Master of Education - Early Childhood Education

Plan Description

The Master of Education – Early Childhood Education is designed to provide a comprehensive contemporary program of teacher preparation and education for early childhood settings (e.g., day care, preschool education, hospitals, community education, early intervention programs, agencies, infant/toddler education and prek-2nd grade teaching license. In addition, the program provides course work beyond and above the requirements of the State of Nevada’s Licensure requirements). Students will learn about the typically developing children and children with special needs and participate in field work. In the Early Childhood Education Program, students gain knowledge and skills for a variety of careers in educational and intervention programs for young children.

For more information about your program, including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes please visit the Degree Directory.

Plan Admission Requirements

Application deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

In addition to meeting the admission requirements of the Graduate College, applicants must also meet the requirements established by the Department of Early Childhood, Multilingual, and Special Education. They are:

1. A minimum grade point average of 2.75 for all undergraduate work or a 3.00 grade point average for the last two years of undergraduate work; and
2. A letter of application/intent.

Applications are processed when all credentials required by both the Graduate College and the Department of Early Childhood, Multilingual, and Special Education have been received by the Graduate Coordinator. The Graduate Coordinator evaluates the applicant’s credentials and recommends either 1) admission to full, contingency, or provisional graduate standing (depending on the strength of the applicant’s academic credentials); or 2) denial. Those who wish to begin studies but who miss the application deadline may enroll as a non-degree graduate student. However, since there is no guarantee that courses taken as a non-degree student will count toward a degree, and since a maximum of 15 credits taken prior to admission to the program may be used to meet degree requirements, candidates are urged to seek advisement prior to registering for any course(s).

Applicants should log back into their online applications to monitor the status of the application. Official decision letters will be posted in the online application once a decision has been made. Hard-copy letters are not issued. The online decision letter will include the name of the student’s advisor. Students are responsible for contacting their advisors.

All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.

Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

Plan Requirements

Total Credits Required: 36

Plan Degree Requirements

1. Students must complete a minimum of 36 credits with a minimum GPA of 3.00.
2. For licensure in the state of Nevada:
   • Students must complete a total of 8-10 credits of fieldwork (ECE 781), depending on their licensure area, plus a 2 credit fieldwork seminar (ECE 692); any additional credits will not count towards the degree program. Students should speak with their advisor to determine fieldwork courses that may be required for licensure.
   • In order to be endorsed in English Language Acquisition and Development the following five courses must be completed in addition to the courses required as part of the degree program:
     • TESL 751 – Theory and Practice for Academic English Language Development
     • TESL 752 – TESL Methods and Curriculum for Teaching ELs
     • TESL 754 – TESL Assessment and Evaluation of ELs
     • TESL 757 - Policies, Critical Issues, and Best Practices for Pre-K, Elementary, and Secondary ELs Seminar (2 credits)
     • TESL 759 - Critical Issues and Best Practices for Pre-K/Elementary or Secondary Practicum (1 credit)
3. Previous course work included in submitted graduate plans of study must have a grade of B or better. Only two subsequent grades of less than B- (one with an ESP or ECE prefix and one with any other prefix) will be permitted in a submitted plan of study. Under no circumstances will a Grade Point Average (GPA) of less than 3.00 be allowed on a finished plan of study. Failure to meet these standards will result in suspension from the degree program.
4. Students must successfully complete and pass a comprehensive examination.
   • The comprehensive examination is taken during the student’s last semester of coursework or in the semester immediately following completion of coursework listed on the student’s Program of Studies. If student(s) do not pass the exam they will receive only one additional opportunity to take a 2nd comprehensive examination. If students opt to take the comprehensive exam the semester after completion of the coursework listed on their Program of Studies, they must enroll in ESP 766 or another graduate course. Per Graduate College Guidelines, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 3 credits of coursework the semester they graduate.
   • Students must apply to take comprehensive examinations. Specific application deadlines are available in the Department of Early Childhood, Multilingual, and Special Education.
5. Master’s degrees must be completed within a six-year period and continuous enrollment must be maintained throughout the six years unless a formal request for a leave of absence is approved by the department and Graduate College.

Plan Graduation Requirements

Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.