MEd in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education
MEd in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education
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Prepare yourself to pursue a career that can make a positive difference in the lives of young children.
Early childhood education and early childhood special education is the key for giving every child a solid foundation for lifelong learning. This master’s degree can help you prepare aspiring ECSE teachers to make a positive impact by working with children from birth through the third grade.
Graduates may pursue the following teaching opportunities in public or private schools:
Preschool teacher
Postsecondary education teacher
Kindergarten teacher
Elementary school teacher
Teaching assistant
Median annual wage for kindergarten and elementary school teachers as of May 20231
Median annual wage for special education teachers as of May 20232
As a master’s degree graduate, you may perform tasks that include coordinating programs, developing curriculum, performing research, developing policies related to early childhood and special education, or advocating for young children with exceptionalities.
You may be able to find a career in one of various industries that provide services to children, such as:
Nonprofit organizations
Public and private schools
Early intervention programs
Government agencies
Healthcare organizations
Private practices
GCU provides the convenience and flexibility of earning your early childhood education master’s degree online. Through a combination of theoretical coursework and practical experiences, the online format allows working professionals to balance their career commitments while advancing their education.
This early childhood special education and early childhood education master’s degree program, which leads to initial teacher licensure, is designed for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-education field. With a master’s in early childhood education and early childhood special education, graduates can learn to transition to a career in education.
The ECSE curriculum is aligned with the standards of the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).
If you are considering pursuing an MEd in early childhood education and special education, we've compiled these frequently asked questions to provide you with more information about this degree and to help you make informed decisions about your education and future career.
Earning your master’s in early childhood education and early childhood special education may be right for you if you have a passion for working with young children, helping them learn and develop and aspire to have a positive impact on their lives. Additionally, according to the BLS, the need for special education teachers and services is expected to increase due to disabilities being identified earlier and more children with exceptionalities enrolling into special education programs.3
This MEd in early childhood education requires effort and dedication that may require additional skills and knowledge related to the unique needs of young children with exceptionalities. This may involve learning about assessment and intervention strategies, collaboration with families and other professionals and the legal and ethical considerations related to special education. Therefore, while the program's difficulty level may vary from person to person, it can generally be considered a challenging degree program that requires a significant commitment of time and effort.
If you are seeking licensure/certification, please refer to the Accreditation and Compliance/State disclosures link for the specific program of interest’s website for your location and/or employment state licensure requirements, per 34 CFR 668.14(b)32 and 668.43(c).
Prepare to make a positive difference in the lives of those who require early childhood special education (ECSE) by earning your Master of Education in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education at Grand Canyon University.
This master’s in early childhood education and early childhood special education online degree is offered by the College of Education. Aspiring ECSE teachers closely examine instructional and assessment methodologies, as well as the psychological, emotional and developmental needs of young children. Candidates will explore field experience opportunities in both inclusive learning environments and special education birth to pre-K and K-3 environments. GCU candidates are trained to serve as effective advocates who positively influence children, families and communities in which they teach.
Children with learning differences need extra support to reach their full potential. Graduates of this early childhood education and early childhood special education master’s degree program have the opportunity to learn to apply evidence-based pedagogical methods that support young learners as they develop crucial academic and life skills.
Students earning a master’s in early childhood education and early childhood special education online degree will acquire the following core competencies:
In addition, all students are required to complete practicum/field experiences and student teaching experiences in both general education and special education settings.
All states have established eligibility criteria for teachers, including educational and credentialing requirements. Students who graduate from an education degree program that leads to licensure are then eligible to obtain a state license to teach in any public or private school.
This early childhood education and early childhood special education degree from GCU leads to dual certification in Arizona for the following certification options:
A non-licensure program still presents initial licensure content, rather than advanced content. Students who graduate from a non-licensure program may still be eligible to teach in limited settings, which may include certain charter, private or early-learning school environments. Licensing requirements are different for each state, so be sure to check with the Board of Education in the state in which you will be teaching.
Up to 12 credits or 1/3 of the total program requirements in transfer (whichever is less)
Credits: Fill out the Lopes Eval to find out what will transfer
Admission Requirements (Master's)
OR 2.5+ Unweighted GPA and
Admission requirements may differ based on degree level, program and modality, or transfer status. Some programs of study may require a higher GPA and/or other qualifying criteria for admission. Please review full admission and program requirements in the University Policy Handbook.
* Degree must be from an accredited college or program that has been approved by GCU.
** Combined verbal/quantitative, after August 2011 (1,000 combined verbal and quantitative, prior to August 2011).
