Master of Education (MEd) in Curriculum & Instruction: Early Childhood Education
The Master of Education (MEd) in Curriculum & Instruction with a specialization in Early Childhood Education (ECE) is designed to advance the knowledge base of certified teachers working in early care environments, including preschool, kindergarten, and primary school settings. While pursuing a Master of Education (MEd), students will gain a theoretical and practical understanding of child development, evidenced-based interventions and pedagogy specific to young children, and research and evaluation skills necessary for evaluating the effectiveness of instruction.
Coursework for a MEd in the College of Human Sciences & Education requires 36 hours of credit at the graduate level, which includes curriculum studies (3 hours), research (3 hours), humanistic and behavioral studies (3 hours), as well as content in early childhood education (15 hours) and electives outside of the School of Education (6 hours).
Research and field experience are key components to any graduate program. In a research course, students might study the effectiveness of interventions for young children. Within field experiences, graduate students will observe classroom environments and reflect on literature in the field as it relates to observed practice. Students enroll for thesis hours (6 hours) when working on their thesis research.
Students applying to graduate school should have a minimum composite score of 297, with a minimum verbal score of 153 and a minimum quantitative score of 144.
Non-matriculating students:
Prior to taking the GRE, students may enroll as a graduate non-matriculating student. Course work is taken for academic credit, and all rules and regulations for graduate students apply. A student in this category must register for at least one course numbered 4000 or above each semester to maintain graduate status. Courses numbered below 4000 may be taken concurrently with graduate course work. No more than 12 hours of graduate credit taken as a non-matriculating student may be applied toward the requirement for a master’s degree.
Resident Teacher Option
Master's students can apply for the Residency Teacher option during their graduate program. Resident Teachers work at the LSU Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool for two years for 20-hours per week and receive a tuition exemption. Resident Teachers are placed in a classroom working directly with children ranging from 6 weeks to 4 years of age. To apply, please contact ecelp@lsu.edu.
Master's Degree Sample 2 Year Plan
SUMMER
EDCI 7843 Early Childhood Education (3)*
EDCI 7901 Curriculum Theory (3)
FALL
Early Childhood Course (3)
Early Childhood Course (3)
SPRING
Early Childhood Course (3)
Early Childhood Course (3)
*additional course required for those taking the comprehensive examination
SUMMER
EDCI 4800 Teaching in the Multicultural Classroom (3)
ELRC 4507 Computer Technology in Education (3)
FALL
EDCI 7850 Intervention Research in the Early Childhood Classroom (3)
Early Childhood Course (3)
SPRING
Early Childhood Course (3)*
EDCI 8000 Thesis hours (6)**
*additional course required for those taking the comprehensive examination
**thesis hours only required for those engaging in thesis research
FALL
EDCI 7056 Theories of Child Development (3)
SPRING
Even Years
EDCI 4060 Organization & Administration of Early Childhood Programs (3)
EDCI 7850 Intervention Research in the Early Childhood Classroom (3)
Odd Years
EDCI 4060 Organization & Administration of Early Childhood Programs (3)
EDCI 7054 Child Guidance & Behavior (3)
EDCI 7055 Human Development (3)
EDCI 7849 Stress in Educational Context (3)
SUMMER
Even Years
EDCI 4061 Leadership in Early Childhood Programs (3)
EDCI 5880 Special Topics in Education, Assessment in ECE grades 1-3 (3)
EDCI 7843 Early Childhood Education (3)
Odd Years
EDCI 4061 Leadership in Early Childhood Programs (3)
EDCI 7059 Parent Involvement in Early Childhood Education (3)
EDCI 7843 Early Childhood Education (3)
Traditional Program Plan of Study
EDCI 7824 Elementary School Curriculum (3)
EDCI 7825 Secondary School Curriculum (3)
EDCI 7901 Curriculum Theory (3)
EDCI 7850 Intervention Research in the Early Childhood Classroom (3)
ELRC 4006 Introduction to Applied Statistics in Educational Research (3)
ELRC 4249 Understanding and Applying Research in Education (3)
ELRC 7243 Qualitative Methods in Educational Research (3)
ELRC 4507 Computer Technology in Education (3)
ELRC 4535 Educational Telecommunications and the Internet (3)
ELRC 7505 Design and Development of Multimedia Instructional Units (3)
EDCI 4800 Teaching in the Multicultural Classroom (3)
EDCI 7106 Teaching Literacy to Students of Diverse Cultural Backgrounds (3)
EDCI 7904 Education and Cognition (3)
Select at least 3 from list below in consultation with your advisor
*required courses
CFS 7051 The Contemporary Family (3)
CFS 7057 Theories in Family Science (3)
EDCI 4060 Organization & Administration of Early Childhood Programs (3)
EDCI 4382 Critical Issues in Early Childhood Education (3)
EDCI 7054 Child Guidance and Behavior (3)*
EDCI 7055 Human Development (3-6)
EDCI 7056 Theories of Child Development (3)*
EDCI 7059 Parent Involvement in Early Childhood Education (3)
EDCI 7112 Early Literacy Development and Instruction (3)
EDCI 7307 Topics in Curriculum & Instruction (up to 6)
EDCI 7843 Early Childhood Education (3)
EDCI 7849 Stress in Educational Contexts (3)
EDCI 7902 Analysis of Research on Teaching (3)
EDCI 7903 Curriculum Planning (3)
EDCI 7904 Education and Cognition (3)
EDCI 7910 Traditions of Inquiry in Education (3)
EDCI 7920 Analysis of Research in Curriculum & Instruction, Early Childhood Education (3)
EDCI 7921 Analysis of Research in Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood Education (3)
Thesis credit (6)
Minor area of study outside of the School of Education - select in consultation with
your advisor (6)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the thesis option and the cumulative test option?
Thesis option: "...The Master's thesis should demonstrate capacity for research, originality of thought and facility in organizing materials. It must be acceptable in subject matter and exhibit creditable literary workmanship..." -LSU Graduate School Catalog. A master's thesis is a piece of original scholarship written under the direction of a faculty advisor.
Thesis & Dissertation Guidelines
Cumulative exam option: During a student's terminal semester, each student is required to pass a comprehensive Master's examination covering work related to research and course work. This examination will be administered by the student's advisory committee and may be oral and/or written. The Graduate School's Request for Master's Examination form (found on the Graduate School form page) for scheduling and reporting results of this examination must be filed with the Graduate School three (3) weeks prior to the date of the examination. This examination may be re-taken only once.