MEd Children, Families, and Schools at University of Massachusetts Amherst

Programme overview

The Child Study & Early Education MEd is the master's degree within the Children, Families, & Schools programme. It gives students a broad overview of the educational and developmental needs of young children and their families in early-childhood education settings, with close attention to cultural context.

Faculty: College of Education | Department: Department of Teacher Education & Curriculum Studies (TECS) | Duration: Minimum 33 credits beyond the bachelor's degree | Intake: Fall; application deadline December 1 | Study mode: full-time | Location: Amherst, MA, United States

What you will study

Students complete courses in Child Development (including Anthropology of Childhood), Early Childhood Research and Practices (including Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Education) and Teaching ALL Children (including Seminar on Literacy). Focus areas include early childhood education (infancy to 8 years), family services, public policy for children and families, and childhood studies.

Career pathways

Graduates return to classrooms as teachers or work in non-profits, early intervention and educational consultation. Teachers with an initial licence and 3 years of PreK-2 experience can pursue a professional teaching licence.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Bachelor's degree in any field; previous experience working with children (a practicum counts). GRE not required. Materials: online Graduate School application, two letters of reference, personal statement, resume/CV, transcripts. Fall application deadline December 1; decisions typically early March.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Intake: Fall; application deadline December 1

Duration: Minimum 33 credits beyond the bachelor's degree

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