Doctor - Education: Early Childhood Education
Northcentral University's Doctor of Education program in Early Childhood Education is designed to provide you with the opportunity to study childhood growth and development. You'll also have the chance to explore strategies in curriculum development, teaching and assessment. Read on for more information about the Doctor of Education program in Early Childhood Education.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Kind of Program Is It?
The online Doctor of Education program in Early Childhood Education at Northcentral University is designed to allow you to study theories and practices for early childhood education in the United States, with a focus on pre-K through third grade settings. You'll have the opportunity to learn about the social, intellectual, emotional and physical development of infants, toddlers and young children. Literacy development, language development, and literacy teaching strategies are also examined. Additional topics in program administration, including hiring and budgeting, may also be addressed.
What Are the Prerequisites?
As a potential applicant to the Doctor of Education program in Early Childhood Education, you should have already earned a master's degree from an accredited institution. You should also have a passion for working with young children and may have professional teaching experience.
What Are the Course Requirements?
The Doctor of Education program in Early Childhood Education could be completed in 54 credit hours, with up to 12 additional credit hours allowed to complete dissertation research. The program includes 24 foundation credit hours, 15 specialization credit hours, three doctoral comprehensive examination credit hours, and 12 dissertation credit hours.
Courses for a Doctor of Education in Early Childhood Education
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| Required Courses | |
| EDU 8000 | Foundations for Graduate Study in Education |
| EDU 8001 | Advanced Scholarly Writing |
| EDR 8200 | Scholarly Literature Review |
| EDR 8203 | Research Methods |
| EDR 8201 | Statistics I |
| EDR 8204 | Advanced Qualitative Design and Measurement |
| EDR 8205 | Advanced Quantitative Design and Measurement |
| One additional Specialization or Elective Course | |
| Specialization Courses | |
| Select five courses from the following: | |
| ECE 7001 | Topics in Early Childhood Education |
| ECE 7002 | Topics in Early Childhood Growth, Development, and Educational Programs |
| ECE 7003 | Topics in Early Childhood Program Administration |
| ECE 7005 | Early Childhood Curriculum and Assessment |
| ECE 7007 | Early Childhood Literacy and Literature |
| ECE 7009 | Families, Communities, and Schools as Partners in Early Childhood Education |
| CT 7004 | Language and Literacy Education |
| CT 7005 | Literacy: Focus on Curriculum |
| Examination Course | |
| CMP 9700E | Doctoral Comprehensive Assessment: Pre-Candidacy Prospectus |
| Dissertation Courses | |
| DIS 9901A | Components of the Dissertation |
| DIS 9902A | The Dissertation Proposal |
| DIS 9903A | Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Data Collection |
| DIS 9904A | The Dissertation Manuscript and Defense |
What Could I Do After I Graduate?
Career Opportunities
After completing the Doctor of Education program in Early Childhood Education, you could seek teaching opportunities in colleges and universities. You could also be able to pursue additional responsibilities related to your current teaching position. Opportunities could be sought in public and private preschools, elementary schools and early child care organizations.
Depending on your professional background, you could be able to pursue positions such as:
- Postsecondary Professor
- Preschool Teacher
- Kindergarten Teacher
- Elementary School Teacher
- Child Care Director