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
2. Unofficial Transcripts
3. Resume
4. Statement of Professional Goals
-What personal and/or professional experiences have led you to want to pursue a degree in Child Development/Early Childhood Education?
-What are your professional goals and how will this degree help you achieve those?
5. Three Letters of Reference
Degree Requirements
CD/ECE Master's Student Handbook
Course Requirements
Prerequisite Course:
Educational Psychology 859 or equivalent undergraduate or graduate statistics course is required. The student's advisor, in consultation with their master's committee, determines equivalency.
Required Courses:
- CYAF 865 Research Design & Methods
- Applied Experience in the Field (CYAF 897A, 897D, 898, 800A/801A)
- 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, or PSYC 941 Research Methods and Data Analysis, or equivalent
Content Area Courses:
Students choose a minimum of 12 credits from the following content courses. Additional courses from the Department or outside the Department may be put toward the 12 elective credits, with the consent of the advisor. Students wishing to add a specialization to their master's degree could consider adding a minor.
- CYAF 874 Assessment in Early Childhood
- CYAF 876 Cognitive Processes in Children / EDPS 961 Cognitive Development
- CYAF 877 Administration of Early Childhood Programs
- CYAF 888 Child and Family Policy
- CYAF 890A Workshop Seminar: Early Childhood
- 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: