners (3 credits)

Practicum Core I:
EDU 522 Curriculum for EC Social Studies & Arts fall only (2 credits)
EDU 528 Impact of Special Needs: ECE fall only (2 credits)
EDP 521 Practicum & Seminar: ECE PreK/K or EDP 526 Practicum & Seminar ECE 1st/2nd (3 credits)

Practicum Core II:
EDU 525 Curriculum for ECE Science, Technology & Health (Spring only) (2 credits)
EDP 521 Practicum & Seminar: ECE PreK, K or EDP 526 Practicum & Seminar: ECE, 1st/2nd (3 credits)

Completion of Program:
RDG 530 Teaching Literacy to English Language Learners (3 credits)
EDU 702 Capstone Course (1 credit)

M.S. Care and Education in Early Childhood Settings Course Requirements (30 credits)

Care and Education in Early Childhood Setting, a 30 credit masters program is designed for students who will work with young children from 2.8 to 8 years of age in public, private and parochial care and education settings as care givers, classroom teachers, lead teachers, directors, and/or family liaison workers. This program prepares students to work with an increasingly diverse population of children, families and communities.

The Care and Education program has two different options: one for beginning early childhood education practitioners and one for continuing practitioners.

Beginning practitioners typically are students without an academic background in early education who want to pursue careers outside of a public school setting. This program includes foundation courses in early childhood education, including children with special needs, child development, early childhood curricula and multicultural issues.

Certification: Students completing the Beginning Practitioner option can use their course experience to qualify for the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) lead teacher credential. This program does not lead to institutional endorsement for a PreK-2 teacher license issued by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (SES).

Continuing practitioners are students who want to increase their knowledge of early childhood education and may have already obtained an initial teaching license or have an academic background in early education.

Certification: Students who have an initial license, the masters degree, and who complete a state approved 12-credit course cluster (in Special Education, Teaching English Language Learners or Reading) as part of their program, may advance their license to the professional level after teaching for three years. Depending on students' prior experience and course of study at Wheelock, the Continuing Practitioner option may lead to DEEC Director I certification.

Requirements: Beginning Practitioner Option

Orientation to Education Programs (0 credits)

Core Courses (9 credits)
Take either of the following: HDF 504 Child Development: The Early Years* or HDF 501 Lifespan Development: Birth through Adolescence (3 credits)
EDU 505 Racial and Cultural Identities* (3 credits)

Research Selective (3 credits)

Program Courses (15 credits)
EDU 520 Introduction to Inclusive ECE (3 credits)
RDG 537 Teaching Reaching (3 credits)
EDU 528 Impact of Special Needs: ECE (2 credits)
EDU 522 Curriculum for EC Social Studies and Arts or EDU 525 Curriculum for ECE Science, Technology, & Health (3 credits)
EDP 530 Field Experience & Seminar in ECE (3 credits)
EDU 655 Capstone: Care and Education (1 credit)

Focus of Study (6 credits)
All students must do a focus of study consisting of six credits in related area and drawing from an approved list of focus courses. A focus of study can be selected from the following options or can be constructed by the student in consultation with their academic advisor. All foci of study must be approved by and planned with the academic advisor. Individual courses can not be used to meet more than one program requirement.

Suggested Areas of Focus

• Early Child Care Environments
• Family Communication and Support
• Expressive Arts
• Math, Science and Technology
• Child Development
• Early Childhood Curriculum Development
• Early Childhood Special Needs
• Early Childhood Leadership, Policy and Administration

Requirements: Continuing Practitioner Option

Core Courses (9 credits)
Human Development Selective or Specialization specific HD course (3 credits)
EDU 505 Racial and Cultural Identities* (3 credits)
Research Selective (3 credits)

*Racial and Cultural Identities is waived if already taken as a Wheelock undergraduate student

Program Courses (15 credits)
CFS 618 Cont. Issues in Child and Family Studies (3 credits)
EDU 528 Impact of Special Needs: ECE (2 credits)
EDU 522 Curriculum for ECE Social Studies/Arts or EDU 525 Curriculum for ECE Science/Tech/Health (3 credits) (if student selects some specialization options a different curriculum course may be substituted)
Language/Literacy Selective or Specialization Content Course (3 credits)
EDP 531 Extended Field Experience in ECE (3 credits)
EDU 655 Capstone: Care and Education (1 credit)

Focus of Study
All students must do a focus of study consisting of six (6) credits in a related area. A focus of study can be selected to meet the requirements of a formal specialization or course cluster or can be constructed by the student in consultation with their academic advisor. All foci of study must be approved by and planned with the academic advisor. Individual courses can not be used to meet more than one program requirement.

Students may wish to develop a self-constructed program that meets their own interests and professional needs or select a specialization or course cluster. (see below)

Areas of Formal Specialization

• Child and Family Studies
• Certificate in Parenting Education

Areas of Focus to Meet Requirements For Massachusetts DESE Professional License

If you wish to advance an Initial License to the Professional Level, select a 12-credit course cluster approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for this purpose. The course clusters are:

• Teaching English Language Learners
• Reading
• Special Education

If you are not seeking to advance an Initial license to the Professional level, or pursuing a formal specialization, a broader selection of courses is open to you to use for your focus of study.