Begin Your Rewarding Career as an Early Childhood Educator
Cohorts to Start in 2024, pending MSDE approval
Opportunities for certified early childhood educators are growing. Through 2030, the state of Maryland is projected to need 40% more preschool teachers, 10% more kindergarten teachers, and 9% more elementary school teachers—all well above national projections.*
Stevenson University Online’s Master of Arts in Teaching: Early Childhood Education (MAT:ECE) is the first and only online program of its kind in Maryland and fills a critical statewide need, supporting goals set forth in the 2022 Maryland State Plan for Higher Education. Upon completion, graduates of the program will be eligible for initial teacher certification by the MSDE in Early Childhood Education (Pre-K-Grade 3).
Designed to fit the flexibility that working conditionally certified teachers, recent graduates, and career changers need, the online program will include two optional one-day residencies. The curriculum is designed to meet the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) requirements for Early Childhood licensure, and includes critical field-based experiences, and emphasis on teaching and supporting multilingual learners. Students will also complete a 100-day internship in a Pre-K-Grade 3 setting.
Stevenson University’s strong partnerships with more than 28 professional development and partnership schools will enhance the practical aspects of the program, grounding it in career-based practice and applied learning beyond the university classroom. Our expert faculty and university-based mentors will provide personalized support throughout the program, including assistance with internship placement and monitoring.
*Maryland Department of Labor. Maryland Occupational Projections – 2020 – 2030 – Workforce Information and Performance. https://www.dllr.state.md.us/lmi/iandoproj/maryland.shtml
Affordable
Flexible Schedule
Fully Accredited
Complete in as Few as 2 Years
36 Credits
Online Program
One-on-One Attention
In-Demand Career
Become a Certified & Licensed Early Childhood Educator
Candidates who successfully complete our proposed master’s in teaching online program are eligible for a teaching certificate in Maryland and in states with reciprocal agreements with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).
Master of Arts in Teaching (ECE) Graduates are Eligible to Teach:
- Preschool Teacher
- Pre-K Teacher
- Kindergarten Teacher
- Elementary Teacher (through Grade 3)
More than 40%
Projected Job Growth of Preschool Teachers in Maryland Through 2030
Source: Maryland Department of Labor
More Than 10%
Projected Job Growth of Kindergarten Teachers in Maryland Through 2030
Source: Maryland Department of Labor
Nearly 2,700
Projected Number of New Elementary Teachers Needed in Maryland Through 2030
Source: Maryland Department of Labor
More Than 7,000
Total Projected Number of New Preschool, Kindergarten, and Elementary Teachers Needed in Maryland Through 2030
Source: Maryland Department of Labor
Your Partner For Professional Success
Courtney Parto
Enrollment Counselor
443-352-5016
cparto@stevenson.edu
We’re here to answer all your questions. Submit this form or contact Courtney, your Enrollment Counselor, directly to learn more about our Master of Arts in Teaching (ECE) program.
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Admissions
- Completed online application
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree in a science or math discipline or related field from a regionally accredited institution
- Official college transcripts from all previous academic work. If the transcripts are from an institution located outside of the United States, students must submit an official course-by-course transcript evaluation from an organization that is a current member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). A member list is available on the NACES website.
- A cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in past academic work
- Analysis of transcripts to determine if all required content coursework has been met to satisfy the field of licensure (Biology, Chemistry, Earth/Space Science, Physical Science, Physics, or Mathematics) requirements.
- Two letters of recommendation (professional or academic)
- Personal statement
Prior to the Master of Arts in Teaching Internship
- Completion of any additional undergraduate-level content coursework necessary to meet the 30-credit hour course requirements in the field of licensure
- Criminal background check and fingerprinting
- Passing score on PRAXIS® II Subject Assessment for the intended area of certification (biology, chemistry, or mathematics)
Master of Arts in Teaching Online Degree Requirements
- 100-day teaching internship that takes places across two semesters, one semester being a full-time teaching experience
- Successful portfolio review documenting mastery of core teacher standards
- Demonstrated competency on the Maryland Teacher Technology Standards and Maryland STEM Standards of Practice
- Qualifying scores according to MSDE certification criteria.
- Original action research project on a topic related to instructional practice
- Minimum 3.00 GPA
Tuition
$505.00 Per Credit / $1,515.00 Per Course (3 Credits)
- MAT graduate students may be eligible for some State of Maryland grant and scholarship programs, including the Teaching Fellows for Maryland Scholarship.
- Stevenson University Online has simplified the cost of your online MAT program by eliminating all fees.
Courses
- Psychology and Development of Adolescents
- STEM Curriculum Principles and Practice
- Principles of Assessment
- Principles of Special Education
- Issues in STEM Education
Education Certificate Options
Stevenson offers three distinct, fully-online graduate certificate programs for those interested in advancing their careers in either formal or non-formal education settings. Students can select from certificate options in:
- Community-Based Education and Leadership (15 credit hours)
- Literacy Education (15 credit hours)
- Secondary STEM Teaching and Learning (18 credit hours)