Master of Education
Early Childhood Education

All-in price:
$8,675
View Tuition Details
Application due date for August 23, 2021 term:
August 20
Estimated time to completion:
16 Months
All-in price:
$8,675
View Tuition Details
Application due date for August 23, 2021 term:
August 20
Estimated time to completion:
16 Months

Help form the bedrock of a lifetime of learning.

Early education is the critical first step in a child’s journey — physically, emotionally, and mentally. Sure, ABCs and 1-2-3s may seem simple. But as an effective educator, you can engage young children in learning experiences backed by research and developmental theory. You can set standards influenced by development stages and even go beyond the classroom to learn to build relationships between the school and family.

#4

in the nation for most master's degrees awarded in education*.

How you'll get there.

  1. You’ll take a total of eleven courses. Five courses (most students take one at a time) center around early childhood — exploring child growth and development, curriculum development, and trends in early childhood education. You’ll also take four courses in education and teaching to meet the needs of diverse learners, and one course in research methods. Each course is five weeks long.
  2. At the end of the program, you’ll complete a capstone course to demonstrate and document the impact of the knowledge you’ve gained throughout the program.

What you can expect along the way.

  • Quality instruction ACE is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and we’re the #4 nationwide conferrer of master’s degrees in education.*
  • Flexible class format Our asynchronous online classes enable you to plan your coursework around your life. Each course is 5 weeks long with outlined expectations each week.
  • Relevant coursework Our classes teach practical and immediately applicable skills. What you learn at ACE today can be applied in your classroom tomorrow.
  • Comprehensive approach This program was intentionally designed on a research-driven framework to help you create effective early childhood learning environments. It goes beyond the classroom to help you learn to create relationships between the school and family.

Start Smart and Save

Apply by August 11 and we’ll credit $50-$100 back to you for the August 23 term.

Learn More

What it costs

Our tuition and fees have nothing to hide. The total cost you see is your all-in price, without hidden fees, add-ons, and even textbooks. See if you can say the same about other institutions. Go ahead — we’ll wait.

Total Tuition

31 semester credits
x $235 per credit

$7,285

Fees

$50 Application Fee

$1,240 Technology & Library Fee
($40 per credit)

$100 Program Conferral Fee

$1,390

Total Program Cost1

$8,675

On average, see how ACE compares to other online universities.

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Learn how we cut costs.

Partnerships save you more.

ACE has more than 1,750 education partners that provide a discounted rate and other partner benefits.

Learn about ACE partnerships.

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Meet your department chair.

Tiffany Hamlett, Ph.D.

Tiffany Hamlett, Ph.D.

Administrative Faculty and Chair,
Department of Teaching and Learning

Read Bio

Keep exploring.

A degree you can count on.

We are, and have always been, accredited by The Higher Learning Commission— a federally-recognized accrediting agency. Accreditation ensures that an institution’s academic program meets or exceeds acceptable levels of quality and is the most recognized accreditation status for higher education entities. To receive and maintain HLC accreditation and affiliation approval, we must continuously undergo routine peer review cycles and provide proof that our programs meet or exceed HLC accreditation criteria and expectations of quality.

Courses

M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education

Explore the classes you'll take to fulfill this program's 31 semester credit requirement. For more information, a complete list of requirements, and course options, see the College Catalog.

Early Childhoood Education Courses (16 semester credits)

3 semester credits

Focused on development, this course will explore classic theories of child development while investigating emerging theories in the field. This course establishes an understanding of current practices and concerns relating how they influence a child's environment and future learning experiences.

3 semester credits

This course will address the traditional stages of development from infancy through early childhood. Concepts will address developmental milestones, domains of thought, and related theories of growth.

3 semester credits

This content will focus on curriculum design using learning expectations across different standards and the developmental needs of children. Curriculum design methods, developmentally appropriate practices, and application methods will be explored by relating distinctive age-appropriate ideas.

3 semester credits

Addressing content-specific curriculum development, strategies will be introduced to promote development across specific areas of learning. Selected activities will be investigated to promote literacy, social and emotional growth, logical reasoning, and physical development.

3 semester credits

This course explores current trends in early childhood education by examining public policy, research, professional development relevant to classroom practices, and program management. Creating a connection between theory and current information will help to maintain relevance for the profession.

1 semester credit

The Capstone Experience is designed for candidates to demonstrate and document the impact of their knowledge and competencies gained throughout, and as a result of the Master of Education in Early Childhood Education.

Research Courses (3 semester credits)

3 semester credits

This methods course takes an action research approach, providing a systematic framework for early childhood professionals to apply data-based decision making for the improvement of their practice. The course differentiates quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods action research with a focus on application of results in the workplace. Emphasis is placed on development of a literature review featuring evidence-based strategies as a part of a research proposal.

Teaching/Learning Core Courses (12 semester credits)

3 semester credits

Exploring developmental and learning needs of children with exceptional learning abilities, the content will address the diverse needs of the gifted, students with exceptional needs, and children with learning disabilities. Strategies will be established to support a variety of learning needs while working with families to foster a consistent learning environment.

3 semester credits

Content in this course will include observation strategies and assessment tools used to design curriculum and identify developmental needs of children in the classroom. Methods utilizing assessment and providing guidance for classroom curriculum designed to support the identification of individual learning needs will be considered. Strategies will be aligned to the ongoing development of student portfolios as a form of observation.

3 semester credits

This course will address how to establish and support partnerships with families and the community around the school. Content will address how to meet the needs of families, establish connections in the community, and serve as an advocate for early childhood.

3 semester credits

Research-based guidance strategies for classroom management are considered. The identification, selection, and support for a variety of methods will be acquired to guide the development of an individualized plan dependent upon the assessed needs of a child.

Admission Requirements

M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education

ACE General Admission Requirements

  • Complete and submit all application components including the admission application, the enrollment agreement, and the payment agreement.
  • Submit the nonrefundable application fee.*
  • Provide official transcripts from a regionally accredited institution indicating successful completion of the level of education required for entry to the program.**

*The application fee is valid for one year from date of submission.
**Additional evidence may be required to fulfill state requirements, including but not limited to verification of professional experience, test scores, or an interview.

Program Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor's or Highest Post-Baccalaureate degree earned
  • Minimum Grade Point Average 2.75 on a 4.0 Scale for full admission
  • Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.50 on a 4.0 Scale for Provisional Admission*
  • Additional evidence may be required to fulfill state requirements, including but not limited to verification of professional experience, test scores, or an interview

*Applicants whose overall GPA, or GPA in the last 60 hours is below 2.50 will not be admitted to the degree program

A Note About Licensure:

While this program provides a comprehensive understanding of the intended program outcomes, it does not lead to licensure, certification, or endorsement. ACE offers several programs that do provide a pathway to licensure, certification, or endorsement and they can be found here.

1This is an estimated value of the cost for tuition and fees. Amounts may vary depending on number of transfer credits applied to the selected program hours or program pathway credit hours, the pace and satisfactory completion of the selected program or program pathway credit hours, receipt of, or eligibility for, institutional or non-institutional scholarship and/or grant amounts, and adjustments to tuition or fees as described in the Catalog Right to Modify Tuition section.

State of California Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF)

It is a state of California requirement that a student who pays his or her tuition is required to pay a state-imposed assessment fifty cents ($0.50) per one thousand dollars ($1,000) of institutional charges, rounded to the nearest thousand dollars, for the California Student Tuition Recovery Fund. For more information and to see if you must pay the state-imposed assessment for Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) click here.

For information on international transcript requirements, see the Admissions Information section of the College Catalog.

For English as a second language applicant information, see the Admissions Information section of the College Catalog.

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