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Early Childhood Education Concentration

This concentration is available only to students who complete the coursework listed under the undergraduate early childhood education-licensure specialty area and CFS 470 at UT.


The Master of Science (MS) degree in child and family studies provides a broad foundation for understanding how children develop and how families function in today’s society. All master’s candidates enroll in CFS foundation courses which include theoretical and empirical surveys of the human development, child development, and family science literatures as well as a survey of methods of discovery used in child and family research. All MS students are expected to engage in productive research culminating in a thesis or project. Students choose to concentrate either in child and family studies, leading to doctoral study or careers in community agencies serving children and families, or in early childhood education, leading to an educator career in early childhood or school settings.

The child and family studies Master of Science degree with a concentration in early childhood education is designed for students seeking a MS degree along with initial teacher licensure in early childhood education (PreK–3). All master’s candidates enroll in CFS foundation courses which include theoretical and empirical surveys of the human development, child development, and family science literatures plus a survey of methods of discovery used in child and family research. Students interested in this program must apply for admission to graduate study in CFS through the procedures outlined in the application section.

The course of study for CFS MS in early childhood education students includes 12 credit hours in the CFS foundation courses:

• CFS 510 or 550 (choose one);
• CFS 512 and CFS 569 in lieu of 570;
• 21 credits in early childhood education core: CFS 551, 574, 575, 591;
• 3 credits in early childhood education specialization electives;
• Completion of a practice-based review of research; and
• Completion of edTPA (Teacher Performance Assessment) (36 credits).

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