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.
in the nation for most master's degrees awarded in education*.
Thinking of starting your journey?
Connect with an ACE enrollment counselor who can help you get started.
How you'll get there.
- 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.
- 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.
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
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Partnerships save you more.
ACE has more than 1,750 education partners that provide a discounted rate and other partner benefits.
Meet your department chair.
Tiffany Hamlett, Ph.D.
Administrative Faculty and Chair,
Department of Teaching and Learning
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
3 semester credits
3 semester credits
3 semester credits
3 semester credits
1 semester credit
Research Courses (3 semester credits)
3 semester credits
Teaching/Learning Core Courses (12 semester credits)
3 semester credits
3 semester credits
3 semester credits
3 semester credits
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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