Child Development/Early Childhood EducationMaster of Science (M.S.)
The central focus of the child development master's program is promoting child development in a variety of context including families, schools, childcare, and early intervention programs.
Students in this program will:
- Study child development in context
- Learn to implement, evaluate, and improve family-centered programs
- Gain experience in providing developmentally appropriate, inclusive experiences for young children
- Work with leading researchers in the field
- Learn about emergent curriculum, teacher observation/documentation, and environments that support young children as scientists, naturalist, and artists
- Take courses in applied fields of developmental psychology, special education, teacher education, and family sciences
- Develop professionally through conference presentations, networking, analyzing data, interning with agency and state policy makers, and publishing papers
See what is happening in Nebraska in Early Childhood Buffett Early Childhood Institute
*The College of Education and Human Sciences requires all students admitted into a campus program to complete a background check before the start of their first semester.
Careers
- Teacher of Young Children
- Program Director or Educational Coordinator
- Coach or Technical Assistant
- Extension Educator
- College Instructor or Lab School Teacher
- Policy Maker
Application to this program
Get More Info or Start the Application Process at Graduate StudiesDegree Requirements
Course Requirements
Prerequisite Course:
Educational Psychology 859 or equivalent undergraduate or graduate statistics course is required. Please see your advisor to determine equivalency. A completed Prerequisite Equivalency Form must appear in your file in order to waive this requirement.
Required Courses:
- CYAF 865 Research Design & Methods
- CYAF 897A Student Teaching in Early Childhood Education
- CYAF 899 Masters Thesis or CYAF 996 Scholarly Practice and Discovery
- CYAF 972 Theories in Child Development and Family Relations
- EDPS 860 Applications of Selected Advanced Statistics
Content Area Courses:
Students choose a minimum of 18 credits from the following content courses. Additional courses from the Department or outside the Department may be added to the 12 elective credits, with the consent of the advisor.
- CYAF 874 Assessment in Early Childhood
- CYAF 876 Cognitive Processes in Children
- CYAF 877 Administration of Early Childhood Programs
- CYAF 888 Child and Family Policy
- CYAF 893: Special Topics in Contemporary Family Issues
- CYAF 961 Seminar in Parent/Child Relations
- CYAF 970 Advanced Early Childhood Education
- CYAF 971 Seminar in Child Development
- CYAF 973 Social Processes in Children
Faculty advising students in this program area include: