Education - Early childhood education

This early childhood special education teacher certification program teaches you how to support young children with exceptionalities and advance your understanding of early childhood education. You'll gain knowledge of child development theories, best practices and assessment methods. You'll also learn how to plan and implement effective interventions, monitor children’s progress and engage families collaboratively. Emphasizing the roles of family, community, collaboration and advocacy in early childhood special education, this program provides you with the knowledge, experience and certification needed to excel in this rewarding field.

Skills you’ll develop in this master’s program

Throughout this program, you'll develop a wide range of skills and competencies essential for working in early childhood education and special education settings, including:

• Collaboration with educators and parents.
• Design of inclusive instructional methodologies for various subjects.
• Development of research-based practices for typical and atypical behaviors in young children.
• Positive relationship building with children, families and communities.
• Remediation of learning difficulties.
• Support for child growth and development, including special health care needs.
• Support for language and literacy development.
• Use of a variety of assessment practices to evaluate young children's progress.

This teacher certification program also includes three professional placements: one in a birth-preschool setting and two in pre-kindergarten to grade 3 settings. You can choose between traditional or alternative certification routes. Traditional certification involves two internships and one student teaching experience, while the alternative route requires being hired as an early childhood teacher and completing two apprentice teaching courses, with an additional course or internship to meet requirements. These experiential learning opportunities will prepare you for a career in early childhood special education.

What candidates are a good fit for this early childhood special education teacher certification?

This early childhood special education master’s is ideal for candidates with a bachelor's degree in a field other than early childhood, special education or early childhood special education, who aspire to teach early childhood special education and obtain certification. If you're currently working in public or private preschools, elementary schools or early childhood education centers and you’re seeking certification or an alternative certificate, this program is well-suited for you.

Upon graduation, you'll receive an institutional recommendation for the Arizona Department of Education Early Childhood Special Education teaching certificate and will be prepared to sit for licensure exams, paving the way for a rewarding career in this field.

Throughout this early childhood special education degree, you’ll master the skills necessary to support and educate young children, including those with exceptionalities. You’ll also gain a deep understanding of child development theories and best practices, learn about both typical and atypical child development and the use of research-based interventions and develop skills in assessing and planning instruction for young learners. Your training will enable you to design inclusive, developmentally appropriate curricula and foster positive relationships with families and community organizations. These skills will prepare you for a variety of roles in educational settings that don’t require public school certification, enhancing your ability to support child growth and community collaboration effectively.

Who’s an ideal candidate for this master’s in early childhood special education?

You may be an ideal candidate for this program if you possess a bachelor's degree and are eager to deepen your expertise in working with children from birth to age eight or grade three. This program suits individuals currently engaged in educational settings, such as schools or nonprofits, where you interact with young children who are at risk or experiencing developmental delays. Additionally, you should have access to children within this age range in a professional or community setting to fulfill the practical requirements of the coursework.

This program isn’t suited for those who’ve already completed a teacher preparation program in early childhood or special education, as it covers similar ground. If you're looking to broaden your knowledge and skills in early childhood special education without pursuing teacher certification, this program is designed for you. Alternatively, if you’re interested in becoming certified, check out our Master of Education in early childhood special education – teacher certification program.

The early childhood education program prepares you to meet the educational, social and emotional needs of children from birth through age eight. Through applied activities and online coursework, you’ll complete research on this age group and learn about pedagogy, technology, policy and administration. Program graduates leave with the skills needed to apply knowledge and critical thinking into practice while working in the education field.

This program is ideal for students:

• Interested in learning about early childhood education research and working with infants and children in grades K-3.
• With a teaching certificate and a desire to further their knowledge and skills.
• Working in an early childhood setting and looking to pursue a leadership role.
• Pursuing future doctoral studies.

Why should I study early childhood education?

Young children and students need high-quality and well-trained educators to prepare them for their future. You should pursue this MEd early childhood education program if you want to understand human growth and development in early years of life and apply what you learn in various educational settings.

Students seeking teacher certification in early childhood education should pursue the Master of Education in early childhood education - teacher certification program.

What skills will I learn in this early childhood education program?

Throughout the MEd in early childhood education, you’ll learn how to apply advanced knowledge and possibility thinking to practical challenges to create positive change in education. You’ll also gain a wide range of specialized skills, including:

• Knowledge of childhood development.
• Equitable learning environments and inclusion.
• Current trends, research and evaluation.
• Instructional design techniques.

This master’s program equips you with the skills and practical experience needed to become a certified teacher working with children in early ages through third grade. By completing your coursework, applied activities and in-person clinical experiences, you’ll gain skills in areas including early childhood development and pedagogy, policy advocacy and analysis, literacy, evaluation and research. You’ll also become knowledgeable about:

• Current trends and research in the field of early childhood education.
• Instructional design and delivery techniques for young learners.
• Typical/atypical early childhood development.

Earn your ECE master’s and certification together

In this program, you have the option to pursue a master’s degree only, or a master’s degree with Arizona certification in Early Childhood Education to become a licensed educator. The MEd in Early Childhood Education with certification includes two internships, each worth two credits: one in preschool and one in grades K-3. During these semester-long internships, you’ll spend one full day per week in a classroom setting working with children.

Certification students will also complete a full-time student teaching experience, working full-time for 15 weeks in an early childhood (K-3) classroom. While completing this, you’ll be expected to follow your mentor teacher’s contracted hours and are advised to not work other jobs during these times.

Who’s a good candidate for this master’s program?

An ideal candidate for this master’s in ECE plus certification program is a current or aspiring educator seeking official licensure to teach students who are in pre-K through third grade. The professional experiences in this program allow you to connect what you learn in your courses to real-world settings, helping to prepare you for a successful career.

If you aren’t seeking early childhood teacher certification or have already obtained it, ASU also offers a Master of Education in early childhood education. This program is designed for current educators who are looking to advance in their professional path or gain specialized knowledge.

Earning your elementary education master’s with teacher certification provides an ideal path if you want to teach grades K–8 and already have a bachelor’s degree in any field. Whether you're a substitute teacher, a non-education professional changing careers or an aspiring educator, this program will guide you through coursework, exams and hands-on experiences to become a subject matter expert in the classroom.

You’ll gain practical skills in classroom management, inclusive teaching and learning design, all while receiving support from a top-ranked college of education. Plus, by committing to teach in Arizona after graduation, you may qualify for the Arizona Teachers Academy at ASU tuition scholarship.

Two pathways to certification

This program offers two flexible pathways to teacher certification, tailored to fit your individual needs. Both options blend theory with practice through expert instruction from ASU faculty and hands-on internship and student teaching experiences. While both paths provide valuable learning opportunities, their structures are designed to accommodate different schedules and preferences.

• Traditional certification pathway: Ideal if you’re not yet teaching full time, this route combines online coursework with on-site internships and student teaching. You’ll work with a placement coordinator to secure these experiences, ensuring you gain the practical knowledge needed for certification. The internship typically requires one day a week or two half-days a week, while student teaching is a full-time commitment. It’s important to plan financially, as student teaching demands your full focus with no flexibility in scheduling.
• Alternative certification pathway: If you’re already employed as a full-time teacher under an Arizona Alternative Teaching Certificate (or equivalent in other states), this route allows you to earn certification while continuing to teach. Unlike the traditional pathway, you’ll need to secure your teaching position before applying to ASU, but this option lets you implement what you learn in real-time as you complete the program. If you’re interested in obtaining your teacher certification without earning your Master of Education, ASU also offers this standalone online teacher certification graduate certificate.

Both pathways ensure you receive the support and experience necessary to thrive in the evolving educational environment.

Which Master of Education program is right for you?

Each of ASU’s online Master of Education programs is tailored to fit your specific career goals in education, whether you're pursuing a teaching license or looking to advance your career and knowledge.

If you’re looking to teach grades K–8 and earn certification, this elementary education master’s with teacher certification will be the right choice for you. If you don’t want certification and prefer to focus on expanding your expertise in educational theory, our Master of Education in elementary education program is a better option for you.

Additionally, ASU offers an online Master of Education in secondary education with certification and without certification. These programs’ curriculum prepares you for grades 6–12.

Programs with certification are the most popular option because they meet the widespread requirement for state certification, which all public schools mandate for teaching. While some charter, private and international schools don’t require certification, having it generally opens more teaching opportunities. However, earning a Master of Education without certification can also be beneficial, especially if you’re pursuing roles such as a teacher's aide or instructional assistant, or if you're interested in educational theory and research.