Master of Science in Early Childhood Services Online
Gain the skills to qualify for in-demand roles in early childhood administration by focusing on specialized and foundational education courses that position you for success. Graduate prepared to serve in an administrative leadership position in a variety of public and nonpublic educational settings.
Program Overview
Gain administrative leadership skills with an online M.S. in Early Childhood Services
The online Master of Science in Early Childhood Services program at Arkansas State University provides a solid core of teacher education courses, plus specialized learning for early childhood services. According to the Center for American Progress, job postings for child care positions remain high,1 signaling an elevated demand for qualified early education administrators. In this fully online degree program, you will explore early childhood development and appropriate educational materials and activities.
Our coursework prepares you to effectively organize and supervise preschool programs, positioning you to gain increased marketability to serve in an administrative leadership role. The practicum capstone allows you to put what you have learned into action, providing hands-on experience in community-based early childhood education settings.
In this online master’s program, you will:
- Gain the skills to lead in administrative roles in preschool and child care settings
- Learn to consider the various roles of staff leadership and the responsibilities of mentoring young leaders; evaluating staff members; and collaborating with staff, families and the community
- Study the practical elements of administration through coursework emphasis in early childhood program design, curriculum and staff development
You will benefit from the incorporation of technology that aligns with national expectations for the 21st-century educator. Courses are tightly integrated and focused on application-based curriculum demonstrating your mastery of the NAEYC Standards. This program does not lead to licensure.
Additional documents
This program requires Live Text.
State Program Approvals (.PDF)
1 https://www.americanprogress.org/article/data-dash...
Within this master's program, students focus on areas of learning that include:
- In-depth knowledge of child development and development differences and influences in order to create learning environments for young children
- The ability to create collaborative relationships with families and communities to support children's development
- The ability to select and use a variety of documentation tools and methods for assessing young children's development in multiple early childhood settings
- An understanding of administrative responsibilities needed to manage a childcare or preschool program such as program design, staff training, policy formation, fiscal management and decision making.
- An understanding of curriculum sources and models
- A customized practicum (personal research project) to fit within your interest and/or current work
- In-depth knowledge of child development and development differences and influences in order to create learning environments for young children
- The ability to create collaborative relationships with families and communities to support children's development
- The ability to select and use a variety of documentation tools and methods for assessing young children's development in multiple early childhood settings
- An understanding of administrative responsibilities needed to manage a childcare or preschool program such as program design, staff training, policy formation, fiscal management and decision making.
- An understanding of curriculum sources and models
- A customized practicum (personal research project) to fit within your interest and/or current work
As a graduate of this online program, you will be prepared to serve in early childhood administrative roles, such as:
- Program Administrator
- Child Care Administrator
- Head Start Teacher
- Family Service Coordinator
- Child and Family Social Worker
- Program Administrator
- Child Care Administrator
- Head Start Teacher
- Family Service Coordinator
- Child and Family Social Worker
Also available:
A-State offers a variety of graduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online graduate programs.
Accreditation
Licensure programs within A-State’s College of Education & Behavioral Science are accredited by CAEP.
Tuition
Read more about our cost-effective program
Our M.S. in Early Childhood Services online program offers the same affordable tuition to in-state and out-of-state students. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.
Tuition breakdown:
Calendar
Discover the application deadlines and class schedules
Our M.S. in Early Childhood Services online program is designed to be flexible and convenient for working professionals, with accelerated coursework and multiple start dates a year.
Please note Summer 1 and Summer 2 terms are 5 weeks in duration for this program.
| Term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2 | 10/14/24 | 9/30/24 | 10/4/24 | 10/10/24 | 10/11/24 | 12/6/24 |
| Spring 1 | 1/13/25 | 12/16/24 | 12/18/24 | 1/9/25 | 1/10/25 | 2/28/25 |
| Spring 2 | 3/10/25 | 2/24/25 | 2/28/25 | 3/6/25 | 3/7/25 | 5/2/25 |
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Admissions
See the requirements for the M.S. in Early Childhood Services online degree
A-State Online offers a streamlined admission process for both new students and transfers. Students who are interested in the M.S. in Early Childhood Services online program must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. Make sure to review full admission requirements below. Applicants to the program who do not qualify for unconditional admission may qualify for conditional admission.
Admission Requirements:
- Minimum 2.75 GPA
- Official transcripts
- Bachelor's degree
- A baccalaureate degree with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least a 2.75 (or 3.0 on the last 60 hours) on a 4.0 scale from an accredited institution
Note: If you have a 2.75-2.99 GPA, you must make a grade of “B” or better during the first 9 hours of graduate work at Arkansas State University.
Application submission requirements
- Complete online application
- Pay the nonrefundable $30 fee
- Send official transcript(s) from the college/university attended. Official transcripts are sealed transcripts sent from the sending institution.
Submit all documents to:
A-State OnlineP.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467
Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]
Additional information
Unless otherwise noted, Arkansas State University has not confirmed if a program has met requirements for an out-of-state licensure. Please refer to the Program Approval Map to determine which programs are eligible to be offered in states and to find relevant State Agency contact information. Eligibility to offer in a state does not guarantee the program will meet state licensure/certification requirements.
Please contact your state’s Professional License Department/Board to ensure that your chosen distance education program meets your state’s requirements in which you intend to practice.
Appeals process
Email a written Letter of Appeal and GRE or GMAT scores (may be unofficial) to [email protected]
Transfer credits
Up to 9 graduate hours from A-State or other higher education institutions may be credited toward a program. No course can be older than six years by graduation time. Transfer credit will be evaluated by the Director of the Program. To request prior credit be evaluated, please complete the Graduate Transfer Credit Evaluation Form.
Courses
Gain the knowledge you need in these online early childhood courses
Students are required to complete 30 hours of coursework, including 24 hours of Major courses and six hours of Education Core courses as listed below.
Visit the Course Registration page to view the course schedule for this degree.
Six hours of prescribed electives which may include a Thesis or the two courses not taken below.