Early Childhood Education

The early childhood major at Converse has earned national recognition from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and is accredited through the South Carolina Department of Education under the guidance of the Council for the Accreditation for Education Preparation (CAEP).

Candidates participate in clinical experiences in which they observe and teach young children, develop a clear understanding of developmentally appropriate instructional methodology, and participate in curriculum and program planning for pre-kindergarten through third grades.  Candidates complete coursework that provides them with a professional understanding and skill set about the child’s social, emotional, physical and intellectual development. Our fully-accredited program leads to certification in South Carolina.

Converse’s teacher preparation programs include a diversity of field and clinical experiences in public schools and our candidates complete their directed student teaching in high quality early childhood classrooms.

Applicants must have the following:

• Graduation from an accredited college;
• Overall GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for full admission;
• A major undergraduate program appropriate for the requested teaching area;
• Official transcripts from all colleges attended

Visit the graduate catalog for detailed admission requirements.

For consideration of admission, the applicant should have the following credentials:

• A completed online application, including the $40 application fee
• Official degree-granting undergraduate transcript and graduate transcripts from all colleges attended.
• Two letters of recommendation
• A personal statement – Converse’s founder, Dexter Edgar Converse, held the ideal that Converse students “may be enabled to see clearly, decide wisely, and to act justly.” Please write a personal statement, approximately 250-300 words in length, on how your personal goals as an educator tie with the Converse concept of The “Ideal” Educator. In keeping with the Honor Tradition at Converse, your essay must be entirely your own work. Please be specific on how Converse can help you become the “Ideal” Educator, taking special care to organize your essay clearly and proofread your work. The personal statement should be submitted as a part of the application or emailed to the Office of Graduate Admission.

The MAT in Early Childhood is a 48 credit-hour program designed for students interested in working with children in pre-kindergarten through third grade.

Our curriculum meets all the requirements for national approvals set by the Council for Accreditation for Educator Preparation (CAEP), approved by the South Carolina Department of Education. You will be qualified for certification reciprocity with many other states.

The MAT degree in Early Childhood Education is designed to help you reach the following specific goals and objectives:

• Provide a thorough course of study in human growth and development;
• Develop skills in appropriate pedagogy and classroom management;
• Apply the theories and principles you have studied in course work to clinical experiences;
• Promote a broad knowledge of the history, theory, and professional practices that are related to early childhood education;
• Demonstrate computer proficiency in instructional technology including the knowledge of skills, strategies, software and hardware to be used in classroom management and computer-assisted instruction;
• Plan, implement and assess instruction in simulated settings and in real classroom settings as a student teacher;
• Organize and effectively manage a pre-kindergarten through third grade placement in the public schools.

Additional Program Details

• Visit the graduate catalog for current course descriptions
• View benchmark worksheets for an outline of academic requirements for this program

See comprehensive graduate tuition and fees here.*

*Tuition and fees subject to change

Learn about Financial Aid opportunities.