Early Childhood Education
Program Overview
This master’s program will prepare you to teach in a variety of educational settings within the birth to grade 2 levels. It is recognized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
Coursework and Clinical Experiences
Courses are offered in the afternoon and evening. Some courses may be available in an online or hybrid format. Select courses have required hours of classroom experience (fieldwork) in a New York City public school. Students also participate in supervised teaching (student teaching and/or practicum) as the culmination of their course of study. Student teaching and/or practicum requires five full days per week for at least one semester.
Credits
36 to 42
Certification
Early Childhood Education (Birth to Grade 2)
Eligibility and Admission Requirements
For applicants who do not hold New York State Certification
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0 or a master’s degree with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.5
- A liberal arts or sciences major or interdisciplinary concentration of at least 30 credits
- General education core in the liberal arts and sciences including coursework in artistic expression, communication, information retrieval, concepts in history and social sciences, humanities, a world language other than English, scientific and mathematical processes, and written analysis and expression (Waived for Spring 2024 and Fall 2024 applicants)
- A statement of purpose
- Two letters of recommendation
- An official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score report (Waived for Spring 2024 and Fall 2024 applicants)
To Apply
Applications are accepted each Fall and Spring semester.
To start your application, visit the Hunter College Online Application.
For applicants with no prior NYS certification, under Program of Study, select School of Education – Childhood and Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Education (Birth to Grade 2) no prior NYS Teacher cert.
Application Deadlines
Fall Start
- March 15 (Priority Deadline)
- April 15 (Extended Deadline)
Spring Start
- October 15 (Priority Deadline)
- November 1 (Extended Deadline)
Visit How to Apply for information about deadline extensions.
Related Programs
If you are interested in a dual certification program with General Early Childhood Education and Special Education, consider our Early Childhood Special Education program.