Early Childhood Education

Master of education/initial licensure
(Minnesota state licensure in early childhood education)

The Early Childhood Education Initial Licensure/M.Ed. program is offered through the #1 ranked Institute of Child Development in collaboration with the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. The early childhood initial licensure program is designed to prepare outstanding teachers of young children who will have a strong foundation in child development theory and research and developmentally appropriate methodology for teaching the different ages within the early childhood years (birth – age 8.) Clinical experiences in the Shirley G. Moore Laboratory School and in local urban/suburban public schools create a strong experiential base in which to apply the principles and methods learned in University courses. Emphasis is placed on understanding individual learners, working with diverse learners, using a variety of instructional strategies, inclusive programming for children with and without special needs, working closely with families, creating positive classroom communities, all forms of professional writing and lesson planning, authentic assessment, documentation of student learning, reflective practice, professional development and ethics.

Program

Master of education (M.Ed.)/initial licensure programs are for individuals with bachelor’s degrees who want to become licensed teachers. These graduate-level programs provide rigorous, professional teacher preparation in accordance with the Standards of Effective Practice for Teachers (SEPT) and content standards adopted in fall 2010 by the Minnesota Board of Teaching. This program includes two components: initial licensure and the M.Ed. degree. After successfully completing initial licensure requirements, students are recommended for state licensure in Minnesota to teach early childhood education (Birth-3rd grade). After completing an additional capstone course and writing a master’s paper students are awarded a master of education (M.Ed.) degree in teaching. Students must have completed 30 credits within the seven years prior to completing their M.Ed. degree and maintain a 2.80 grade point average (GPA) to be eligible for the M.Ed. Two groups of students typically apply to this M.Ed./initial licensure program.

Early Childhood Education: Foundations graduates: These applicants have completed or are completing the separate CEHD undergraduate program in Early Childhood Education: Foundations. This group typically completes the licensure portion of the program in two semesters plus one summer, with an additional semester to complete the master’s degree.
All other applicants: These applicants have not completed the undergraduate Early Childhood Education: Foundations program. This group typically completes the licensure portion of the program in four - five semesters plus two summers, with an additional semester to complete the master’s degree. Students who wish to take coursework part-time may do so, which will extend the time needed to complete the program. Required coursework is scheduled throughout the day as well as in the evening.

Curriculum

Students complete foundations, methods, and student teaching courswork for licensure. Some of the coursework may be taken for undergraduate credit, before admission into the program. At least 30 graduate-level credits are required for the M.Ed. degree.

Foundations Courses

CPSY 4993 Directed Experiences in Early Childhood Education (3 cr)
CPSY 5251 Social and Philosophical Foundations of EC Education (2 cr)
LING 3001 Introduction to Linguistics (4 cr) OR
CI 3610 Linguistics for Teachers (3 cr) OR
ENG 3601 Analysis of the English Language (4 cr)
EDHD 5007 Technology for Teaching & Learning (1.5 cr)
EDHD 5009 Human Relations: Applied Skills for School & Society (1 cr)
PUBH 3003/5003 Fundamentals of Alcohol & Drug Abuse (2/1 cr) or 6003

Methods Courses

*These two courses must taken before or concurrently with other CI courses
CI 3401 Diversity in Children’s Literature (3 cr)
CI 5111 Introduction to Elementary School Teaching (3 cr)
*These two courses must be taken before CI 5425, 5426, 5644 & 5183 (Literacy Block)
CI 5413 Foundations of Reading (3 cr)
CI 4413 Practicum: Working with Developing Readers (2 cr)
*These courses can be taken at any time.
EPSY 5625 Education of Infants, Toddlers & Preschool Children with Disabilities: Introduction (2 cr)
EPSY 5681 Education of Infants, Toddlers & Preschool Children with Disabilities: Methods & Materials (3 cr)
*These three courses must be taken before CPSY 5281 (EC Student teaching)
CPSY 5252 Facilitating Social & Emotional Learning in EC Education (3 cr)
CPSY 5253 Facilitating Cognitive & Language Learning in EC Education (3 cr)
CPSY 5254 Facilitating Creative and Motor Learning in EC Education (2 cr)
*These four courses are the Inquiry Block and must be taken before CI 5181 (ELEM Student teaching) CI 5501 Elementary School Science (2 cr)
CI 5701 Social Studies for the Elementary Teacher (2 cr)
CI 5821 Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School (2 cr)
CI 5183 Applying Instructional Methods in the Elementary Classroom (Supervised practicum experience) (1 cr)
*These four courses are the Literacy Block and must be taken before CI 5181 (ELEM Student teaching)
CI 5425 Reading Instruction in the Elementary Grades (3 cr)
CI 5426 Language Arts Instruction in the Elementary Grades (3 cr)
CI 5644 Working With Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students (1 cr)
CI 5183 Applying Instructional Methods in the Elementary Classroom (Supervised practicum experience) (1 cr)

Student Teaching

CPSY 5281 Student Teaching in Early Childhood Education (1-6 cr)
CI 5181 Clinical Experience in Elementary School Teaching (8 cr)

M.Ed. Completion

CPSY 5187 Master’s Paper in Early Childhood Education (2-3 cr)
CPSY 4334W Children, Youth in Society (4 cr) OR
Another related course with advisor’s approval (3-4 cr)

See course descriptions and course schedules.

Admission criteria

Admission to the program is based on the following criteria:

You have earned a Bachelor’s Degree or it is near completion. You cannot begin the program until your Bachelor’s Degree is completed.
Grade point average (GPA) of 2.80 overall and a 3.00 GPA in major coursework at the time of application.
Your Resume, which highlights your work with children, classroom experience, diversity experience, and other experiences relevant to teaching young children. These types of experiences are not required for application but are considered valuable. Please include the following details for the experiences listed:
- Name and location of program
- Dates and total hours worked
- Supervisor's name and phone number
- Description of responsibilities
- Description of the population with which you worked
Two Letters of Recommendation written by someone who can address your education-related experiences, work with young children, work style, and personal attributes.
Three Admission Statements answering the three questions below:
- QUESTION A: Experience with “difference”
  Please describe a specific experience in your life that required you to navigate through an environment or situation different from that which you are familiar. How did you approach this experience? What did you learn? Note that the experience you describe may reflect difference across dimensions such as race, socio-economic status, gender, language, religion, geography, sexuality, special needs.
- QUESTION B: Educational disparities
  Disparity in educational outcomes is a major challenge in Minnesota. How do you account for these disparities? How do you view your role as a future educator in addressing educational disparities?
- QUESTION C: Becoming a teacher
  Discuss your life and work experiences that have influenced your decision to become a teacher.

Instructions for writing Admission Statements:

Write statements as separate documents (e.g., Question A is one document, Question B is a separate document, etc.), save them separately to your computer, and upload them separately into the application system.
Each statement should be no longer than 2 double-spaced pages with 12 point font.
At the top of the statement page, include your name and the question title (e.g., Question A: experience with difference).
For tips on writing an effective personal statement, watch the Writing effective personal statements online workshop.
Please visit your writing center for feedback on your statements, as CEHD staff are unable to provide this service.
We will evaluate your statements to:
- Ensure best fit between applicants and proposed Initial Licensure Program
- Capture ability and experiences not reflected in other admission materials
- Evaluate academic writing skills

How to apply

Apply Online

Be sure to save your PIN number and password, so that you can work on the application over time.
Take your time and follow instructions carefully! Once your application is submitted, you will no longer have access to add/change information or upload required supplemental material.
As your application is reviewed, you will receive email notifications of your status.
Your application status and decision will also be posted in your application account.

Submit the following five required application materials (listed below)

Transcripts:
- Submit official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions you have attended
  (except the University of Minnesota) to:
  - CEHD Student Services – ILP Admissions
    360 Education Sciences Building
    56 East River Road
    Minneapolis, MN 55455
- If you completed coursework at a university outside of the United States, your transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation center by requesting a “course-by-course” evaluation. This process can take 4-6 weeks, so please plan in advance. A suggested provider of this service is Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). You can, however, use any provider that is an accredited member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
Resume:
- You will upload your resume into the “Program Specific Questions” section – please disregard the personal statement in this section.
Three Admission Statements:
- Upload admission statements into the “Additional Program Specific Uploads – Initial licensure program” section for “Question A”, “Question B”, and “Question C”. – please disregard the request for classroom hour and additional experiences forms.
Two Letters of Recommendation:
- These letters be written by someone who can should your education-related experiences, work with young children, work style, and personal attributes.
- These will be requested and submitted through the application system.
Application fee:
- This fee is charged when you submit your application and is required for each application you submit.
- Fees must be paid online with a credit card.

Nonnative English speakers and/or international students

Submit an official score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Register for the test and submit scores here: http://www.ets.org/toefl/.
Exceptions may be granted for applicants who will have completed 16 semester or 24 quarter credits within the past 24 months in residence as a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States before entering the University of Minnesota.
Minimum TOEFL score requirements are listed below:
- Internet-based test: 79-80
- Computer-based test: 213
- Paper-based test: 550

Applicants may also be required to demonstrate spoken English proficiency in an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and/or oral interview with faculty or staff. Contact Student Services for more information.
International applicants who will require an I-20 for a student visa must submit a Financial Certification Statement, which will be mailed to you upon admission to the program.
Questions regarding the TOEFL should be directed to TOEFL Services, Inside the U.S. and Canada: 1-877-863-3546, Outside the U.S. and Canada: 1-609-771-7100

All applicants must take the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Basic Skills Test [Reading (test code 001), Writing (test code 002), and Mathematics (test code 003)] prior to beginning the program:

See testing section below for more information on MTLE testing for licensure.

Timeline

This program has two application deadlines per year, as listed below.

Summer or fall enrollment

February 1—Priority deadline for admission. All application materials must be submitted by this deadline to be given full consideration for admission. Applications received or completed after this deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis. We are unable to determine if space is available until after March 1.
March—Submit Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form for financial aid
March/April—Committee review of applications
Mid-April—Notification of admission decisions
May 1—Deadline for University of Minnesota application for summer financial aid (eligible if FAFSA has been submitted)
Mid-May—Orientation and summer registration
Late May- May term begins
June 1 (summer enrollment)/September 1 (fall enrollment)—Completion of MTLE Basic Skills Test
Early June—Summer term begins
Early September—Fall semester begins

Spring enrollment

October 1—Priority deadline for admission. All application materials must be submitted by this deadline to be given full consideration for admission. Applications received or completed after this deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis. We are unable to determine if space is available until after December 1.
October—Submit Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form for financial aid
October/November—Committee review of applications
Mid-November—Notification of decisions
Late November—Orientation
January 1—Completion of MTLE Basic Skills Test
Mid-January—Spring semester begins

Testing

Beginning in September 2010, the Minnesota Board of Teaching implemented the new licensure examinations, the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Exams (MTLE) (http://www.mtle.nesinc.com) administered by Pearson. Licensure candidates are required to pass all the applicable MTLE tests prior to being recommended for their license. The GRE test is not required for our teacher licensure programs.

Test information (including registration, test dates, test center locations, costs, and study guide) is available from MTLE or the Minnesota Department of Education (http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Teacher_Support/Board_of_Teaching/index.html ). Their websites will be updated regularly with most up-to-date information, so please keep abreast of the test requirements by visiting these websites periodically.

Find out more about the MTLE on the CEHD advising site. Download this handy guide to prep materials and resources.

Required Tests

Students pursuing a MN teaching license in Early Childhood Education must pass the following tests and the official passing scores must be received by the CEHD student services to be recommended for teaching licensure:

MTLE Basic Skills Tests: Reading (test code 001), Writing (test code 002), Mathematics (test code 003)
Must have taken Basic Skills tests prior to starting the program
MTLE Pedagogy Test:
Early Childhood (Birth to Grade 3) Subtest 1(test code 010) and subtest 2 (test code 011)
Take the Pedagogy test during the semester of your final student teaching.
MTLE Content Area Test:
Early Childhood Education (Birth to Grade 3) Subtest 1 (test code 020) and subtest 2 (test code 021)
Take the Content test(s) prior to your final student teaching

Make sure to select the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities as a recipient institution of your MTLE scores. Also, save a copy of your official MTLE test report as a PDF document. It will be your responsibility to safeguard your official scores.

For further questions, please refer to the Teaching Testing requirements Q & As prepared by Minnesota Board of Teaching, available at Minnesota Department of Education.

Criminal background check

Before starting student teaching or practicums, students are subject to a criminal background check required by the college. The investigation is conducted by a private agency contracted by the college and is designed to meet school district guidelines governing adults with responsibility for children. Decisions about candidate placement will be made by the district approving the assignment.