Early Childhood Education

Graduate

A female teacher with natural hair and tattoos sits in front of a book case reading to a small child.

Advance Your Alabama Teaching Career with a Graduate Degree!

A strong educational foundation, built early, is crucial for students’ future success. UAB’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs teach educators to recognize and meet the evolving needs of birth-to-age-eight students in their earliest exposure to education. Candidates in our graduate Early Childhood Education program learn how to be teacher-leaders in their communities, fostering a love for learning that will impact young children’s first educational experience.

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Available Degrees

There are two graduate degrees offered for early childhood education: a Master of Arts in Education and a Doctor of Philosophy.

This program is designed for individuals with bachelor’s degrees and who hold current Class B certification in early childhood education. 

Coursework takes between 30 and 33 semester hours to complete and includes courses in teaching reading and language development, critical pedagogy, effective assessment practices, as well as courses related to diversity and data literacy. Course-specific information may be found in the UAB Graduate Catalog opens a new website.

This PhD is one of only a handful in the country that is specific to early childhood education and not a more generic curriculum and instruction degree with an “emphasis” or “specialty” in early childhood. In contrast to a generic approach to training, candidates immerse themselves in doctoral-level experiences specially designed to focus on early childhood research, teaching, and service.

The program offers doctoral-level early childhood seminars, internships, courses, and experiences. Preparation focuses on successfully researching and teaching at the university level, advocacy, or becoming a state or district leader in early childhood education.

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Curriculum

Learn to meet the evolving needs of young learners in this program with a curriculum that is based on today’s rapidly changing society. The program’s courses allow students to integrate what they are experiencing in the classroom into the graduate curriculum coursework. Candidates will take a wide range of courses focused on infant, toddler, and primary learners. Including cognitive curriculum, programs for young children, social and emotional development for young children, teaching language and literacy, and more.

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Resources

Why choose Early Childhood Education at UAB?

Accredited

The Counsel for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and the Alabama State Department of Education accredits the UAB Early Childhood Education program. Learn more about accreditation.

Research Opportunities

The Early Childhood Education program allows students to complete research projects or presentations alongside award-winning School of Education and Human Sciences faculty.