Coordinator: Dr. Minsun Shin
Office: University Hall, Room 3239
Phone: 973-655-6961
Email: shinm@montclair.edu
The Master of Arts in Teaching Program in Early Childhood Education is a 39-credit program designed for individuals who are deeply committed to constructing developmentally appropriate practices for teachers of young learners. Students applying to this program seek to develop their role as a teaching professional in an early childhood setting. This graduate program will lead to a master’s degree as well as an initial certification to teach P-3. Applicants to this program must hold a bachelor’s degree in a liberal arts field (minimum of 60 credits of liberal arts), complete admission application, meet the admission requirements and submit score on the PRAXIS II Early Childhood Content Knowledge. Completion and passing score on PRAXIS II Early Childhood Content Knowledge The test code beginning 9/1/2015 is 5025. (Tests completed prior to 9/1/2015 should be code 5022/0022). Additionally, applicants must provide evidence of substantial and meaningful experience with groups of children.
Montclair State University’s Teacher Education Program is one of the most highly-regarded teacher preparation programs in the country. It has been consistently recognized both nationally and regionally for its unique features, including its structure, partnerships and curricular emphases. The program is considered a model for other colleges and universities and has been accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP, formerly NCATE), continuously since 1954.
The Teacher Education Program’s professional course sequence and field experiences emphasize teaching for critical thinking and culturally responsive teaching. The professional component for both graduate students addresses four broad areas: 1) student development and learning, 2) the classroom and the school, 3) the curriculum, and 4) effective teaching skills.
Admission Information
All candidates must meet application and admission requirements as defined by The Graduate School.
Additional Student Responsibilities:
- Students are responsible for seeking advisement from their academic advisor for registration and completion of degree requirements.
- Students are responsible for completing the Physiology and Hygiene requirement and Speech requirement for state certification.
- Early Childhood Certification requires passing PRAXIS II Early Childhood: Content Knowledge. The test code beginning 9/1/2015 is 5025. (Tests completed prior to 9/1/2015 should be code 5022/0022). Information on the PRAXIS test is available in the Center of Pedagogy office in University Hall.
- Any student who has not completed the equivalent of one semester of child development as an undergraduate must take the course at the graduate level.
- All MAT students must register to take the Comprehensive Exam during the Clinical I semester. The exam is administered once in the spring and fall semesters. Registration for the fall exam is due October 1 and February 15 for the spring exam. Registration forms and information on the Comprehensive Exam may be found on the department website.
- It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with all policies designated in the Graduate Catalog and the current Center of Pedagogy Teacher Education Handbook.
- Students are required to apply to the Center of Pedagogy for Clinical I placement the semester before placement begins. The deadline is March 1 for fall placement and October 1 for spring placement.
- In order to complete the program, students must file the proper audit forms in the Registrar’s Office by October 1 for May graduation, March 1 for August graduation, and June 1 for January graduation.
- Any variation from this work program must be approved by The Graduate School through the proper filing of a substitution form.