Best Online Master's In Child Development Degrees

Overview

UNC Greensboro offers an online Master of Education in Birth-Kindergarten Interdisciplinary Studies in Education and Development. The program is administered by both the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. It seeks to prepare graduates for a wide variety of leadership roles in a number of different contexts, whether that be a traditional classroom-based role or in community efforts. The program specializes in the unique educational needs of young children up to five years of age and their families.

Features

The program offers two areas of concentration: Early Childhood Leadership Program Administration and Early Childhood Leadership Advanced Teaching Licensure. Relevant coursework includes

Introduction to Inclusive Birth Kindergarten Services Inclusive Family-Centered Practices in Early Childhood Screening/Assessment in Inclusive Early Childhood Services Leadership Mentoring in Educating Young Children Advanced Curriculum in Early Childhood Education

Notables

Graduates will be prepared for a range of professional roles, such as early childhood teacher, early interventionist, resource and referral specialist, child care consultant, family advocate, program administrator, and community college instructor. The program is designed for students with a Standard Professional I or initial license seeking, and teachers, directors/administrators, technical assistance providers, and other professionals will benefit from it.

Overview

West Virginia University s online Master of Arts in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Child Development and Family Studies is designed to prepare students to work with children, adolescents, or families in educational, applied, or other clinical settings. It is also suitable preparation for those interested in pursuing doctoral-level training. Graduates of the program are better prepared to meet the challenges of their work than they would with a bachelor s degree only.

Features

Students enjoy a measure of flexibility in WVU s program and benefit from a wide selection of elective courses relevant to their particular interests and career objectives, such as

Education psychology Curriculum and instruction Counseling and guidance Psychology Special education Sociology Social work Public administration

Notables

Graduates of WVU s program have pursued careers as directors of child care programs in corporations, hospitals, and the private sector. Other graduates work as instructors and faculty members at four-year colleges and branch campuses of major universities teaching classes in child/human development and family studies. Still others work in curriculum development, community health care agencies, and traditional classroom settings.

Overview

University of South Florida offers a fully online Master of Science Degree in Child Adolescent Behavioral Health (MSCABH). It is designed for those seeking to become professionals in public and non-profit agencies and schools that work with diverse children and adolescents experiencing behavioral health challenges and their families. Graduates will be prepared to serve as directors, supervisors, and case managers in mental health, substance abuse, juvenile justice, developmental disabilities, and child welfare agencies, as well as consultants in schools and early education and care programs.

Features

USF s program will also prepare students interested in pursuing doctoral studies in education. Examples of courses in the program include but are not limited to

Child Adolescent Behavioral Health Cultural Competency in Children s Mental Health Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Policy Evaluation Research Methods in Community Health

Notables

USF s program offers four areas of concentration, and students can complete their program with a thesis or applied track. The thesis track is designed for those interested in possibly furthering their education beyond a master s degree or working in a more research-based setting. The applied track offers a field experience component. Both tracks feature overlapping coursework.

Overview

The University of Southern Mississippi offers an online Master of Science Degree in Child and Family Studies that prepares students to work with families in diverse settings in order to promote quality of life and to serve as an effective advocate for families. The program is ideal for working professionals in educational settings and agencies who struggle to fit traditional classroom learning into their busy schedules

Features

Coursework in the program spans the developmental process and includes:

Theories in Child and Family Studies Advanced Child Development Evaluation and Assessment Parenting Across the Lifespan Family Advocacy Advanced Family Theories Adolescence and the Family System Individual Family Life Cycle Development

Notables

Graduates of Southern Mississippi s program have pursued careers in a wide variety of roles, including as a certified family life educator, early childhood educator, preschool teacher/director, substance abuse specialist, sexual health educator, foster care coordinator, elementary, middle, and high school educator, nonprofit program manager, family program administrator, child life specialist, college instructor, resource specialist, and developmental play specialist.

Overview

Stephen F. Austin State University, located in Nacogdoches, Texas, offers an online master s degree in early childhood education program through its Department of Elementary Education. The program is designed to meet the specific needs of individuals who work with children ages birth through eight years and to encourage specialized competency in organizing programs for young children and families.

Features

Students will be exposed to in-depth study and research related to a number of relevant issues in the field, including

child growth and development theoretical underpinnings of classroom practice development of learning strategems sociological and psychological factors influencing behavior in young children.

Notables

Students in the program may select a traditional thesis option or take an additional six hours of courses. A minimum of six hours undergraduate work in early childhood courses related to growth, development, and curriculum is required for admission. It has been recognized as a great value in online education, so for students who are watching the bottom line, SFA could be a great choice. The program requires 36 credit hours to complete.

Overview

University of Northern Colorado offers an online master s in early childhood special education. It is available either online, on campus, or a combination of both, and it is a great choice for working professionals who need to pursue further education without leaving their jobs. Students will develop a range of specialized skills to work with young children and their families. Faculty members are actively involved in teaching and research with local school districts and agencies, and the program encourages extensive field-based learning.

Features

Coursework in the program covers a range of topics relevant to the practice of early childhood education, including but not limited to the following:

Family/Professional Partnerships Typical and Atypical Early Child Development: Application to Early Childhood Special Education Scientifically Based Literacy Interventions Research, Policy and Advocacy in Early Childhood Special Education Learning Environments and Cultural Considerations Assessment, IEP Development and Instructional Planning

Notables

UNC s School of Special Education has been designated as a Center of Excellence by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education three times. UNC is also the top-ranked university in the state (and one of the top 10 in the nation) for online graduate programs in education. In addition to the above, students will learn appropriate ways to work with children and their families across a range of abilities and cultural experiences and also how to effectively collaborate with general educators and related services professionals.

Overview

UC Denver s online Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education is designed to prepare early childhood professional leaders with the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of young children and their families within a rapidly changing and diverse society. It is offered through the School of Education and Human Development, the largest graduate school of education in Colorado, and has extensive partnerships in urban schools.

Features

The curriculum in the program covers the gamut of standard topics in the field, such as

Curriculum in Early Childhood Education Language and Literacy in Young Children Research in Schools Basic Statistics

Notables

UC Denver s program boasts multiple accreditations, such as the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the Colorado Department of Education Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Graduates of the program will be well prepared to excel in classroom and educational settings, child care programs, early intervention programs (including Head Start and Early Head Start), and family support and home-based programs.

Overview

San Diego State University features an online Master of Science Degree in Child Development, which focuses on child social and emotional development and on contextual child development, for instance, early childhood education programs, schools, families, and communities. Students will be able to further their professional expertise and credentials in areas related to children and families. It is also suitable preparation for students interested in pursuing doctoral-level education.

Features

Coursework in the program prepares students to face as many challenges in their careers as possible through topics such as

Human development and theories Family processes and theories Applications for prevention and intervention Research methods Program development and proposal writing

Notables

Additional topics students can expect to cover in their program include early childhood development, prevention, intervention, family processes, risk and resilience, development across the lifespan, parent-child intergenerational relationships, enhancing school readiness and preparing teachers to work with families, socio-emotional and behavior support in educational settings and homes, influences of language and culture, and atypical development. Students conclude their program with a capstone project.

Overview

North Dakota State, a leader in online education, offers an online Master of Science in Human Development and Family Science with a focus on Youth Development, an emerging field that focuses on promoting the positive development of youth. Professionals put developmental research and theory into practice in structuring and implementing programs and services for adolescents. Graduates will be prepared to work for organizations such as 4-H, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, non-profits, faith based groups, community recreation, juvenile justice facilities, middle and high school programs, extension services, and military youth programs.

Features

Coursework in this innovative program is geared toward understanding and encouraging youth, such as

Foundations of Youth Development Community Youth Development Adolescents and Their Families Contemporary Youth Issues Youth in Cultural Contexts Youth Professionals as Consumer of Research Program Design, Implementation, and Evaluation

Notables

NDSU s online Master of Science in Human Development and Family Science: Youth Development is an intentionally collaborative, inter-institutional program offered by the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (GPIDEA), a web-based distance education program. The program requires 36 credits to graduate, including a practicum experience. Students can also opt to complete their program with a thesis, and most complete it within two or three years.

Overview

Missouri State Springfield s online Master of Science in Early Childhood and Family Development can lead to a number of opportunities in education, administration, municipal government, and even private business, such as a teacher, director, supervisor, principal, researcher, agent, case manager, consultant, regulator, sales representative, and inspector. It can also serve to prepare students for further education at the doctoral level.

Features

Coursework in Missouri State s program is comprehensive and will prepare students for a number of possible career outcomes. The program includes courses such as the following:

Orientation to Early Childhood and Family Development Advanced Human Development Studies Inquiry in Early Childhood and Family Development Advanced Family Studies Programming and Policy Issues for Early Childhood Settings Children and Families in a Diverse Society Educational Research Methodology Proposal Development

Notables

Missouri State s program identifies several actionable outcomes for their program, for instance, the ability to describe the characteristics and influences on an individual s development to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging; describe the process to build effective family and community relationships; and advance cultural competence to enhance interactions with individuals across settings with an ultimate goal of working toward anti-bias practices on a global level.