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.

Required Courses

• LSHD 810 - Child Development Credits: 3
• LSHD 815 - Infant Behavior and Development Credits: 3
• LSHD 820 - Theories of Human Development Credits: 3
• ECED 830 - Advanced Program Development Credits: 3
• HDFS 850 - Family Science Credits: 3

• or

• HDFS 852 - Theories of Human Development and Family Science Credits: 3

• or

• HDFS 670 - Working with Parents Credits: 3
• FSHS 888 - Research Methods in FSHS I Credits: 3

• or

• EDCEP 816 - Research Methods in Education Credits: 3

Recommended Courses

• FSHS 704 - Seminar in Family Studies and Human Services Credits: 1-18
• ECED 710 - Child Care: Components and Issues Credits: 3
• ECED 728 - Assessment of Young Children Credits: 3
• ECED 730 - Early Childhood Program Administration Credits: 3
• ECED 740 - Play Facilitation Credits: 3
• ECED 883 - Practicum in Early Childhood Education Credits: 1-18
• ECED 884 - Practicum in Parent Education Credits: 1-18
• LSHD 892 - Practicum in Human Development Research Credits: 1-18
• HDFS 899 - MS Research in Human Development and Family Science Credits: 1-8
• HDFS 809 - Qualitative Research Methods in Human Development and Family Science Credits: 3

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