Prepare to make a positive impact on children 8 and under with this non-licensure program.
ONLINE ECE OVERVIEW
This Master’s in Early Childhood Education program is designed for working professionals. While it is not an initial certification program, the non-licensure program aims to equip you to put childhood knowledge and theory into action to advance your career. You’ll gain the necessary qualifications to lead with expertise and take initiatives that help children age 8 and under grow and learn.
Start any of the three terms online.
Why Erikson
Gain a deeper understanding of young children with an online MSECE degree designed for working early education professionals.
Study part-time or full-time with this 100% online MSECE program so you can better balance life, work, and your studies.
Lean into Erikson’s comprehensive career advancement support.
Collaborate with our nationally recognized faculty, build a respected network of field experts, and learn from the field’s leading voices.
Our online program delivers an exceptional range of child development knowledge in small, personal classes.
Gain a professional toolkit so you can be your most effective. Learn resilience and healthy professional practices alongside experienced practitioners.
ONLINE MSECE FOCUS AREAS
Based on your interests and professional goals, choose from two focus areas or a choice of electives.
You can also choose to pursue optional credentials.
Develop strong skills in management, working with adults, policy influence, and advocacy to position yourself as an effective and visionary early childhood leader in a variety of settings.
Learn skills and techniques that will enhance your abilities to work with young children who have experienced trauma and stress, and enhance their learning experiences and outcomes
FINANCIAL SUPPORT & SCHOLARSHIP OPTIONS
Your Online MSECE degree shouldn’t break the bank.
With dozens of scholarships and financial aid opportunities, we’re here to help you achieve your professional goals.
Fee Waivers for Master’s Students
Matriculation and student services fees are waived for the first year for newly-admitted students for Spring 2024 term. See application requirements.
Applications received by March 15th (for Fall) and November 15th (for Spring & Summer) will receive primary consideration for scholarship awards.
Erikson Institute Supports You Every Step of the Way
Our Career Services team is there for you in both the preparation and search for a job.
With hundreds of partnerships and robust networks of alumni and field experts, the Career Services team is here to help you put your education into practice.
CAREER PATHS
Once you graduate, you’ll be able to put your MSECE degree to work right away. Here are a few of the roles Erikson graduates take on after graduation.
Erikson Institute has partnered with Illinois Gateways to Opportunity to be able to provide an entitled application route for the Early Care and Education (ECE) Credential, Levels 2-5. Illinois Gateways to Opportunity credentials help demonstrate your content knowledge, skills and experience, especially to potential employers within Illinois.
The application process, timing and related costs may vary.
Gain expert perspectives working closely with leaders in the field.
Erikson’s Early Childhood Education program faculty are nationally recognized. With specific research interests and decades of experience, each of our faculty enriches your academic experience, connecting you to new networks and the latest data.
The principal difference between the two programs is that the online program does not lead to teacher licensure. If you are interested in earning your Illinois Professional Educator License, you should seek admission to the on-campus Master’s in Early Childhood Education program leading to initial teacher licensure.
The other key difference is in the culminating experience requirement for the programs: the on-campus program requires a two-semester student teaching experience while the online program requires a two-semester action research project. Otherwise, the two programs provide you with a deep knowledge of how children develop and learn in context, and the courses are taught by the same group of faculty who teach on campus.
The program is designed and delivered as a fully online program, and there are no in-person residency requirements.
We award over $2 million in scholarships to students enrolled in our degree and certificate programs. Erikson also participates in the federal Direct Loan programs, and assuming you meet all eligibility requirements, you will have access to both Unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS loans to help finance your Erikson education.
Yes. Almost all of our online students work either part-time or full-time as they are pursuing their Erikson degree. The program was designed specifically with working professionals in mind — the cohort model allows you to balance your work and Erikson course schedules.
The staff in our Field Education and Career Services Office will work with you to prepare you for seeking positions while you’re enrolled at Erikson and upon graduating from the program. You’ll receive feedback on your resume and cover letters, and we also maintain a job board on our campus portal where employers list part-time and full-time positions for which they’re hiring.
The Career Services team also plans an annual social work, early education, and child development job fair for Erikson students and alumni. In concert with the job fair, you can submit your resume to be included in an annual Resume Book that we distribute to organizations and managers who are interested in hiring Erikson students and alumni.
For each course, you will need access to a computer with internet access an average of five out of seven days a week, for a total of 10 or more hours per week. You can log in to Erikson Online anytime and anywhere, from any computer connected to the internet (home, work, computer lab, public wi-fi location, etc.). High-speed internet access is required (minimum speed of 512kbps is strongly recommended).
Hardware requirements:
Software requirements:
Because of Erikson’s small size, you’ll have access to a wide range of both informal and formal student support services. These include:
Erikson’s Online Master’s in Early Childhood Education will help you deepen your expertise in understanding childhood systems’ effect on young children’s development and success. Ready to get started?