Early childhood education

Master of Education

For the youngest learners, curiosity ignites investigation — from determining why something is the way it is to how it works and what it can do. Early childhood environments both center around and foster this process, introducing foundational academic concepts, socio-emotional skills and acquisition of knowledge through exploration. 

For professionals directing these spaces, Mizzou Onine's Master of Education (M Ed) in Learning, Teaching and Curriculum program with an emphasis in early childhood education is designed to spark your own sense of inquiry. Geared toward current preschool, kindergarten and primary grade practitioners, this entirely online course sequence strengthens your understanding of research, instructional design, curriculum development and how children from infancy through age eight absorb information.

For creating more engaging classrooms, this foundation gives you the tools to conceive, implement and evaluate educational services and empower all students, with a focus on those with special needs, English-language learners and those displaying challenging behaviors.

Please note: This program does not provide early childhood certification, nor does it provide the initial certification required to become a teacher.

About the Online Master's in Early Childhood Education Program

Preschool and kindergarten classrooms introduce the concept of school and what children should expect for the next 12 or more years. Beyond walls, these spaces propel their development, from honing fine and gross motor skills through play to planting the seeds of literacy and mathematics. And through a mix of structured and unstructured activities, students learn to collaborate and communicate.

Mizzou Online’s early childhood education programs graduate driven, creative professionals ready to design impactful classrooms and curricula. Building off previous education and experience, the online M Ed urges teachers to:

• Think about the instruction they deliver and devise solutions to ongoing early childhood education concerns.
• Integrate emerging theories and established practices to effectively serve the youngest learners and set them up for long-term success.
• Grow as leaders prepared to innovatively inspire positive educational outcomes in the classroom or through curriculum development.
• Support academic and socio-emotional progress through developmentally appropriate activities.
• Create evidence-based assessments rooted in research and instructional design theories.