Dec 10, 2024  
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]


Early Childhood Education (M.S.)



The Department of Applied Human Sciences  department offers a Master of Science degree in Family Studies and Human Services with a specialization in early childhood education. The M.S. program in early childhood education prepares individuals to be master teachers, directors of early childhood programs, and leaders in the development of child care policy. Early childhood education licensure is a pre-requisite for full admission. Students interested in entering the program without prior licensure must complete licensure requirements concurrently with degree requirements.

Requirements


To complete the program, the master’s candidate must have:

  1. Thirty (30) graduate hours of coursework approved by her/his committee.
  2. Experience working with children. The candidate can fulfill this requirement by satisfactory performance as a graduate assistant in one of the FSHS child care centers or with coursework in one of the following:
    • Practicum in Early Childhood Education (FSHS 883)
    • Practicum in Parent Education (FSHS 884)
    • Practicum in Human Development Research (FSHS 892)
    • Research in FSHS (Thesis) (FSHS 899)
    Performance of the graduate assistants in the Stone House Ruth Hoeflin Early Childhood Education Center will be evaluated by the Director of Child Care Programs for consideration by each student’s advisory committee.
  3. A comprehensive examination or
    a written document which may take one of three forms:
    1. Thesis - an empirical study with a comprehensive review of the literature and conforming to specifications set by the university.
    2. An article prepared for submission to a scholarly journal (research or expository).
    3. Report, e.g., curriculum teacher guide, survey, parent handbook, assessment instruments.
  4. The candidate must have an oral defense of the document or of the comprehensive examination.

Notes


The candidate must select his/her major professor and one other member of his/her committee from the Early Childhood Education area. The committee will be responsible for the development of a course of study with the candidate and for approving a choice of practicum and the preparation of the written report.

The academic performance of the student in the Early Childhood Education specialization will be reviewed by the student’s committee after he/she has completed at least twelve (12) hours of graduate study. 

Students considering the thesis option should enroll in additional research and/or statistics courses in consultation with their major professor.

Students interested in this option with questions about program requirements or curriculum should contact:

Dr. Mary DeLuccie
Program Chair
Early Childhood Education
Department of Applied Human Sciences 
211 Hoeflin Stone House
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS  66506
(785) 532-3535
deluccie@ksu.edu