Welcome to the Early Childhood Education Program

Would you like to further your expertise in early childhood education with a doctoral degree?

Professional Learning Community

The faculty and students in early childhood education work closely together.  The newly renovated Townsend Hall makes dialogue and consultation easy.  Each doctoral student who is a GTA/GRA has office space, a computer, and access to state-of-the-art technology in the Reflector.   Faculty and students share ideas and learn from one another.  Your faculty advisor has the strongest interest in your  professional/ personal growth, but each early childhood faculty member will be a valued part of your community.

Goals of the Ph.D. Program

These goals are achieved through a combination of course-work, internships and authentic experiences with research, development, and teacher education.

  • Understand the depth and breath of the field of early childhood education in terms of research, curriculum, policy, teacher development and student learning;
  • Develop, carry out, and report independent research in some area of early childhood education;
  • Become outstanding teachers/advisors of college students;
  • Understand the role of service in the university setting and learn how memberships in organizations can lead to a service agenda.

Ph.D –Early Childhood Education

  Candidates must have either a M.Ed. or an Ed. Specialist from an accredited college or university. This degree is designed for those who want further, focused study in early childhood education. Consists of a minimum of 72 semester hours beyond the Bachelor’s degree. A qualifying exam is required.  The program is directed by an advisory committee (at least 4 members)  and supervised by the major advisor. Both a comprehensive exam upon completion of coursework and a defense upon completion of the dissertation are required.   A student’s plan of study is specific to his or her needs and must be created collaboratively by the student and his or her advisor and approved by the student’s doctoral committee.  Students must consult their advisors regularly.

Course work comes from these areas:
  • Early Childhood Education: 18+ hours
Typically the greatest number of courses
  • Research Methodology: 12+ hours
  • 12 hours beyond introductory statistics
  • Focus Area I : 12 hours min.

Generally comes from coursework in the student’s department 

  • Focus Area II : 12 hours min.

Generally comes from coursework outside the student’s  department 

  • Teaching & Research Internships: 0-6 hours

Negotiated with student’s advisor to meet the student’s professional goals

  • Dissertation Research: 6 hours minimum

Minimum total:  72 hours beyond the Bachelor’s degree (Can count coursework done elsewhere on advisement from committee) Committee/advisor will decide if pre-requisite coursework is necessary.

Course Offerings

Frequently Chosen Area Courses

(not all are listed)

ECE:

7200 Young Children’s Emergent Language
8600  Perspectives in Parent Education and Involvement
8610  Issues in Early Childhood Education & Curriculum Practices
8612  Advanced Early Childhood Curriculum
8900 Advanced Assessment in ECE
8900  Language and Early Literacy Development
8920  Classroom Research-Early Childhood & Elementary Education  

Reading Education:
8635  Literature for Children and Youth
8900  Theoretical Foundations of Language & Literacy
8900  Talk in the Curriculum
8660   Reading Miscue Analysis
8680   Issues and Trends in Literacy Education  

Special Education:
7330 Collaboration &  Consultation in Special Education
8470 Special Education Literacy Assessment & Instruction
8485 Introduction to Early Childhood Special Education
8495 Methods of Early Childhood Special Education

Human Development & Family Studies:
7510 Administration of Programs for Children & Families
7610 Stress in Families
8220 Family Theories
8300 Advanced Seminar on Multi-cultural Families
8420 Cognitive Development
8440 Social and Emotional Development