Early Childhood Education

Office: Lawrence Street Center, 701
Telephone: 303-315-6300
Fax: 303-315-6311
E-mail: education@ucdenver.edu
Web site: www.ucdenver.edu/education

Faculty

More information about faculty in this division is available online at www.ucdenver.edu/education.

Early Childhood Education Program

The early childhood education (ECE) program leads to a master’s degree in early childhood education (early childhood accomplished teacher focus) and/or licensure in early childhood special education (early childhood special education specialist). The program prepares leaders who will enrich the life experience of young children (birth to 8) and their families through a variety of professional roles.

ECE Program students may select from three program options:

MA in early childhood education
ECSE specialist license (initial or added endorsement)
MA plus ECSE specialist license (initial or added endorsement)

The ECE program is interdisciplinary in focus, drawing on university resources and the clinical expertise of various community professionals. There is a strong emphasis on fieldwork and practicum experiences in both regular and special education concentrations. Field experiences are a part of each course and provide an opportunity for each student to gain knowledge, abilities and dispositions while interacting with children, families, program staff and community agencies. Practicum experiences are designed to allow students to apply knowledge and practice skills in a closely supervised environment.

The early childhood accomplished teacher focus and the early childhood special education focus share course content in:

literacy development and disorders
child growth and development, differences and disorders
learning approaches with young children
measurement and evaluation
basic statistics/research methods
multicultural education
research and current issues
early childhood curriculum and program development for inclusive classrooms
working collaboratively with parents and families
program administration/leadership

The early childhood special education program provides specialized preparation in:

screening and assessment of young children
intervention strategies with infants and preschoolers
behavior management
working as a member of the transdisciplinary team
cognitive and socio-emotional development and disorders
treatment of children who have neurological impairment and chronic illness
challenging behaviors and autism

Program Requirements

Semester Hour Requirements

Master’s degree in ECE:  39 semester hours
ECSE specialist license:  39 semester hours
Master’s degree plus ECSE specialist license: 48 semester hours
Master’s degree plus ECSE specialist added endorsement:  39 semester hours
ECSE specialist added endorsement: 24 semester hours

Fieldwork and Practicum Requirements

The master’s degree in early childhood education includes a total of 425 hours of required fieldwork/practica. Approximately 200 hours of fieldwork are associated with course assignments; 225 hours of intense, culminating practica occur toward the end of the second year of study. Students completing the MA program take a written comprehensive exam (take home) during the final semester of their program (concurrently with courses at the end of the program sequence).

For the master’s degree in early childhood education plus the ECSE specialist initial license, a total of 800 hours of fieldwork/practica is required. Approximately 290 hours of fieldwork are associated with course assignments; 510 hours of intense, culminating practica occur toward the end of the second year of study. Students seeking an added endorsement in ECSE specialist also complete 510 hours of practicum experiences.

Nine semester hours can be transferred for the master’s degree; 15 semester hours can be transferred for the ECSE specialist license. These credits include courses taken through continuing education, from other institutions or as a nondegree student at the University of Colorado Denver before the term officially admitted.

Plans of Study

The following table delineates course work and program completion requirements for the MA degree and ECSE specialist license through various program options.

ECE Program Options Plans of Study	MA in ECE	ECSE Specialist License	MA in ECE and ECSE Specialist License	ECSE Specialist Endorsement for those holding Elementary or ECE License	MA in ECE and ECSE Specialist Endorsement for those holding Elementary or ECE License	ECSE Specialist Endorsement for those holding Special Education License	MA in ECE and ECSE Specialist Endorsement for those holding Special Education license
Course
EPSY 5100 - Advanced Child Growth and Development	Required	Required	Required
RSEM 5100 - Basic Statistics	Required		Required		Required		Required
ECED 6100 - Medical and Physiological Aspects of Developmental Disabilities	Required	Required	Required	Required	Required	Required	Required
ECED 5020 - Approaches to Young Children’s Learning	Required	Required	Required		Required **	Required *	Required **
ECED 5070 - Social Competence & Classroom Supports or ECED 5202 - Classroom Management to Promote Positive Behavior		Required	Required	Required	Required	Required *	Required *
ECED 5080 - Language and Literacy in Young Children	Required	Required	Required	Required	Required	Required *	Required*
ECED 5010 - Curriculum and Program Development in Early Childhood Education	Required	Required	Required	Required *	Required *	Required	Required
ECED 5060 - Working with Parents and Families	Required	Required	Required		Required **		Required **
ECED 5040 - Administrative Seminar	Required	Required	Required		Required **		Required **
ECED 5202 - Classroom Management to Promote Positive Behavior	Required				Required **		Required **
ECED 6690 - Seminar: Research and Current Issues in Early Childhood Education	Required		Required		Required		Required
ECED 6010 - Literacy and Mathematics K-2	Required	Required	Required	Required*	Required*
ECED 5200 - Screening and Assessment of Young Children		Required	Required	Required	Required	Required	Required
ECED 6200 - Early Intervention Strategies		Required	Required	Required	Required	Required	Required
ECED 6911 - Practicum in Early Childhood Education	Required
ECED 6910 - Infant/Toddler Practicum in ECSE		Required	Required	Required	Required	Required	Required
ECED 6912 - Preschool Practicum in ECSE Preschool Practicum		Required	Required	Required	Required	Required	Required
ECED 6914 - Primary Practicum in ECSE		Required	Required	Required	Required	Required	Required
Elective Course	Required		Required		Required		Required
Total Semester Hours	39	39	48	24	39	24	39
Comprehensive Exam	Required		Required		Required		Required
PLACE Exam #27		Required	Required	Required	Required	Required	Required
				* choose one	* choose one	* choose two	* choose two
					** choose two		** choose two