Online Masters in Early Childhood Education

Shorter University’s online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Early Childhood Education is an initial teacher certification program. The program is designed for students who have already received a bachelor’s degree in another discipline and who wish to enter the teaching profession or to advance in the profession. It is perfect for recent graduates, for re-careering professionals, for paraprofessionals, and for teachers who hold non-renewable certificates and who wish to earn Clear Renewable master’s level certificates.

The program leads to an advanced degree and to a Georgia Level-5 Certificate in Early Childhood (P-5) Education.

Program Details
The curriculum for Shorter University’s MAT in Early Childhood Education is based on the Teacher Preparation Program Conceptual Framework and on the Goals and Objectives of the Early Childhood Advanced Programs. The program requirements are continually updated to reflect the current requirements for teacher certification in the State of Georgia.

Coursework for the MAT in Early Childhood Education is taught in an exclusively online format, except that students are required to visit the Shorter University campus in Rome, Georgia, for a graduate education orientation and a seminar prior to student teaching.

The MAT in Early Childhood Education is a 45 semester hour program. Students will also spend 75 days student teaching in a P-5 classroom setting.

Program Benefits

Skills
The MAT in Early Childhood Education program is designed to provide talented and committed college graduates with a challenging program of study while preparing them for careers as Pre-Kindergarten through grade 5 (P-5) teachers. The degree combines graduate level work with field experience to produce exceptionally well-qualified candidates for the teaching profession.  Graduates will enter the teaching profession with highly-developed skills in both educational theory and practice.

Job Opportunities
Despite the rewards of a teaching career, America faces a shortage of teachers. Demand for teachers in Georgia is expected to increase significantly. The Georgia Department of Labor has predicted a more than 23% increase in the K-12 teacher workforce between 2006 and 2016. Nationally, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for teachers in Early Childhood are expected to grow by up to 16 percent from 2008 to 2018.

View or download Master of Arts in Teaching ePacket (pdf)

Admission Requirements
To be accepted into Shorter University’s MAT in Early Childhood Education, applicants must:

  • Complete an application.
  • Have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college or university with an undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 grading scale
  • Have a total adjusted GPA of 2.75 or higher on all teaching field course work.
  • Submit passing scores on the GACE Basic Skills Assessment
  • Submit a Writing Sample
  • Submit two (2) recommendations from individuals who can attest to the candidate’s qualifications
  • Accept the Code of Ethics for Educators by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission
  • Provide proof of liability insurance through SGAE-SPAGE.
  • Provide documentation of an acceptable criminal background check.
  • Submit a personal statement of purpose, not to exceed 200 words, that identifies the applicant’s reasons for pursuing graduate study and how admission to the program relates to the applicant’s professional aspirations.
  • Be accepted for admission to the program by the Education Graduate Committee.

Master of Arts in Teaching in Early Childhood Courses

EDU5001: Introduction to Graduate Education (1 hr*)
EDU 5050: The 21st-Century Elementary School (3 hrs)
EDU 5210: Child Development and Learning (3 hrs)
EDU 5220: Teaching Exceptional Learners (3 hrs)
EDU 5320: Planning and Organizing Instruction (3 hrs)
EDU 5111: Initial Field Experience (1 hr)
EDU5430: Managing the Classroom (3 hrs)
EDU 5XXX: Assessing Teaching and Learning (3 hrs)
EDU 5440: The Arts in the Elementary Classroom (3 hrs)
EDU 5730: Reading and Language Arts (3 hrs)
EDU 5420: Children’s Literature (3 hrs)
EDU 5700: Teaching Mathematics in ECE (3 hrs)
EDU 5710: Teaching Science Through Inquiry (3 hrs)
EDU 5720: Social Studies in a Global Context (3 hrs)
EDU 5920: Student Teaching Seminar (1 hr*)
EDU 5930: Student Teaching (6 hrs)

*Each of these courses may require the student to visit a Shorter University campus for several days.

SHORTER UNIVERSITY · 315 Shorter Avenue, Box 51 · Rome, Georgia 30165 · Phone: 800-868-6980 · www.shorter.edu