MEd or CAGS in Early Childhood Education

• Articulate and apply theoretical constructs and best practices to understand the characteristics of young children with and without disabilities.
• Identify and explain the rationale and essential need for family and school partnerships to improve education, health, safety for all children.
• Identify, analyze, select and apply appropriate assessment methods to determine growth and development of children within the school or home environment.
• Demonstrate, implement and assess diverse instructional (including technology) and content pedagogy that addresses children with multiple needs, language barriers, developmental delays or other learning challenges.
• Demonstrate impact of reflective practices in PreK-2 classrooms.

All candidates must have passed either one of the following courses at the graduate or undergraduate level: Child Development, Child Psychology or Developmental Psychology. All Benchmark Assignments must be passed with a 3 or 4 on a 4-point scale in order to pass the respective course.

Required Courses

Foundation Courses

• EDU5400: The Reflective Practitioner
• EDU5460: Theory and Practice in Early Childhood and Elementary Education (25 hours fieldwork)

Professional Area Courses

• EDU5520: Teaching Reading and Language Arts (25 hours fieldwork)
• EDU5540: Multisensory Teaching of Language Skills
• EDU5530: Teaching of Mathematics (25 hours fieldwork)
• EDU6610: Behavior Management

Specialty Area Courses

• EDU6595: Assessment and Curriculum for Early Childhood

Licensure Track

• EDU6624: Candidate Assessment of Performance (CAP) Seminar
• EDU6829/6830: Practicum in Education I/II: Early Childhood

Degree Only, Non-Licensure Track

• EDU 6628/6629 Field-Based Research I/II: Early Childhood

Additional Program Notes

EDU6625 Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Endorsement Course is available to students who have not yet earned the SEI Endorsement. While the SEI Endorsement is a requirement for licensure as mandated by DESE, it is not a requirement for degree completion nor licensure endorsement.

Total credits: 30-36
Licensure Track: 33 credits
Degree only, Non-licensure Track: 30 credits
Completion of SEI course accounts for an additional 3 credits

Please reference the current catalog for all course descriptions.

General Requirements

The MEd and CAGS offer rolling admissions, accepting applications throughout the year.
General requirements are:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education, with preference given to applicants whose field of study directly aligns with the specific academic program selected.
  • For the CAGS program, candidates must additionally hold a master’s degree in a field directly aligned with the specific academic program selected.
• A GPA of 3.0 or better.
• A copy of your current license (if applicable).
• A completed and signed application.
• Official sealed transcript(s) of all previous academic work, undergraduate and graduate.
• Two (2) professional letters of recommendation, including at least one recommendation from a current supervisor.
• Personal goal statement or essay. In approximately 500 words, please respond to these questions:
  • Why are you interested in pursuing a graduate degree in education at AIC?
  • What are your career goals and how will enrolling in this program impact your educational, personal, and professional growth?
• U.S. $50 non-refundable application fee.

Note: In the event a 3.0 GPA is not held, evidence must be submitted with the application that merits further review by the School of Education’s Graduate Admissions Committee. Documented evidence includes (but is not limited to) GRE scores (if applicable), successful completion of the last 30 credits of prior undergraduate coursework (for the MEd program) or the last 15 credits of prior graduate coursework (for the CAGS program), and/or an interview with designated personnel in the program selected.

Depending on the outcome of the interview and review of all other application materials, the individual may be granted full or conditional acceptance into the program.

A $500-per-credit cost prices AIC’s Master of Education programs at a competitive value, tailored to the needs of today’s educators.

Our resources cover all associated costs and how to finance your education.

The closeness and encouragement for which AIC is known extends to the online space, sparking energizing discussions among diverse, driven educators:

• A community of leaders: Gain insights from fellow professionals who’ve spent three to more than 10 years in a school or similar environment. Many of your peers assume informal leadership roles as mentors, curriculum leaders, or committee chairs.
• Designed for working educators: Once-a-week synchronous online courses and practicum assignments completed from your location easily fit your education around your schedule. You’ll remain in your classroom while observing ways you can foster change in your school.
• Cohort learning: Benefit from regular meetings with a small, familiar group of classmates who are striving toward a similar outcome. In many cases, you’ll interact with professionals who represent districts all over Massachusetts.